What dose low starch feed mean in horse feed?

Everyone seems to be asking about low starch feed. What is it and why feed low starch? Well, here is my version of the answer..

It all starts with carbohydrates. There is structural and non structural. Non-structural carbs are the simple sugars and starches. These are absorbed in the small intestine and the end product is sugar. This sugar is rapidly available for quick release. This is why horses can get “hot”. Energy to use right away, so they need to use it.

Structural carbohydrates are fiber. This is from plants and the hind gut uses microbes to break it down. 65% volume in the horses diet is dedicated to fermentation and absorption of nutrients from fiber. The bonds of the fiber, when broken down produce VFA’s (volatile fatty acids) which is absorbed then converted to glucose or fat or can be used for slow release of energy.

So what does this all mean?

Well, lets say the non-structural carbs are digested in the fore gut and the structural are digest in the hind gut. So, if you have a horse that gets “hot” easily, hard to put or keep weight on without getting “hot”, or cannot/has problems digesting sugars (Cushings disease, Laminitis) you will want more structural carbohydrates in the diet or more hind gut activity . Now, if you have a lazy, low energy horse then you will want to feed some sugars to give them that quick energy, so more fore gut activity.

Front Runner’s solution to a low starch diet is Cool Command. It is a pelleted 13% crude protein with 7% fat for energy. Formulated to be fed, along with forages, to a variety of horses where lower levels of sugar is recommended. The high level of fat will supply a “cool” energy whereas the levels of vitamin, minerals and proteins will help keep a horse in good body condition. It contains yeast to help    increase digestibility of forages and absorption of nutrients.