Is Alfalfa High In Sugar For Horses?

Alfalfa Has Low Starch and Sugar Content Feeds are rarely (if ever) sugar free, as even straw contains some sugar, but the low-sugar and starch content does highlight the alfalfa health benefits for your horse.

Is alfalfa hay good for laminitic horses?

Alfalfa hay can cause horses to founder and develop laminitis due to the excess nutrients provided by the high quality hay if too much is fed. If switching from grass hay to alfalfa, generally less alfalfa is required to provide the same nutrients present in the grass hay.

Is alfalfa OK for insulin resistant horses?

A: Alfalfa can be an excellent addition to most horses’ diets, even for those that are insulin resistant (IR). I often recommend feeding it because it boosts the overall protein quality of a grass-hay diet and, in general, enhances the horse’s muscle tone, immune system and overall health.

Does alfalfa have more sugar than grass hay?

Horses that have Equine Metabolic Syndrome (insulin resistance) and are prone to laminitis may be sensitive to alfalfa, most likely because alfalfa has more sugar and is higher in starch than most grass hays.

What horse hay has the least amount of sugar?

If you are looking for low-sugar hay for a metabolic horse, it’s all about how the hay is grown and managed. Teff can be as low as 5% sugar and the only other hay that’s this low in sugar is bluegrass straw—which is also used a lot for metabolic horses.”

Why is alfalfa not good for horses?

Alfalfa is a good source of nutrients for sport horses, but owners might want to avoid offering it when horses are working hard in hot weather, says Duren. Protein metabolism creates more heat than fat or carbohydrate metabolism. This added heat can impair the horse’s ability to dissipate heat.

What hay is best for laminitic horses?

Hay – The Core Feed For A Laminitis Diet
Safer-type forages include Timothy, Teff, and Rhodes grass hays. Avoid hays containing high amounts of fructan such as ryegrass, oaten, wheaten, or barley hays. If you are unsure of the NSC level of the hay or chaff, you will need to soak it in water to leach the sugars out.

Does alfalfa lower blood sugar?

Previous studies showed that adding of alfalfa seed in human diet reduced triglycerides (TG) and decreased blood sugar levels [10, 11]. Alfalfa leaves are traditionally used in South Africa as an effective treatment for diabetes [12].

Is alfalfa OK for laminitis?

Due to it’s low starch and sugar content alfalfa is ideal for laminitis prone horses or ponies and those with muscle problems.

Does alfalfa have a lot of sugar?

I found this to be very puzzling since alfalfa is low in sugar and starch, even lower than most grass hays. Its high protein content, however, makes it more caloric, which can be a problem for IR horses that need to lose weight.

What is the healthiest hay for horses?

Alfalfa, white clover, red clover and birdsfoot trefoil are common types of legumes, with alfalfa being the most popular choice. Benefits: Legumes are higher in protein and calcium than grass hay, and may also provide more energy and a higher level of total digestible nutrients, such as vitamin A.

Is alfalfa hay hard on horses kidneys?

Answer. Alfalfa (lucerne) products, whether hay, cubes, or pellets, are not known to cause kidney problems in horses.

What are the cons of alfalfa?

Feeding Alfalfa is an excellent alternative to feeding excessive concentrates to get more calories into a horse’s diet. Cons: Alfalfa can be difficult to grow as it requires good drainage and soil fertility to grow well. Alfalfa cannot survive close grazing and tramping so is not as hardy as grass for your pasture mix.

Does alfalfa have more sugar than Timothy?

Alfalfa has more sugar and starch than most grass hays which is a problem for horses at risk of laminitis; so if your horse falls in this category, make sure you talk to your vet before starting them on Alfalfa.

What should laminitic horses not eat?

A high fibre, low starch and low sugar diet is essential for laminitics, so avoid feeds that contain cereals or molasses.

Does soaking hay remove sugar?

Soaking hay before feeding is one way to lower the sugar levels, but it reduces more than sugar. Soaking hay is one way to reduce the amount of sugar in the hay, but it should only be used as a stopgap method until a more appropriate hay can be found.

Can horses eat alfalfa every day?

Alfalfa is not good for all horses.
Alfalfa will fatten horses not burning the excess calories in alfalfa. You shouldn’t feed horses with liver or kidney problems high protein diets, including alfalfa. It’s is also not a good idea to feed endurance horses too much alfalfa.

How much is too much alfalfa for a horse?

Alfalfa Hay Feeding Limits – Alfalfa hay (bale, cube, or pellet) should not exceed more than 50% of the total forage consumed per day.

Who should not use alfalfa?

Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises children, pregnant women, older adults, or anyone else with a compromised immune system to avoid alfalfa sprouts and supplemental products derived from alfalfa seeds ( 16 ).

What do you feed a senior horse with laminitis?

Forage: High quality grass hay is the ideal forage for a horse prone to laminitis. Feed: A product specially formulated for metabolic issues or a ration balancer are the best bet to feed your laminitic horse.

What to feed a horse that has laminitis?

Provide Essential Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids may provide beneficial anti-inflammatory effects to help with laminitis and improve insulin sensitivity. Linseed meal and oil are both excellent sources of Omega 3 fatty acids, showing a similar fatty acid profile to grass which a laminitic horse or pony may be missing.