Is lucerne hay high in sugar?
4 min read
Asked by: Tyler Chapman
Lucerne is relatively low in sugar and starch, containing about half the amount of cereal hay (oaten, barley and wheaten) so it doesn’t cause large insulin spikes and blood sugar level fluctuations and is very useful as a component of feed for horses with
Is lucerne hay OK for laminitic horses?
Never starve a laminitic horse
For a laminitic prone horse/pony, low sugar roughage sources may include Teff hay, Rhodes grass hay, lucerne hay, beet pulp or soaked grass hay.
What is the sugar content of lucerne?
Sugar in Hartog’s roughage
| Product | Sugar- percentage | Standard- deviation |
|---|---|---|
| Hartog Lucerne-mix Digest | 1,5% | – |
| Hartog Compact Grass | 8% | – |
| Hartog Gras-mix | 11% | – |
| Fresh grass* | 12% | 8 – 14% |
Which hay is lowest in sugar?
Low sugar hay is extremely important in a horse’s diet due to its health properties and the enormous benefits it can offer. While lucerne usually has lower sugar than a lot of grass hays, it more often than not tests HIGHER in sugar, starch & protein compared to our Low Sugar Hay.
What type of hay has the most sugar?
Oat hay tends to be higher in nitrates and also high in sugar (NSC), so this hay is not an option for insulin resistant horses. Here’s a comparison chart so you can see the differences between alfalfa hay, timothy (grass) hay and oat hay.
What hay is best for laminitic horses?
Generally, a mixture of grass hay and alfalfa is the best hay combination for horses prone to laminitis.
What is the best feed for a laminitic horse?
grass hay
Hay is likely to form the bulk of the diet for an EMS/PPID/laminitic horse. Late cut, native species grass hay is likely to have lower sugar levels than early cut improved species (e.g. ryegrass) grass hay. High fibre haylage may also be suitable.
Is lucerne low sugar?
Lucerne is relatively low in sugar and starch, containing about half the amount of cereal hay (oaten, barley and wheaten) so it doesn’t cause large insulin spikes and blood sugar level fluctuations and is very useful as a component of feed for horses with laminitis or metabolic issues such as insulin resistance.
Is lucerne hay bad for horses?
Lucerne is a valuable source of energy, and it can help keep your horse’s weight in check. Due to the level of proteins, it is very useful for feeding horses that are growing, horses in intense work, or mares used for breeding. The fiber found in Lucerne is a great source of the energy.
What is the difference between hay and lucerne?
Lucerne may have anywhere from 16 to 20% protein, while grass hay may only have 4-12% protein, depending on the quality of the hay. In general, the protein in lucerne is in excess of the requirement of the horse, and grass hay or oat chaff may be just right or too low to meet the requirement.
Does soaking hay remove sugar?
If the hay started out with 14% NSC, after soaking the concentration would be below the 12% recommended level for feeding horses with laminitis. In addition to removing sugars, soaking also reduces some minerals. Crude protein, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium concentrations all decrease with soaking.
Is alfalfa hay low in sugar?
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.
How do you test sugar levels in hay?
The two most common methods for measuring the sugar content of hay and pasture are the ethanol soluble carbohydrate (ESC) and the water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) methods. ESC: captures monosaccharaides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and a small fraction of fructans.
What time of day is grass highest in sugar?
afternoon
Sugar content of grasses is higher in the afternoon than in the morning and sugar content is lowest at night, so grazing should be restricted to the safest times of the day to graze, early morning and night times.
Is grass hay low in sugar?
Unfortunately, there is no grass that is consistently low in sugar. Most cool-season grasses, like orchardgrass and fescue, can have high sugar content. Timothy and crested wheatgrass tend to be medium in sugar content, as are most warm season (native) grasses.
