Re: RC: bermudagrass & impaction

["Truman Prevatt, PhD" <truman.prevatt@netsrq.com>]

Coastal bermuda tends to get a bad rep for implaction. What people tend to do
is bring horses to the southland and switch them to coastal - boom an
impaction, hence coastal is a bad hay. According to my vet he could retire
treating horses coming down to FL and getting impacted on bermudagrass. FL
horses have no problems with it. So what's up.

The truth is bermudagrass requires a slightly different gut flora to break down
than other grasses. This gut flora has to be built over time. If you give too
much bermudagrass too soon, the gut flora will not be able to process it and
the horse will impact. If you slowly transition to bermudagrass, then there is
no problem and bermudagrass makes an excellent feed.

T

Michelle Fink wrote:

> I was perusing Feeding to Win II and found this blurb, hope it's applicable
> to the previous feeding discussion which brought up bermudagrass and
> impaction.  Susan brought up lignin, this gives a little more detail:
>
> "Some believe horses grazing on bermudagrass will be susceptible to
> impaction colic.  However, any grass which becomes excessively mature will
> contain large quantities of lignin, a complex carbohydrate which is not
> readily digested and has no nutritional value.  Lignin, when digested in
> large quantities, can predispose the horse to impaction colic."
>
> .. Another reason to pay extra attention to hay quality, eh?
>
> Michelle
> (Colorado)
>
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