If your horse has respiratory problems, you’ll need to reduce its exposure to dust. When fed hay and pasture, horses produced 400 - 480 grams of saliva per 100 grams of dry matter consumed,whereas when a concentrate feed was fed, horses produced half as much saliva, therefore significantly reducingthe buffering capacity. Alfalfa is naturally high in protein and calcium which is thought to help neutralise the stomach acid and thus lessen the risk of ulcers developing. Something in alfalfa hay tends to buffer acid production, said Dr. Pete Gibbs, Extension horse specialist. Aloe Vera gel is also a highly effective treatment for gastric ulcers as well as throat infections and digestive disorders. One group was fed Bermuda grass hay and the other fed alfalfa hay to meet the daily roughage needs. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Although it’s commonly thought that horses turned out on pastures are better off than those that are confined, it turns out that if horses only receive grass hay, they can still get gastric ulcers. I’m reluctant to feed him straight alfalfa, as he’s quite a hot horse by nature. I also give him ulcer guard if we go over night or weekend race. … As for my horse, I have started feeding him alfalfa/timothy cubes as part of his forage ration. However it is important to note that the increase in ulcer scores in the second study failed to reach statistical significance (a measure of reliability), possibly due to the small number of horses. According to Dr. Pete Gibbs, Extension horse specialist, the alfalfa hay buffers acid production. Recently I read that research from Texas A&M University showed that feeding alfalfa to horses either prevented or was therapeutic in treating stomach ulcers. In recent years, alfalfa has become touted as something to include in a horse’s daily diet to help prevent ulcers. Researchers at Texas A&M will next investigate what it is about alfalfa and alfalfa products that lessens the occurrence and severity of horses’ ulcers. I have an OTTB that’s a prime candidate for ulcers. As a result of the research, Gibbs said that horse owners have two options for preventing and treating ulcers: they can give their horses a pharmaceutical product that decreases acid production or they can manage their horse’s diets by adding feeds such as alfalfa, which offer buffering capabilities. - Balancers are ideal for horses and ponies that maintain weight easily on forage alone. His runs changed so drastically that I knew something was wrong. 1. In the first study feeding alfalfa chaff did appear to increase the severity of glandular ulcers. of their body weight. Get our latest product news, nutritional advice and lots of other horse related articles straight to your inbox…plus hear about our fabulous giveaways too! In order to be awarded the mark feeds must pass an independent, three stage approval process which includes laboratory analysis. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Use our store locator to find your nearest stockist. It’s gentle and soothing, and can be easily added to food as a supplement. A typical horse weighing 1,100 lbs. Alfalfa has been cultivated for fodder for horses for over 2000 years originating from Iran and then spreading across the world as Persians, Greeks and Romans expanded their empires and took their horses and their feed with them. Medicago sativa might be better known as alfalfa to you and I; Alfalfa is in the same plant family as peas, beans and clover. I too have a high energy, nervous barrel racing horse. In this study, ulcer scores increased when alfalfa was removed from the horses’ diets and they were turned out on pasture. I personally feed alfalfa pellets (usually Blue Seal) rather than a concentrate. - Unlike many other high oil alfalfa products, SPILLERS Alfalfa-Pro Fibre contains added vitamin E to balance the high oil content. Ulcers occur in horses largely because of how we now keep them: contributing factors include feeding large amounts of concentrated high energy feeds, lower amounts of forage, greater intervals between feeding, and stall confinement. Alfalfa hay, in particular, may have a better buffering effect on stomach acids than grass hays. If a horse is in training or working hard, its calorie needs increase. - The high oil content (10%) in SPILLERS Alfalfa-Pro fibre enhances coat shine and provides slow release energy (calories) for optimum condition. This, in turn, encourages the horse to chew for longer and increases saliva production. I was encouraged to feed more alfalfa and have done so with good results. I had him scoped three weeks ago and yes indeed, he does have ulcers. - Avoid straw being the sole or predominant forage source. The major cause of gastric ulcers in horses is prolonged exposure of the squamous mucosa to gastric acid. Developments in technology have meant that vets can now endoscope horses and see the ulcers in the stomach, adding to our understanding of the condition. However, the 50/50 mix does not seem to make him overly energetic. Horses fed to appetite consumed 17 to 25% more cubed alfalfa than long-stem hay. - Aim to feed <1g/kg bodyweight of non-structural carbohydrate (NSC: starch plus water soluble carbohydrate) per meal and preferably <2g NSC/kg bodyweight per day. Oil is approximately 2.5 times higher in energy compared to cereals and starch free, making it a sympathetic source of energy for horses and ponies requiring a low starch diet. By nature, horses are grazing animals, spending much of their day feeding. The research conducted at the University comprised 24 quarter horses from 12-16 months old that were separated into two treatment groups. I’ve started to feed him the cubes twice a day along with free choice grass hay and hay stretcher pellets. He recommends that horses weighing between 1,000-1,300 pounds should be fed about 1 pound of alfalfa after a grain meal. In one study, race-horses fed alfalfa had fewer and less severe ulcers than others fed brome grass hay. Alfalfa forage has been shown to buffer gastric contents and decrease gastric ulcer severity in horses housed in stalls and exercising. A 10-minute soak can also flush any dust and allergens from the cubes. That is a stunningly large amount of the horse population. - Alfalfa is naturally high in protein and bioavailable calcium which is thought to help buffer stomach acid. 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