Question
I live in Florida, and I have fed my metabolically challenged horses Tifton and soaked timothy for the past three years. Unfortunately, I can no longer feed Tifton due to the barn owner’s fear of impaction colic. I have read different information on the NSC content of Tifton. Some sources say it is low, and others say it is twice that of timothy. What is correct? The horses speed-eat the timothy, even in slow-feed haynets, but consume the Tifton slowly. What are some alternative hays similar to Tifton? Further, my horses now will be out on grass during the day. Two of them also have ulcers. How can I keep their stomachs full but not cause laminitis, as the same two have a history of laminitis.
Answer
As you indicated in your question, the nutritional and nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) content of hay can vary greatly, but there are a few generalities that persist among hays of all types. For instance, mature, coarse grass hays usually will be lower in NSCs and calories than legume hays or less mature grass hay. Ultimately, however, the only way to know the nutritional content of any hay is to have it analyzed by a reputable laboratory. Collecting samples for mail-in forage analysis is simple, and the testing is inexpensive. Results are usually sent electronically through email. Depending on your locale, forage testing might cost only as much as a few bales of high-quality hay—a great value!
Timothy is a cool-season perennial grass. Some cool-season grasses have the potential to be higher in water-soluble carbohydrates than warm-season grasses because they contain more sugars or fructans, or because of specific growing or harvesting conditions, such as sunny days and cool nights. On the other hand, Tifton 85, also known as simply Tifton, is a bermudagrass hybrid, a warm-season perennial grass. As with all hay, coastal bermudagrass and Tifton can vary greatly in quality depending upon the time of harvest.
Generally, coastal bermudagrass hay, not Tifton, is blamed for impaction colic. Because Tifton has thicker stems and broader leaves, as well as greater digestibility, it would potentially reduce the impaction risk. Mature bermudagrass hay with fine leaves has been associated with impaction colic in some horses, but there are plenty of horses who never experience digestive disturbance when fed this hay. Horses with a history of impaction colic may want to avoid this type of hay or, more specifically, just finer, more mature bermudagrass that is high in neutral detergent fiber.
In your search for hay, consider other types of bermudagrass. Coastal bermudagrass and Jiggs bermudagrass are common in Florida, but they usually have less total digestible nutrients than Tifton. Teff hay may be appropriate, as it is a warm-season annual grass that is often—though not always—low in NSC.
If you are able to store large amounts of hay at one time, hay analysis is highly recommended before purchase. If this is not an option, soaking the hay would be the safest option when feeding metabolic horses. Generally speaking, there would be less risk involved in not soaking locally grown Tifton or other bermudagrass hay because it is typically lower in NSC than hay made from cool-season grass, like timothy. Keep in mind, soaking hay in hot climates should be done with care to reduce the risk of mold and bacteria growth. Shorter soaking times may be appropriate.
Offering a near-constant source of low-calorie hay is better than smaller meals of high-calorie hay. If possible, offering several small hay meals in the slow feeders would be better than feeding it all at one time.
You’ll want to assess the new pastures to determine if grazing muzzles will be needed to restrict excessive intake. Strip grazing is one management technique that can be used for horses prone to becoming overweight.
Horses on all-forage diets should receive a supplemental feed to fill nutritional gaps. Ration balancers are great options for metabolic horses because they offer a concentrated source of protein, vitamins, and minerals at a low rate of intake, usually 1-2 lb (0.45-0.9 kg) per day.
Consider adding a research-proven digestive supplement to your horses’ diets to maintain health of the stomach and hindgut during this transition period.
