Study - How the Feeding Order of Forage and Oats Affects a Horses Digestive Responses

Horses eating forage from a feeder in a pasture.
Horses eating forage from a feeder in a pasture. Sedin

Newsdate: Wednesday, July 9, 2025 – 11:00 am
Location:GUELPH, Ontario

Horses have evolved as grazing nonruminant herbivores with a relatively small stomach and a highly specialized hindgut capable of fermenting fibrous feeds. However, domestication might have altered the feeds consumed by horses, and today conserved forages and starch-rich concentrates often make up the ration as a substitute or supplement to grazing.

A scoop of mixed grains including oats fed to horses.

A scoop of mixed grains including oats fed to horses.

A recent research study addressed how the feeding order of forage and oats affected the metabolic and digestive responses related to gastric emptying in horses.
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Understanding how feeding management and diet composition influence digestion is crucial for keeping the horse healthy, although conducting such investigations can be challenging.

"Feeding order of forage and concentrate might affect gastric emptying and subsequently digestion in horses. The objective of this study was to measure gastric emptying in combination with metabolic and digestive responses in the plasma and cecum, respectively, when changing the feeding order of oats (O) and hay (H) (oats first, then hay: O-H vs. hay first, then oats: H-O)."

The objective of this study as noted above,was to measure gastric emptying in combination with metabolic and digestive responses in the plasms and cecum of horses, respectively, when changing the feeding order of oats and hay. Gastric emptying, digestion in the small intestine, and cecum of horses were evaluated.

Results from this study indicate that feeding order affected gastric emptying, and the digestive and metabolic responses were more clearly reflected in cecum pH than plasma glucose and insulin.

 Based on the results from this study and other relevant literature, it is recommended to feed forage before concentrate.

See the report and graphic information related to the study HERE


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