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Recently, there has been significant interest in the sugar and carbohydrate content of hays. However, as researchers, we are just beginning to develop guidelines for diseased horses based on hay analysis components. However, the below analyses can be very useful in helping to select a suitable feed for horses, especially those that show sensitivity to starch and sugar.
• Non-fiber Carbohydrate (NFC): a mathematical estimate of non-cell wall (non-fiber) carbohydrates consisting of starch, sugar, pectin and fermentation acids that can serve as energy sources for the animal. Although not always perfect, the NFC value is often used as an indicator of the level of starches and sugar in a forage sample.
• Non Structural Carbohydrates (NSC): an analysis of the non-structural carbohydrates (starches and sugars) in the forage. Not to be confused with NFC, which is calculated, not actually analyzed for. Since some horses can be very sensitive to dietary starch and sugar (i.e. horses with Cushing’s disease or laminitis), the NSC level can be helpful in selecting hay choices. Hay containing greater than 10% NSC should not be fed to these horses. Unfortunately, neither NFC nor NSC can give an exact measure of fructans, the complex sugar correlated with founder and other horse health issues.
• Starch (a sub-component of the NSC): Starch is a good source of energy. However, no more than 15% of total daily calories from starch should be fed to horses diagnosed with PSSM (polysaccharide storage myopathy).
• Ethanol Soluble Carbohydrates (ESC): Carbohydrates solubilized and extracted in 80% ethanol. Includes primarily monosaccharides (glucose and fructose) and disaccharide. Some forage labs will refer to ESC simply as “sugar”.
When transitioning a horse to a different feed source, the key is to do it slowly.
Start by giving your horse a small amount of hay (a pound or a small flake) while in the pasture. It would be ideal if you have access to a dry lot or stall for feeding hay. Add small amounts (i.e. a small flake) of hay to the horse’s diet each day over a 10 to 14 day period until you have reached your desired amount of hay (usually about 2% of the horse’s body weight).
If you do not have access to a dry lot or stall for hay feeding, this transition will likely be difficult as most horses will prefer grazing over eating hay.
The Vermont Accepted Agricultural Practices provide the following requirements for burying livestock:
The extension offices that are able to analyze hay for cattle and swine should also be able to analyze it for horses, but contact your local Extension office since forage analysis might differ between offices. However, there are forage labs that specialize in horse hay analysis, one being Equi-Analytical (www.equi-analytical.com), who can get nutrient content specific for horses; for example Digestible Energy (DE), Water Soluble Carbohydrates (WSC), and Non-Structural Carbohydrates (NSC).
