Question

I am feeding a concentrate with corn and molasses. Is this OK for my horse?

Answer

Both corn and molasses provide nutritional benefits when included in a well-formulated horse feed. Depending on the needs of the individual horse, including preferred energy sources, expected intake rate, and total sugar and starch (nonstructural carbohydrate or NSC) content, feeds formulated with appropriate concentrations of corn and molasses can be suitable for many horses. Bottom line: look at the feed as whole, and determine whether the feed is suitable for the given horse.

Corn and molasses are sources of nonstructural carbohydrates and are known to be very palatable. Corn primarily provides energy to the horse in the form of starch. Processed corn (by cracking, rolling, or steam-flaking) is usually preferred, as it improves the digestibility of corn starch, reducing the risk of excess starch spilling into the hindgut and causing acidosis.

Molasses provides simple sugars such as sucrose, glucose, and fructose to the diet. Molasses is most often used in small amounts and is sometimes diluted before it is added to mixes. While it provides some readily available sugar, molasses is chiefly used in feeds to increase palatability, reduce dustiness, and discourage sorting of ingredients.

Some horses–notably performance horses but others as well–require higher levels of calories and rapidly available sources of energy. Other horses do not have these same requirements and would not benefit from an energy-dense feed or significant NSCs. A properly fortified feed with significant levels of NSC featuring corn and molasses would be appropriate for a high-level performance horse. The same feed, on the contrary, would likely not be the most appropriate for a mature, idle horse or an easy keeper.

Reputable feed manufacturers use a combination of high-quality ingredients that offer multiple energy sources depending on the class of horse. Aside from starch from cereal grains, manufacturers may use sources of fermentable fiber (soy hulls, beet pulp) and fat (vegetable oil, stabilized rice bran) that work to benefit the horse in different ways.

If you are unsure if your horse may benefit from a particular feed with corn and molasses, reach out to an equine nutritionist, who will likely recommend a comprehensive nutritional evaluation.