Some interesting observations on molasses: Sugar, Sweet Feed, Horses,
and Hyperactivity
<>Some people are concerned that there is a relationship
between hyperactive behavior in horses and the amount of molasses, and
therefore sugar, in their grain mix.
<>Molasses based
liquids are typically about 10% of a grain
mixture.That means that there is 0.1
lb of the liquid in each pound of sweet feed.The highest sugar content in
molasses is about 40%, meaning
there will be about 4% sugar coming from the molasses in the grain mix.
<>Just for
comparison, recent laboratory assays of a range of
good grass and alfalfa hays showed that they contained from 5.8% to
12.1%
sugar. And they eat 20 lbs or more of it a day.
Fresh grass is even higher in
sugar content.
<>Logically then, if
sugar content is really the issue, and
hay is higher in sugar than sweet feed, you should feed more grain mix
and less
hay. But that’s where logic will get you with horses.Obviously,
feeding more sweet feed isn’t the right answer to
hyperactivity.
<>Horses are
herbivores – forage is their natural primary feed.We
feed grain mixes to supplement the
nutrients in the forage and to maintain weight of horses that are being
worked
hard.Equine experts feel that
excessive grain and insufficient hay is the culprit for some incidences
of
hyperactivity.It’s
not the sugar -
it’s the overall energy content of the grain, and the lack of natural
browsing
and chewing activity from insufficient hay that can trigger the
problem.
<>Another fun fact
about sugar sources – the commonly used
treats for horses - apples and carrots - are about 50% sugar on a dry
matter
basis.
Also,
you know that irritating kid who goes wild every
morning?Between his breakfast cereal
and glass of orange juice, he ate the same amount of sugar as your
horse gets
from his breakfast of 5 lbs of grain mix.The problem is that the kid only weighs 60 lbs.
I have never felt that molasses by itself was a major culprit in
nutritional problems of horses. It is virtually never fed by
itself, but rather mixed in another feed. It will entice a horse that
won't eat to get some food in his tummy. It can mask the taste of
vitamins and medications, and keep the dust down in feeds. I think
molasses has far more benefits than drawbacks, and is maligned for no
good substantiated reason that I know of. Incidentally, a tablespoon
of blackstrap molasses is very tasty in your morning
coffee. Dr Q
