Hay Before Grain, or Vice Versa?

Which should be fed first–hay or grain? If you’re feeding correctly, this issue is truly a moot point because the horse should have access to forage (hay and/or pasture) 24/7 with no gaps. Therefore, when fed concentrates, the horse’s digestive tract should already have hay flowing through it.

Credit: Thinkstock If hay is present in the stomach before you feed a grain meal, it creates a physical barrier for the grain to move out of the stomach as quickly.

If fed starchy cereal grains (oats, corn, barley, etc.) on an empty stomach, the horse will produce even more acid (potentially leading to ulcers), and it will be leave the stomach quickly. When this happens, there is a risk that it will not be fully digested in the small intestine (especially if large amounts are fed), and end up in the hindgut, where starch can be fermented by the bacterial population. This can lead to endotoxin-related laminitis.

If hay is present in the stomach first, it creates a physical barrier for the grain to move out of the stomach as quickly. Starch does not get digested in the stomach, so the grain is simply mixed and churned into a semi-liquid mass, which enters the small intestine, where it can be digested down to glucose. If there is hay present, fiber mixes with the starch and the whole mass enters the small intestine.

Fiber is not digested until it reaches the hind gut, but its presence slows down the digestion of starch, and obstructs the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, leading to a less dramatic rise in insulin.

One thing to note: there is more water involved when hay is present (from increased drinking and saliva production). This is a good thing since digestion within the small intestine cannot take place without water.

Juliet M. Getty, PhD, is an internationally respected, independent equine nutritionist who believes that optimizing horse health comes from understanding how the horse’s physiology and instincts determine the correct feeding and nutrition practices. She is available for private consultations and speaking engagements. Getty will be speaking June 29 on “The Horse’s Decidedly Different Digestion – The Foundation to Good Health” in Santa Ynez, California. The event is hosted by the Renew A Horse Foundation. Reserve tickets by contacting the foundation at info@renewahorsefoundation.com or 805-689-6188. More information is on the web at www.renewahorsefoundation.com. Getty’s website, www.gettyequinenutrition.com, offers a generous stock of useful information for the horse person. Reach Getty directly at gettyequinenutrition@gmail.com.

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