When is pasture safer for the insulin resistant (IR) horse — late afternoon or early morning? Google this question, ask your vet, or talk to a friend and you will get both answers! How frustrating! It’s time we cleared this up.
Grass is a living organism and requires NSC (non-structural carbohydrates) for energy in order to grow. NSC is a measure of sugars, starch, and fructans and is produced through the process of photosynthesis when the plant is exposed to sunlight.
In general, the following are true:
- Grasses accumulate NSC as the day progresses, making them highly concentrated in NSC by the late afternoon.
- Once the sun sets, grasses will metabolize NSC for energy, making them lowest in concentration in the early morning hours.
This pattern can be disrupted if the night temperatures remain below 40 degrees F (4 degrees C). When exposed to cold, grasses will hold on to NSC and not relinquish it during the night, making morning grazing less safe for the IR horse.
For more information contact Dr Juliet Getty, Equine Nutritionist at www.gettyequinenutrition.biz
