Forage vs Fibre

for the Healthy Microbiome

For many horse owners, a better understanding of their horse’s forage (usually their grass) would save them a lot of trouble.

A healthy horse depends on a healthy microbiome which is reliant on the FIBRE content of the FORAGE .

The statement ‘Horses need to consume around 2.5% of their BW daily in FORAGE can be misleading because All FORAGE is not equal when it comes to FIBRE content.

Forage that lacks FIBRE cannot feed the ‘good bacteria’ of the gut flora.

Some of the first signs of a lack of FIBRE in the Forage are digestive disturbances: extra loud gut noises and soft/sloppy manure or various neurological, muscular and metabolic issues.

(It is also FIBRE that forms the ‘mat’ on top of the stomach acid preventing it splashing onto the lining of the upper stomach).

Both fresh pasture and hay are forms of FORAGE but when it comes to FIBRE content they are completely different.

Most of the FIBRE is found in the stems of the grass rather than the leaves.

The equine digestive system is adapted to forage with a relatively high 85% or more fibre content – achieved with mature, stalky GRASS and/or HAY.

Green, leafier hay has a slightly lower FIBRE but a higher nutritional content so is suited to higher performing, breeding, growing or elderly horses.

Lush green grass is very low FIBRE only 10-25% fibre (75-90% water).

This means a 500kg horse would need to consume over 60kgs of lush, green grass in order to ingest sufficient FIBRE.

As this is not physically possible, the best course of action is to replace at least some, if not all of the lush green forage with high fibre alternatives like Hay and Chaff.

What about fermented forages like Haylage/Baleage?

Haylage - when made at a fairly mature stage of growth lies around 60-80%

‘Fermented’ forages, made at a less mature stage of growth, have a fibre content of only 45-50% despite their names containing the word ‘fibre’.....

If your horse is out on fresh pasture of any sort, whether short and green or lush and green then where possible, supplement more fibre into his daily diet with hay, chaff, beet, hulls.