How Well Do You Know Your Hay?

by the microbes living in the hindgut cecum and large colon  a healthy microbial population is important for your horse to derive calories from fiber. However there is one type of fiber that is indigestible lignin. Lignin is increased as the plant matures. The higher these two values the more lignin the hay contains. This means that your horse is not able to thrive on this hay since much of it ends up in the manure. The ideal ADF is less than 31 ideal NDF is less than 40. However most hays have values 10 points or more higher than these desired levels. To compensate more hay needs to be consumed. This can be easily solved by allowing your horse to have free access to hay 24 hours a day.
NonStructural Carbohydrates NSC the total amount of sugar starch and fructan. To obtain NSC add together WSC water soluble carbohydrates Starch. If your horse needs to have a low sugarlow starch diet the NSC should be 12.
Watersoluble carbohydrates WSC measures simple sugars and fructan levels. Simple sugars are digested in the foregut and raise insulin levels. Too much can lead to laminitis because of elevated blood insulin. Fructan on the other hand is digested in the hind gut. Too much can result in laminitis caused by endotoxins in the bloodstream.
Ethanolsoluble carbohydrates ESC a subset of WSC and gives you a better idea of the simple sugar level. WSC minus ESC provides a fair measurement of fructan levels.
Starch normally digested in the foregut down to individual glucose blood sugar molecules therefore it has a strong elevating effect on blood insulin levels.
Minerals
        Calcium to phosphorus ratio There needs to be more calcium than phosphorus in hay. Most hay except orchardgrass will have this balance. The ideal ratio is 21 but the level of