HESTEFORSK: Carbohydrates in grass and forages for horses - The good, the bad and the ugly H-17-47-287

Grass for grazing or forage production contains variable amounts of carbohydrates, which often are described as the good (fiber), the bad (sugar) and the ugly (fructans) in relation to prevention, and development of diseases like insulin resistance and laminitis. The aim of this project is to investigate the content of the different carbohydrate fractions in different grass species and to study their digestion in the equine gastrointestinal tract. Results showed that sugar and fructans varied a lot in grass, but the digestibility was high. The digestibility of fibre was affected by harvest time. This project contributes with important knowledge regarding selection of grass species and harvesting or grazing regimes for different types of horses. The project did not investigate the metabolic responses when the horses are eating grass or hay for the specific grass species. This should be investigated in future studies.

See the final report submitted to The Swedish-Norwegian Foundation for Equine Research

Grass for grazing or forage production contains variable amounts of carbohydrates, which often are described as the good (fiber), the bad (sugar) and the ugly (fructans) in relation to prevention, and development of diseases like insulin resistance and laminitis. There is a large variation in carbohydrate content in grass, and especially the content and digestion of sugar and fructans in grass is debated among horse owners. Furthermore, the fiber content and digestibility largely determines the energy content in grass and forage for horses, and is therefore of interest for both high- and low-performing horses. The aim of this project is to investigate the content of the different carbohydrate fractions in different grass species and to study their digestion in the equine gastrointestinal tract. This project will contribute with important knowledge regarding selection of grass species and harvesting or grazing regimes for different types of horses.