fyi from the Horse online: According to Watts, very few feed companies routinely test for sugar and starch. Even when they do, questions arise: Has the manufacturer provided consumers with an average "per batch" number, with a large variation between bags? How much variation is there from one batch to another? Do they always use the same testing lab and testing procedure?
To eliminate all the guessing, Safergrass.org will provide a service to consumers, horse feed companies, and hay producers to provide independent testing of horse feeds for carbohydrates at the same, approved professional laboratory. Results will be posted on the Web site to help consumers make more informed feed choices. Horse feed companies who keep nonstructural carbohydrates reliably lower will have this information readily available for comparison by the consumer. There is also a growing market for low sugar hay, Watts said, and many of these consumers already look to the Web site for advice on management of carbohydrate intolerant horses. Hay growers who participate in the CertiCarb program will be able to list low sugar hay on Safergrass.org. -- yipie tie yie yo
