Lucerne hay, AKA Alfalfa, has over time been
enhanced in "quality" by agricultural authorities to the extent that
now in recent years even cattle are getting laminitis. Research
suggests that the high protein content of the Alfalfa causes metabolic
problems which can lead to laminitis. I highly suggest you seek out
more information at the excellent web site www.safergrass.org run by
Katy Watts, a leading agricultural researcher on the topic of forage
for equines as it relates to laminitis and other health disorders.
Furthermore, the natural process of digestion includes a population of
microbes in the cecum who's job it is to help breakdown their forage
into absorbable compounds. This population of microbes is very
sensitive to the flow of forage and requires a constant and stable flow
in order to be happy. As the flow of forage rises and falls as is
common with intermittent meals associated with the feeding of alfalfa,
so to does the population count of these microbes which can replicate
at the rate of doubling their numbers every seven minutes. As the flow
of forage slows between meals, starvation and a dying off of said
microbes can occur. The problem with this is the exoskeletons of
these microbes contains a toxin which can be absorbed into the blood
steam, travel down to the hooves and cause an uncontrolled release of
an enzyme called matrix metalloproteinase, otherwise knowns as MMP.
This enzyme is naturally found in the hooves of the horse as a
release mechanism for the purpose of facilitating the growth of hoof
wall past the coffin bone. Ask yourself this question: How can the
hoof wall be attached to the coffin bone so strongly as to take the
force of a 40 mile per hour gallop, yet at the same time, the hoof wall
is not so strongly attached as to restrict the natural growth of the
hoof wall down and past the coffin bone? It is the job of MMP to
release the lamellar attachment in a controlled fashion so that the
hoof wall may slide past the coffin bone as it grows, yet still take
the pounding force of a gallop. Unfortunately, if the release of MMP
is uncontrolled, laminitis of some level can be the result even to the
extent of total lamellar release whereby the entire hoof capsule (sole
and frog too) slough off and away from the coffin bone.
For more information regarding the biological mechanisms that lead to
laminitis, I suggest you seek out the research performed by Dr. Chris
Pollitt of the University of Queensland Australia who is the worlds
leading researcher on laminitis.
Considering my exposure to hoof care and more specifically the hooves
of barefooted horses, my horses are kept on a diet of Bermuda grass hay
fed free choice, meaning they are never without something to eat. For
the hard keepers, or during times of heaving work, I've found no
problem feeding some alfalfa as a supplement though I will also
implement some grain buffered with fats such as Cocosoya oil from
Uckele Health.
Kirt Lander
Nik Isahak Abdullah wrote:
A
friend of mine had a stable of around 20 endurance horses.Over the last
1 year, 2 of his elite 'endurance campaigner' developed debilitating
laminitis. Looking at their previous 'feeding' regime I did not feel
that they are 'over-graining'. The previous stable manager loves
'Lucerne Hay' though... there is a mountain of it in the ware house!
Can too much of 'Lucerne Hay' be associated with laminitis??!!
