31
May
So if your horse is a bit round has a metabolic issue has laminitis now or in the past skip the frosty grass. As alfalfa is naturally low in both sugar and starch there are a number of feeds in our range that are suitable.
But you could put a muzzle on him.
Can a horse with cushings eat grass. How owners manage pastures and seasonal consumption of grass carbohydrates can significantly affect horses with Cushings disease according to. Alfalfa can be a good option for a horse with Cushings if they are a hard time holding their weight because it is more calorie-dense than grass hay. However if your horse with Cushings is on the heavier side it is best to steer away from alfalfa hay because of the excess protein can be converted into sugar in the liver.
Alfalfa is safe to feed a Cushings horse. Legume hays such as alfalfa tend to be higher in calories and protein compared to grass hays ie. But good quality forage is naturally low in carbohydrates.
While you should always be super careful with a Cushings horse the important thing is to test of IR. That is your deciding factor about how careful you need to be. If not insulin resistant then grass is fine though you should be super cautious about it.
Pasture intake should be controlled to avoid sudden increases in carbohydrate intake that can trigger laminitis. Increased energy requirements can be met by feeding alfalfa lucerne hay or chaff super-fibers such as beet pulp and soy hulls or a low- to moderate-NSC feed. Feeds that are higher in fat greater than 6 are preferred as they are less reliant on carbohydrates for energy.
When feeding horses with Equine Cushings Disease its important to keep the following in mind. Reduce grazing Cutting down on the amount of grass your horse eats will avoid any sudden increases in carbohydrates that can cause a bout of laminitis. You shouldnt restrict the amount of hay your horse eats.
Equine Senior and Equine Senior Active Equine Senior is a complete feed formulated specifically for the aging horse to completely or partially replace the hay or pasture in the horses diet when dental problems or missing teeth prevent them from eating forage. Scientifically formulated with a blend of fiber sources including beet pulp and top quality hay to help maintain the senior horses body. Horses and ponies diagnosed with PPIDCushings Disease should be fed a low sugar and starch diet.
As alfalfa is naturally low in both sugar and starch there are a number of feeds in our range that are suitable. Your horses diet should be balanced and provide a level of energy appropriate to your horses condition and workload not all horses with PPIDCushings Disease are overweight. Low calorie horse feeds for overweight horses.
BUT it does work for some. My horse with cushings also would like sugar free maple syrup Doritos nacho cheese chipsvery small handfull crumbled in feed when times got desperate and - fresh grass mixed with the food. It can be very challenging keeping them eating.
I encourage you to join the Equine Cushings group o yahoo message boards. The goal in feeding a horse with Cushings is to limit the intake of nonstructural carbohydrates NSC feeds such as the sugars and starches found in grains. In many cases feeds that are labeled as senior feeds are also high in NSC content and should be avoided when feeding a horse with Cushings disease.
Horses and ponies also need to be on a good quality diet of fresh grassy hay with some lucerne alfalfa and depending on the work load some oats and cracked corn. Pelleted feeds that have been heat processed or steam extruded should be kept to an absolutel minimum as such feeds normally use wheat as the grain to form a binding agent. Feeding horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction PPID also known as equine Cushings disease can sometimes be difficult because horses affected with PPID are often older underweight and may have insulin resistance with or without recurrent laminitis.
Certain feeding strategies can help your horse weather equine Cushings disease. Your horse has equine Cushings disease for which theres no cure. Normal horses can tolerate NSC levels of 20 or higher.
10 NSC is the optimal level for horses with PPID or EMS. You cant tell the NSC by looking at hay. You must get it tested.
Typical grass hays can range from 8 to 18 NSC. There are also several specialized hay chaff or hay cube products on the market that meet the NSC requirements for EMSPPID horses. Soak hay that is.
Mature horse eats 15-2 of its body weight per day. At least ½ of this should be roughage. Average 1000 horse should get 15-20 of hay per day approx.
Weigh your flakes. Case in point frost and ice. Super cold temps trigger grass to hold onto those NSCs that are not so good for Insulin Resistant and Cushings horses.
So if your horse is a bit round has a metabolic issue has laminitis now or in the past skip the frosty grass. But you could put a muzzle on him. Many IR and Cushings horses are overweight so they can usually get all calories they need from hay alone.
Start with a feeding rate of 15-2 of Body Weight per day approximately 15-20 lbs. Of hay for a 1000 pound horse and adjust it if weight is an issue.