Live in the midwest and southeast United States? Remember that color is not the end-all of hay. Smooth bromegrass is often fed to horses and grows well in the Great Plains. And, let’s face it - horses love the taste of alfalfa hay! Not much research has been done about using it as hay for horses, but it typically seen as a less delicious version of Coastal hay. Best to leave this stuff for the cows! 5 comments. Most standard sized horses need 2” holes to prevent frustration. If you are planting fields for hay production, you will need to contact your local extension office for more information. No matter what the variety of hay they eat, hay that retains its green color is preferable to yellow hay, and clean hay is a priority. ADVERTISEMENT. If your horse is in this situation it is best to find a slow-feeding option, like a hay net, to slow down their consumption. Please read our disclosure for more info. This variety is higher protein than grass, but lower protein than Alfalfa. Can be higher in sugar – not a good option for insulin resisting animals. save hide report. Horse meat is a bit sweet in taste. Good hay should smell good, while bad hay will smell… bad. Visit Website. Horses undergoing stress may need more B-vitamins while those recovering from disease or injury may require antioxidants like Vitamin E. Senior horses have been shown to benefit from added Vitamin C. Easy keepers may do best on hay that has either been analyzed for low NSC or soaked to remove excess sugar. Horses are also provided with salt, either added into a concentrate mix of grains, flax seed, beet pulp, bran and molasses or separately as a salt block in the pasture. It’s pretty common to find and makes another great option for horses. You likely prefer greens with leaves rather than just stems. When you’re first starting out with horses, the topic of hay can seem overwhelming. This is generally a mix of native grasses and is common in the midwest and west. As this grass matures, the quality quickly drops. Therefore, the nutrient rich and highl… I love practicing dressage, eventing, stadium jumping, reining, trail riding, and cow work with my AQHA gelding in beautiful Montana, USA. Horses being maintained, mares in the first two-thirds of gestation, and mature horses working at light or moderate levels can do nicely on immature grass hay. Usually used for winter grazing in the south. 15. It doesn't taste bad. Everything seems good? Oftentimes people will allow wet hay to go through a curing process for a couple weeks, but it is dangerous to feed to horses during this time. Both of these are heavily influenced by the stage of maturity of the forage plant. Protein should be fed in a form that will be digestible in the small intestine, such as in a grain mix. "Barley cannot be fed whole to horses because the husks will burrow into the skin and gums and cause awful sores," she explained. every animal has taste buds so that they like what they are suppose to eat. A proposed law would end the practice of shipping horses outside the U.S for slaughter. Myth: The high level of protein in alfalfa hay will damage a horse’s kidneys. When selecting your horse’s forage, keep these six signs of good quality horse hay in mind: 1. With so many varieties out there, newbie horse owners can feel paralyzed by all the choices–and potential implications of those choices on their horses’ health. Horses digestive systems were designed to be constantly processing forage, so it’s risky to let them sit empty. How to feed a horse. *Be aware when you feed clover hay that if it becomes damp, the mold can make horses very sick. Horses don’t eat with human eyes, so color should not always influence your buying choices. Use the following tips from the American Association of Equine Practitioners to select the best hay for your horse: 1. 75% Upvoted. High quality ("dairy") alfalfa supplies 20% to 25% more calories per pound than grass hays, … It does have a very gamey (strong) flavour though which may be part of the reason why the UK (and its Commonwealth countries such as Canada, Oz & NZ) and US refuse to eat it. Give a horse the opportunity to choose among flakes of all-grass hay, grass-alfalfa mix, and all-alfalfa, chances are he will chow down the alfalfa flake first. Horses primarily eat hay and grass, with grains like corn or oats added for extra calories. Seedlings of smooth bromegrass experience less competition from weeds in the fall and will become fully established the following spring, enabling them to endure the next summer. A concern with oat hay is nitrate levels. A concern with oat hay is nitrate levels. Long-time horse lover, first-time horse owner. Just remember, if you are throwing hay away because of poor quality, you will not be saving money because you found a cheap product price. It’s pretty similar, nutritionally, to Timothy hay. Hay is grass that has been cut and dried when it is still nutritious. Assess Body Condition Score (BCS) Assess Manure . Do not feed horses hay containing blister beetles. Some grains like wheat, aren't good for horses. Timothy grass hay is very popular, but there are many other options available. Zoology. This is a long, soft hay which also yellows as it dries. Log in or sign up to leave a comment log in sign up. Thomas Sbampato / Getty Images Oats are a traditional grain fed to horses. Q: What is the best hay for horses in the winter? Often those … Adjust as needed to balance nutrients. Q: How much hay do you need to feed a horse in winter? A late cut means you’ll end up with junky hay. Q: What is the best quality hay for horses? Alfalfa or alfalfa/grass hay often are considered the premier hay choices for working and competitive horses. There are several different types of hay including alfalfa, timothy, oat, bermuda, and orchard. Contrary to the name, this is not the leftovers from harvesting peanuts. There are a lot of resources out there to further advise you and with the internet many options for supply. If the hay was harvested after a frost or the grain crop was hurt by drought, the nitrate level may be high. Q: How many bales of hay does a horse eat a day? It’s hard to make this grass hay safe for horses, so don’t risk it. Hay that is baled too wet also runs the risk of catching on fire or growing dangerous mold. Timothy, Orchard, or Coastal are all great options. 6 comments. Less digestible components are present in the stem. This results in a desirable high quality hay. 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