What exactly are high and low starch feeds?

If you are in the horse industry long enough you’ll see references to not feeding high starch feed almost daily, often coming from marketing that is designed to create an emotional response. Rest assured, there is no real need to be stressed. In fact it's something we can easily calculate as nutrition professionals.

Let's talk about what a "high starch and sugar" feed really is and what you need to pay attention to...

When I hear horse owners asking about “low-carb” diets for their horses, what they are really talking about is low non-structural carbohydrate (NCS) diets. Non-structural carbhoydrates (NSC), which include starches and sugars, are actually useful ingrediets because they are easily mobilized to provide energy. Additionally, performance horses require more starch and sugar in their diets in order to recover from exercise.

That said, controling NSC intake is vital for all horses. While some level of starch an sugars are required for energy and glycogen repletion, an overload can result in metabolic disturbances. These disturbances may lead to colic, laminitis (founder), obesity, or developmental orthopedic disease.

Now for what you need to pay attention to, you will see a % starch/sugar content on a feed tag that is important but the feeding rate is just as important. This is because the actual starch content can vary depending on if you feed 1lb or 5lbs of that feed a meal. Here is how you calculate your horse’s starch/sugar intake accurately:

% of Starch * Feeding Rate (in pounds) per day * 454 grams/pound = Grams starch/meal

You will find that some feeds with a higher starch percentage on the tag will actually deliver less starch per meal when fed according to the feeding directions.

Different Types of Feed

Here is a breakdown of the different types of feed and what to pay attention to when it comes to starch and sugar levels:

Low

• As a general rule, these feeds are made up of 5 - 10% starch/sugar on the tag. To be classified as low, they need to fall under 11%.

• Horses who have been diagnosed as metabolic need to stay under 11% in their total diet.

Moderate

• Feeds that are moderate have starch/sugar contents that range from 11 - 20%.

• The bulk of commercial feeds fall in the moderate categorey. This percentage is great for the majority of horses.

• As a general rule, this category will be where your beet pulp and alfalfa feeds generally live.

High

• Feeds that are high in their starch/sugar content, also known as “sweet feeds,” have a content that ranges from 20 - 40%.

• There are horses that will have no problem with eating 2lbs of high starch/sugar feeds a day, and others that cannot. Additionally, there are some horses in speed events that might benefit from quick energy.

• Omelene 200, 400 as well as whole corn or whole oats are examples of feed that are high in starch/sugar.

Concerns & Next Steps

If you are concerned about your horse, your first step should be to get a metabolic panel test done by your vet. This will give you clarity on what you’re dealing with and allow you to make the right nutritional decisions for your horse. Additionally, you will want to BCS score your horse and aim for a body condition score of under 6.5. A regular exercise program and good weight are very important things to do in order to reduce the risk for metabolic disease and keep your horse healthy.

When talking about feed high in starch and sugar, you will often hear about hindgut acidosis. This is a condition where the hindgut of the horse becomes excessively acidic, most often caused because there is too much starch in the horse’s diet which results in increased production of lactic acid in their lower intestinal tract.

As a general rule, you will not see hindgut acidosis if you stay under 20% for starch/sugar content and you’re careful not to get to high in the volume of feed you’re feeding your horse. If you’re concerned or would like more information, reach out!

As always, this is just a starting point. In order to be 100% sure, your horse will need to be evaluated by a nutrition advisor. Take a moment to see what service options I provide that might be a good fit for you and your horse.