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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Rec / Effects of soaking on the water-soluble carbohydrate and cru...
The Veterinary record2011; 168(23); 618; doi: 10.1136/vr.d157

Effects of soaking on the water-soluble carbohydrate and crude protein content of hay.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the amounts of water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC), WSC constituents and protein leached from a range of U.K. hays soaked according to common practice. Initial hay WSC content ranged from 123 to 230 g/kg dry matter (DM). Soaking the hays for up to 16 hours in water at a mean temperature of 8°C resulted in a mean loss of 27 per cent (range 6 to 54 per cent) of hay WSC. The mean percentage losses of WSC constituents were 24 per cent (range 14 to 31) for fructan, 41 per cent (range 21 to 70) for fructose, 45 per cent (range 28 to 100) for sucrose and 56 per cent (range 29 to 100) for glucose. The mean crude protein content of the initial hays was 58.7 g/kg DM (range 30 to 86 g/kg DM) and this value was not affected significantly by soaking. Despite a mean WSC loss of 27 per cent, the WSC contents of seven of the hays remained above the suggested upper limit for laminitic animals of 100 g/kg DM.
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Publication Date: 2011-06-07 PubMed ID: 21652661DOI: 10.1136/vr.d157Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigates the effect of soaking hay on the amount of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and protein that leaches out from a variety of hays in the UK. The results showed that after soaking hays for up to 16 hours, there is a significant reduction in the WSC content while the protein content remained relatively unaffected.

Effect of Soaked Hay on Water-Soluble Carbohydrate Content

  • The research involved soaking different types of hays for up to 16 hours in water at an average temperature of 8°C.
  • The initial carbohydrate content of the hays varied from 123 to 230 grams per kilogram of dry matter (g/kg DM).
  • The soaking process resulted in a loss of about 27% of the hay’s carbohydrate content, with the range of loss being between 6 to 54%.

Effect on Different Constituents of Water-Soluble Carbohydrates

  • The study also measured the losses in different constituents of carbohydrates during the soaking process. These constituents were fructan, fructose, sucrose, and glucose.
  • The percentage loss of fructan varied from 14 to 31%, with an average loss of 24%.
  • Fructose had a loss between 21 to 70% with an average of 41%.
  • Sucrose had a range of 28 to 100% loss, with an average of 45%.
  • Glucose had a loss range of 29 to 100%, with an average loss of 56%.

Effect of Soaked Hay on Protein Content

  • The protein content of the hay before soaking varied from 30 to 86 g/kg DM, with an average protein content of 58.7 g/kg DM.
  • This protein content was not significantly affected by soaking the hay.

Outcome and Implication of the Study

  • Despite the loss of carbohydrates due to soaking, seven of the hays still had carbohydrate contents greater than the suggested maximum limit for laminitic animals, which is 100 g/kg DM.
  • This implies that even if hay is soaked before feeding to laminitic animals, they might still intake more carbohydrates than recommended, increasing their risk of laminitis.

Cite This Article

APA
Longland AC, Barfoot C, Harris PA. (2011). Effects of soaking on the water-soluble carbohydrate and crude protein content of hay. Vet Rec, 168(23), 618. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.d157

Publication

The Veterinary record
ISSN: 2042-7670
NlmUniqueID: 0031164
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 168
Issue: 23
Pages: 618

Researcher Affiliations

Longland, A C
  • Equine and Livestock Nutrition Services, Pantafallen fach, Tregaron, Ceredigion, Wales, SY25 6NG. elns.longland@btinternet.com
Barfoot, C
    Harris, P A

      MeSH Terms

      • Animal Feed / standards
      • Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
      • Animals
      • Carbohydrates / chemistry
      • Diet / veterinary
      • Hoof and Claw
      • Horse Diseases / prevention & control
      • Horses
      • Inflammation / prevention & control
      • Inflammation / veterinary
      • Nutritional Requirements
      • Nutritive Value
      • Plant Proteins / chemistry
      • Poaceae / chemistry
      • Solubility

      Citations

      This article has been cited 10 times.
      1. Pisch C, Wensch-Dorendorf M, Schwarzenbolz U, Henle T, Greef JM, Zeyner A. Effect of Hay Steaming on the Estimated Precaecal Digestibility of Crude Protein and Selected Amino Acids in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 10;12(22).
        doi: 10.3390/ani12223092pubmed: 36428320google scholar: lookup
      2. Daniels S, Hepworth J, Moore-Colyer M. The haybiome: Characterising the viable bacterial community profile of four different hays for horses following different pre-feeding regimens. PLoS One 2020;15(11):e0242373.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242373pubmed: 33201929google scholar: lookup
      3. Moore-Colyer M, Longland A, Harris P, Zeef L, Crosthwaite S. Mapping the bacterial ecology on the phyllosphere of dry and post soaked grass hay for horses. PLoS One 2020;15(1):e0227151.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227151pubmed: 31986161google scholar: lookup
      4. Owens TG, Barnes M, Gargano VM, Julien L, Mansilla WD, Devries TJ, Mcbride BW, Merkies K, Shoveller AK. Nutrient content changes from steaming or soaking timothy-alfalfa hay: effects on feed preferences and acute glycemic response in Standardbred racehorses1. J Anim Sci 2019 Oct 3;97(10):4199-4207.
        doi: 10.1093/jas/skz252pubmed: 31400277google scholar: lookup
      5. Mubaiwa J, Fogliano V, Chidewe C, Linnemann AR. Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) flour: A functional ingredient to favour the use of an unexploited sustainable protein source. PLoS One 2018;13(10):e0205776.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205776pubmed: 30321223google scholar: lookup
      6. Michalak I, Mironiuk M, Marycz K. A comprehensive analysis of biosorption of metal ions by macroalgae using ICP-OES, SEM-EDX and FTIR techniques. PLoS One 2018;13(10):e0205590.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205590pubmed: 30321205google scholar: lookup
      7. Morgan R, Keen J, McGowan C. Equine metabolic syndrome. Vet Rec 2015 Aug 15;177(7):173-9.
        doi: 10.1136/vr.103226pubmed: 26273009google scholar: lookup
      8. Moore-Colyer MJ, Lumbis K, Longland A, Harris P. The effect of five different wetting treatments on the nutrient content and microbial concentration in hay for horses. PLoS One 2014;9(11):e114079.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114079pubmed: 25426729google scholar: lookup
      9. Palmer AT, Watts MR, Timko KJ, Pinnell EF, Keefer KA, Gorman O, Hostnik LD, Burns TA. Corticosteroid Administration Enhances the Glycemic, Insulinemic, and Incretin Responses to a High-Protein Mixed Meal in Adult Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Mar-Apr;39(2):e17305.
        doi: 10.1111/jvim.17305pubmed: 40062690google scholar: lookup
      10. Westerfeld R, Payette F, Dubuc V, Manguin E, Picotte K, Beauchamp G, Bédard C, Leclere M. Effects of soaked hay on lung function and airway inflammation in horses with severe asthma. J Vet Intern Med 2024 Jan-Feb;38(1):469-476.
        doi: 10.1111/jvim.16919pubmed: 37930110google scholar: lookup
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