What Is DCAD—and Does It Matter for Your Horse?

Jul 11

Revolution Equine Nutrition

Annie Emery

This is original work by the author and is copyrighted.

At Revolution Equine Nutrition, we’re all about science-backed strategies that support real-world horse health with no stress. One concept that come up in some educational spaces is something called DCAD—short for Dietary Cation-Anion Difference.

Does it matter to your horse? What exactly is this? Should you make changes to your horses’ program?

Let’s talk about it today…..

DCAD is a well-known tool in dairy cattle nutrition, but when it comes to horses, it’s often misunderstood and context might be lacking.

What Is DCAD?

DCAD is a way of measuring the balance between positively charged minerals (cations) and negatively charged minerals (anions) in a horse’s diet.

The formula looks like this:

(Sodium + Potassium) – (Chloride + Sulfur)

A positive DCAD (higher sodium and potassium levels) tends to have a mild alkalizing effect (Higher pH)
A negative DCAD (more chloride and sulfur) has a mild acidifying effect. (Lower pH)
That’s really all it means—how those minerals balance out, and how that affects your horse’s internal chemistry. This is AFTER digestion, after it passes the acidic stomach and goes into the tissue/blood. This is more of a systemic change…..

Why Does DCAD Matter?

In dairy cows, especially around calving, DCAD is carefully managed to support calcium levels and prevent certain metabolic problems.

In horses, though, DCAD is rarely a daily concern. Horses are pretty good at managing their own acid-base balance through the kidneys and lungs, as long as they’re healthy and eating a reasonable diet.

When Might DCAD Be Worth Paying Attention To?

🟩 Heavy Work and Lots of Sweat

Horses in intense training or competition—like endurance, racing, or eventing—lose a lot of electrolytes through sweat. In these situations, the overall mineral balance, including DCAD, can play a role in hydration, recovery, and muscle function.

🟩 Certain Health Conditions

If a horse has chronic diarrhea, hindgut acidosis, or another condition that affects electrolytes, then a vet or nutritionist might adjust DCAD slightly to help restore balance. Also, some hays—like very rich grass hay or some types of alfalfa—can be quite high in potassium, which can raise DCAD. In sensitive horses, that might be worth noting.

If Your Horse Is on a Balanced Diet...

If your horse is already getting:

A solid base of forage which is long stem grass or long stem hay (ideally tested)
and
Balanced fortification of protein, vitamins, and minerals tailored to their needs
and
The right electrolytes for their workload...

...then chances are, their acid-base balance is already in a healthy range.

DCAD usually takes care of itself when the basics are in place.

The Bottom Line

In horses, DCAD is more of a fine-tuning tool than a daily must-watch number.

DCAD isn’t about changing pH—it’s about influencing mineral behavior in the body. It’s not about “alkalizing the blood”—it’s about creating the right conditions for electrolyte and acid-base balance during stress, illness, or performance.

It’s not something most horse owners need to calculate or adjust regularly. But in certain situations—like high-level competition or complex medical cases—it can be useful to consider. This is why all my consults include a full review of the workload and electrolyte program.

This is ≠ “Alkaline Body” Hype of the human nutrition world.

Humans (and most horses) aren’t usually exposed to these extreme physiological demands driven by diet and electrolyte loss—at least not to the point of needing to calculate (Na + K) - (Cl + S) in their meals. This is how how the horses’ kidneys and other organs respond to absorbed electrolytes to maintain equilibrium and only tends to show up in things like endurance racing/health issues.

Have Questions About Your Horse’s Diet?

At Revolution Equine Nutrition, we help horse owners across North America build customized diets based on forage, physiology, and real science—not trends or gimmicks. If you’re wondering whether your horse’s current diet supports hydration, electrolyte balance, or overall performance, we’re here to help.

A Note on DCAD in Equine Nutrition Discussions

You might come across blogs, videos, or podcasts that emphasize DCAD. And yes—it can matter in specific cases.

But for the average horse on a well-balanced diet, DCAD doesn’t need to be micromanaged. The horse’s body is built to regulate things pretty well on its own.

That doesn’t mean DCAD isn’t useful—it just means it’s a precision tool, not a daily priority. When used thoughtfully in high-performance or clinical situations, it can absolutely support better health. But for most horses, it’s just one of those behind-the-scenes details that falls into place when the core diet is solid. Horses working at higher intensity need a full workup including calories/energy, electrolytes and hydration.