Feed & Forage Tips to Reduce IAD Symptoms
A horse’s diet is a central to many incidences of IAD.
There are a variety of options for owners – some may be right for your horse.
- Feed fresh, clean hay. Hay should smell fresh and not clump – old or musty hay harbors mold.
- Feed low dust hay. Seek quality producers of low dust or low particle hay or those that hand sort under a vacuum.
- Wet hay. Dry hay is a source of dust and mold spores. Hay can be hosed down to reduce dust or soaked for horses with higher sensitivity.
- Steam hay. While they can be expensive and labor intensive, steamers are effective in reducing harmful dust and increasing hay temperatures, which decreases microbes.
Pro Tip: Lucerne Farms Hi Fiber Forage is produced using a unique drying process that “locks in” nutrients lost during the traditional sun-curing process, while eliminating harmful mold spores. Each bag is dust extracted and blended with soy bean oil or molasses and compressed into a convenient bale. Read about the benefits for horses with airway issues.
- Find forage alternatives. Quality forage producers are those that eliminate harmful mold spores. Products high in fiber, low dust alternatives such as haylage, hay cubes, pellets can be effective for horses.
- Avoid round bales. Round bales can be counterproductive, providing more opportunity for endotoxins and dust, especially when horses pull from the inside of the bale. Small rolls or unrolled bales are preferred.
- Avoid feeding in enclosed space. Ventilation is imperative to reduce the dust and mold spores inhaled.
- Feed on the ground. Ground feeding lessens inhalation and dust cascading down on the horse.
Find out more with these 10 Ways to Help with Heaves from Equus Magazine.
Always seek the advice of your veterinarian or other qualified provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
