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Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome

Over the last decade, studies have increased our awareness and understanding of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome but there is still much to learn. We know there are two distinct diseases which affect different areas of the stomach and indications are that whilst diet is key for Equine Squamous Gastric Disease (ESGD), stress is a significant contributing factor for Equine Glandular Gastric Disease (EGGD). This is one of the reasons it is a challenging disease to treat. More information on ESGD and EGGD can be found here.

Feeding the Poor Doer

High quality fibre feeds can provide a good level of energy (calories) comparable with conditioning mixes and cubes, but with much lower levels of starch. Recent studies have shown that even high level competition horses can be sustained on rations using hay and alfalfa with only a very small proportion of cereals without any detriment to performance and muscle tone (Martin et al., 2023). Another study from the same research group showed that success with horses with EGGD was 47.7 times more likely when alfalfa pellets were used in place of oats in the ration (Julliand et al., 2023). This makes alfalfa-based feeds the ideal choice for horses prone to gastric ulcers.

Dengie Feeds for Poor Doers prone to ulcers

Alfa-A Oil

Click here to learn more about Dengie Alfa-A Oil.

 

Performance Fibre

Click here to learn more about Dengie Performance Fibre.

 

Healthy Tummy

Click here to learn more about Dengie Healthy Tummy.

 

Alfa-A Molasses Free

Click here to learn more about Dengie Alfa-A Molasses Free.

 

Alfa-Beet

Click here to learn more about Dengie Alfa-Beet.

 

Alfalfa Pellets

Click here to learn more about Dengie Alfalfa Pellets.

 

Feeding the Good Doer

Although horses with ulcers were historically thought to typically be poor doers and underweight, this is no longer the case, with a study from Belgium showing that only half of those with ulcers were underweight (Galinelli et al., 2021). The key is to still provide a high fibre diet but to choose feeds based on lower energy (calorie) fibre ingredients, such as straw. Studies have shown that straw is a safe ingredient for horses with ulcers if fed at up to 50% of the total diet (including grazing and conserved forage), and so there is no reason not to include straw within the bucket feed for good doers prone to gastric ulcers.

Dengie Feeds for Good Doers prone to ulcers

Meadow Lite with Herbs

Click here to learn more about Dengie Meadow Lite with Herbs.

 

Hi-Fi Lite

Click here to learn more about Dengie Hi-Fi Lite.

 

Ulser Lite 

Click here to learn more about Dengie Ulser Lite.

 

Hi-Fi Molasses Free

Click here to learn more about Dengie Hi-Fi Molasses Free.

 

For more information or if you would like the Dengie nutrition team to review your horse or pony’s diet and help you select the most appropriate feed, get in touch by calling us on 01621 841 188 or by completing our feed advice form.

 

References

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Should the diet of every horse be low in starch and sugar?

A key concept to consider is that it isn’t just the level of sugar and starch within a feed but also how much of the feed is fed, and how quickly it is consumed that is important. Grass forages and pasture are consumed more slowly than bucket feed, so even though they contain relatively high levels of sugar, it is consumed throughout the day rather than in meals which the horse’s digestive system has evolved to cope with.

Obesity, PPID, and laminitis all change the ability of the horse to cope with sugar intake, and in these situations, 10-12% non-structural carbohydrate (NSC – the combination of sugar and starch) in forage is recommended. A typical value for grass hays is around 15-20% and a very high level would be 35%. As horses should be fed 1.5% minimum of forage per day to supply sufficient fibre to maintain normal gut function it makes a big contribution to the overall NSC intake.

With bucket feed, starch is a significant risk factor for diseases such as colic and gastric ulcers. It is generally advised to keep levels as low as possible to maintain digestive health in all horses. The maximum level of starch advised to try to reduce the risk of gastric ulcers is 1g/Kg bodyweight (BWT) per meal or 2g/Kg BWT per day. It is possible to supply energy from fibre and oil to the same level as cereal-based feeds and the levels of starch can be around 10 times lower i.e., 2% in Alfa-A Oil compared to 20% in competition mixes of the same energy value.

Producers of mixes and cubes may describe their feeds as “low starch” even though they still contain 12-15%. This is because they are comparing them to more traditional versions of the same product that are likely to contain between 25 and 30% starch. This doesn’t mean they are low in starch when compared to other types of feed though.

My horse is an eventer and is working quite hard but has recently been diagnosed with ulcers. My vet has told me to just feed fibre - can I really do that and still compete at a decent level?

Absolutely! Alfa-A Oil is our highest energy feed at 12.5MJ DE per kg which is comparable to a competition or conditioning mix. However, it contains around 10 times less starch than a cereal-based feed with a comparable energy value so is much better for gut health. The fibre and oil provide slow-release energy and so you may find that your horse’s behaviour and focus will improve too. A study we supported a few years ago showed that horses on fibre and oil-based diets were less reactive to novel stimuli than those on a cereal-based ration. Don’t just take our word for it though – 4* eventer Lucy Jackson has competed at the highest level on a fibre-based diet!

My horse has ulcers and doesn’t seem to want to eat much hay. He really doesn’t seem to like chops, what else can I use so he spends more time eating?

If you can turn out on good grazing then that would be a great starting point. In addition, it would be good to get some alfalfa into his ration as it is a natural buffer to acidity. There are some pelleted versions of alfalfa that you can use – pure Alfalfa Pellets can be fed dry or dampened with water if he prefers them that way, or Alfa-Beet which is a combination of unmolassed sugar beet and alfalfa which must be fed soaked before feeding.

Although a horse would tend to consume a pelleted/soaked version of alfalfa more quickly than chopped fibre, and therefore spend less time chewing, the main aim in this situation is to increase fibre intake and find a form of fibre your horse likes. Once the ulcers have healed, you may find your horse’s appetite picks up a bit and you can try introducing some chopped fibre again.

My cob is a really good doer and so is on very limited hay and basically no grazing. She has had ulcers in the past and I know I need to feed as much fibre as possible, but I’m worried about her putting on weight. I’m also concerned about using low-calorie feeds as they contain straw, and I’ve read I shouldn’t feed it as it can cause ulcers?

The minimum amount of forage your horse should ideally be consuming is 1.5% of her bodyweight on a dry matter basis. To try to promote good gut health, the total daily ration should be divided into as many small offerings as possible so the period she isn’t eating is as short as possible. Research by Luthersson and colleagues showed that if the time between eating was more than 6 hours, the risk of ulcers increased.

Straw can be a really useful feed material for good doers as it provides “chew-time” without too many calories. In the study by Luthersson and colleagues, they also found that when straw was the sole source of forage it increased the incidence of ulcers. However, the important part of this finding was that straw was the only type of forage fed. There is no reason why straw can’t be used alongside other forages such as alfalfa and grass hay to increase fibre intake for good doers. Feeds such as Ulser Lite, Hi-Fi Lite or Hi-Fi Molasses Free would therefore be suitable options for your horse.

I have been told to give my horse a small feed before exercise. Is this safe?

Yes – providing it is fibre based. The advice is to give a scoop of chopped fibre within 30 minutes before exercise. This recommendation is given to make sure that the fibrous mat within the horse’s stomach is maintained to reduce acid splashing about in the stomach. Acid splash in the squamous or non-glandular lining of the horse’s stomach is linked to gastric ulceration. Ideally, this chopped fibre should include alfalfa as research has shown that alfalfa particularly is a superior buffer to acidity within the digestive tract.