Can horses with cushings eat alfalfa

Horses and ponies diagnosed with PPIDCushings Disease should be fed a low sugar and starch diet. Alfalfa is safe to feed a Cushings horse.

As later cut forages tend to be less nutritious Alfalfa Plus Oil andor Fibre-Beet can be fed as additional sources of highly digestible fibre as well as some quality protein and other nutrients.

Can horses with cushings eat alfalfa. 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.

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. Which Dengie Feeds are suitable to feed a horse with PPIDCushings Disease.

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.

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. So my recommendation would be to stop the coastal and substitute any form of Alfalfa.

I know of a Vet who has a laminitic barn and she feeds those horses nothing but alfalfa in different forms depending on the horses teeth. Most horse come down with laminitis in the fall and spring when the grass has a higher sugar content. Alfalfa is a high protein forage so it makes an excellent supplement for horses that are protein deficient or for horses that have higher protein requirements such as senior horses or pregnant or lactating mares.

Protein is essential for both the growth. As later cut forages tend to be less nutritious Alfalfa Plus Oil andor Fibre-Beet can be fed as additional sources of highly digestible fibre as well as some quality protein and other nutrients. Time at grass will need to be carefully managed to control fructan sugar intake.

Lower the sugar content prior to feeding. Grass or alfalfa hay can be fed. Additional Vitamin E can be added 1000 IU daily.

Managing Insulin Resistance - Pasture access should be restricted or eliminated because of the large concentration of sugar that varies in the grass. Most horses and ponies can handle 1-2 hours of grazing a day. With PPID there is not a one-type-fits-all diet and you must consider the age weight activity level and body condition of the individual horse when determining the right diet but Purina Animal Nutrition has multiple premium horse feeds that have been successfully fed to horses diagnosed with Cushings disease including but not limited to.

Equine Senior Equine Senior Active WellSolve LS and. Like many issues in equine nutrition there are strong opinions both pro and con regarding alfalfa. There is also much misinformation.

One thing everyone can agree upon is that horses love alfalfa. However horses also love grain and left to their own devices would consume enough to cause laminitis severe colic and potentially death. 2 Apr 12 2017.

The majority of Cushings horses cant be on a lot of pasture. Thats because insulin resistance is often seen in the same horses that have Cushings. However some horses with Cushings do not have insulin resistance and those horses can.

Instead feed your horse a diet that is high in protein and fiber. Seek out types of feeds that meet your requirements or find feeds specially formulated for horses with Cushings disease. Your horse should also be given vitamins and minerals such as salt magnesium chromium vanadium and sulfur.

A salt and mineral block is perfect for helping a horse stay in excellent health. It allows your horse to feed as. Certain feeding strategies can help your horse weather equine Cushings disease.

Your horse has equine Cushings disease for which theres no cure. Youve consulted your veterinarian for. Getty Equine Nutrition News Release 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 horses muscle tone immune system and overall health. 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.

Alfalfa hay generally doesnt have as much sugar and starch as grass hay but some horses prone to laminitis horses with Cushings and Insulin Resistance are sensitive to it so add it to your horses diet slowly especially if she hasnt had alfalfa before.