Horse Forage Analysis: Nutrition and Welfare Connections

Forage quality analysis enables precise nutritional management in horses, preventing deficiencies and excesses that compromise health and welfare.

Key Facts

Forage (hay, haylage, grass) should make up 1.5-2.5% of a horse's body weight daily
Non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) content is critical for horses with metabolic conditions
Hay analysis reveals protein, energy, mineral, and sugar content
Low-quality hay may be deficient in essential amino acids and minerals
High-sugar hay increases the risk of laminitis in equine metabolic syndrome horses
Regional soil deficiencies affect forage mineral content, requiring targeted supplementation
Analysis costs approximately $25-60 and can prevent costly health problems

Welfare Considerations

Nutritional imbalances from unanalyzed forage silently compromise horse welfare. Horses with EMS or laminitis risk may be eating high-sugar hay that triggers painful flares. Deficiencies in selenium, vitamin E, or key minerals impair muscle function, immunity, and reproductive health. Forage analysis removes guesswork and enables targeted supplementation - preventing subclinical deficiency states that reduce quality of life before clinical signs emerge.

What You Can Do

Submit hay and haylage samples for nutritional analysis annually or when sourcing new batches
Work with an equine nutritionist to balance the diet based on analysis results
Use low-sugar hay options for horses with metabolic conditions
Supplement specific deficiencies identified through analysis rather than broad-spectrum supplements
Monitor body condition score monthly as a practical nutrition welfare indicator