What type of hay is LOW in sugar??

[Robyn]

Feeding an old Cushings horse and I just got this years shipment of grass hay tested. Over 13% sugar :( So is there any "type" of hay that is naturally lower in sugar?

[jaimebaker]

Bermuda if I'm not mistaken. But then there's the whole issue of possible impaction colic due to the fine stem of the Bermuda itself. But if you soak the hay, you can leach a lot of the sugars out. Might be a pain, but one way to get that 13% lower.

[tcnhorsefeed]

Actually.."on average" alfalfa hay tests lower than grass hay in NSC value, but again without testing batches you can have one higher than you might like. If you have a cushings horse that is NOT FAT, your horse may benefit by having some alfalfa in the diet for the calories and "generally" lower NSC value than grass hay. If the horse is an easykeeper or already overweight, a high alfalfa diet will not work for your horse. Next would be some grass/bermuda grass hay and timothy, they all run on average between 12-13% ...oat hay or barley hay are too high... Beet pulp is low in NSC and can be a great high fiber addition to your horses diet. As you already know you really want a hay that is 10% or below for your cushings guy, but.....

*Remember you can soak your hay to lower the NSC value and still utilize the batch you have...I am guessing you have yourself quite a batch of hay as you said "this years shipment"....

[JB]

www.safergrass.org to learn about hay, the varieties, what generally increases sugars, and what you can do about known sugars.

Generally, a 13% NSC hay shouldn't be a problem for a horse who "only" has Cushing's. I think a general goal, for those who strive to keep diets low(er) in NSCs all around, not even related to metabolic issues, is to keep things below 15%.

The 13% might be too high for an IR horse, but if your guy doesn't have that issue, then it may be fine.

However, if you're finding that 13% is causing problems for him, he may also be IR and you just haven't realized it yet.

[Liberty]

I don't know if there any specific types of hay that are generally lower in sugars/starch than others. From what I understand, a lot has to do with how/when it's harvested.

I feed straight orchard grass hay, and since I started having it analyzed several years ago, it's never been over 9.8% (same hay guy, same fields, etc.). I've had 8 loads tested, and the sugar/starch (NSC) level averages out to 6.2%. This year's load is only 3%. :)

But, yeah, as others have mentioned, you can soak your present hay and reduce that sugar level by about 30%. Just be sure to dump the soak water away from where your horse(s) can get to it.

Easy way to soak it is put it in one of those cheapy poly hay nets in a big (muck bucket size) bucket of water and weigh it down with a cinder block. Soak it for about an hour. Maybe turn the hose on it after you take it out of the bucket to rinse it a final time if you really want to be thorough.

Depending on where/how you get your hay, maybe next year you could go take some core samples and have your designated load tested before delivery. If you don't have a hay sampler, you might be able to borrow one from your local ag extension office (there's where I get mine).

Good luck!

[Liberty]

...The 13% might be too high for an IR horse, but if your guy doesn't have that issue, then it may be fine....


The "general rule" I've heard for IR considerations is 10% or below. But, yeah, it really depends on the horse, health issues, activity level, etc.

[Robyn]

Thanks everybody :) I guess I could have been a bit more clear. I AM soaking his hay but winter will make that an impossibility. My two horses will be getting this years shipment and I'll look for an alternative source for the Cushings guy, who is a boarder. He is not overweight, is on Pergolide which has made a big difference, he foundered over winter, and he is not IR. Or at least his insulin levels were good when he was tested in late April. He gets pasture with a muzzle for about an hour a day. Also, I'm in WI and don't know if Bermuda hay is even available here...

I do think that I will investigate an alphalfa mix though :)

Thanks,
Robin

[Katy Watts]

Next would be some grass/bermuda grass hay and timothy, they all run on average between 12-13% ..

NSC content cannot be taken out of context with the environmental conditions in which the crop is grown.

Bermuda grass in CA can run very high in starch in the leaf tissue. The Bermuda from TX, OK and Fl where it is cloudier in the summer is generally lower.

Timothy can be VERY high in sugar and fructan when grown in a sunny, cool climate, such as Canada or the intermountain region. It is the second highest in NSC out of 24 in my plots in CO, up to 30% NSC in early spring. It, and nearly every other cool season grass, tends to be low in sugar when grown in hot, cloudy places.


Katy

[nextyear]

Thanks everybody :) I guess I could have been a bit more clear. I AM soaking his hay but winter will make that an impossibility. My two horses will be getting this years shipment and I'll look for an alternative source for the Cushings guy, who is a boarder. He is not overweight, is on Pergolide which has made a big difference, he foundered over winter, and he is not IR. Or at least his insulin levels were good when he was tested in late April. He gets pasture with a muzzle for about an hour a day. Also, I'm in WI and don't know if Bermuda hay is even available here...

I do think that I will investigate an alphalfa mix though :)

Thanks,
Robin

It is a bit expensive but what about the chopped bag hay such as Happy hoof? We have a pony that slightly foundered on that and a muzzle for turn-out. It has about all the nutrients in it that they would be missing from no grain or hay or pasture.