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Discussion on Soaking hay to reduce carbohydrates?
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Member:
lindac
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 19, 2007 - 4:09 pm:
Dr O,
I've read the Founder/Laminitis overview on feeding. It recommends a stemmy type hay be fed to help reduce the carb intake. Someone mentioned to me today that you should also soak the hay for approx. 20 minutes before feeding to further reduce the carbs. I've seen no mention of this in this forum or any other founder articles I've read. Have you heard of this before and would soaking the hay really make difference in the carb levels?
Thanks.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 19, 2007 - 7:36 pm:
Hello Dallas,
If further reduction in carbohydrates is needed, that is you are having to ongoing problems and looking for further ways to see if you can improve the situation this may help (see article about Founder on Spring Grasses).
We have had members report this helps them and there is research to show it further reduces nonstructural carbohydrates. This is not a step I have to take often but recently tried it in one. I do have a little chronic foundered pony in the practice that seems exquisitely sensitive to carbs so the owner took to soaking a stemmy hay and it did not seem to make any difference clinically. I actually think that case has more to do with getting regular good trimming anb getting the coffin bone derotated.
DrO
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Member:
ryle
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 19, 2007 - 10:47 pm:
When insulin resistance is predisposing a horse to founder, then strict reduction of sugars and carb intake is recommended. Then either testing hay to ensure that the carb content is low or soaking your hay if you don't test would be recommended.
If you don't know if your horse is insulin resistant but think that it might be an issue, then discussing it with your vet and possibly testing might not be a bad idea.
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Member:
chance1
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 19, 2007 - 11:08 pm:
Where is a good place to have hay tested? Thanks, Ruth
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Member:
ryle
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 21, 2007 - 11:39 am:
Dairy One Forage Laboratory does the testing for $25 per sample. You want hay that is less than 12% non-structural carbs or soak it.
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