Article: which cutting of hay is best for horses
December 22, 2020 | Uncategorized
A high quality cereal grain hay, like oat hay, is preferable to a poor quality alfalfa. That’s the answer I got for first cut. I think 1st cutting on alfalfa is best since the likelyhood of blister beetles is less. The best time to cut hay is when your hay-field is just about to flower. Heather Smith Thomas - 06/26/2020 Nutrition. Alfalfa hay is one of the best legume hays fed to horses. Hay dried in the field for at least a day or two–even rained on a bit–is considered safer (i.e., first or second cutting, depending on the year, from the Eastern states). Best way to combat mites, besides spraying Sevin, is to build the sugar up in your Timothy. Most horses will readily consume alfalfa hay. Hay has been important historically and is still essential today. The “fiber” percentage on the label isn’t what you need to know. ADVERTISEMENT. Muller ∗, P. Uden (2007) *Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences As can be seen from the table, some nutrients don’t vary much as their levels are determined more by the grass species than the conservation technique. The adult horse at maintenance should have a Ca to P ratio between 3:1 and 1:1. Horses prefer 'hard' hay which is different to 'meadow hay' suitable for other stock. Timothy works best for us, no problems with mites (knock on wood). In some regions of the world, alfalfa hay is all that is available and is therefore the most economical choice. The Tough1 feeder slows down your horse’s consumption and reduces wasted hay, while also being stronger than many slow-feeder nets on the market. Smorgasbord of hay and grain for horses Flickr.com - Smerikal. It is highly palatable. Later cuttings may have them in it and they are toxic to horses. Most horses will readily consume alfalfa hay. Even so, hay rarely meets all the needs of any horse. Beet pulp is predominantly fibre too, and it is often very high in sugar, depending on the type & brand, so be careful with your advice & feeding your own. The hay is good quality, fragrant and soft. Normal horses can tolerate NSC levels of 20% or higher. Cisco Farm Seeds. A number of factors come into play when choosing the right type of hay for your horse. Horses tend to throw their hay around as they rummage for the good bits, so you’ll need a good 8’ by 8’ of ground cover for your horses feeding area. Hay for Boarded Horses As a general rule of thumb, grass hay is best for horses—alfalfa or other legume hay can be an excellent feed to mix with grass hay for animals that need more protein. Young foals and mares in the first three months of lactation can benefit by the best legume hay available. A basic hay analysis costs about $20. Beyond that, even the best hay may be low in certain nutrients, especially minerals. Generally speaking, the second and third cuttings are "best" because first cutting tends to get a bit mature before it gets cut. ADF values between 30 and 35 percent are good for horses. High quality hay can be an excellent source of nutrition for - including protein and calcium - for horses and ponies and is a very palatable feed.. In fact, a steady diet of legume hay can lead to excessive weight gain. Alfalfa hay is an excellent source of protein, both in content and quality. 1st cutting hay is the first cutting off a field in the spring (obviously!) Use your good judgment when purchasing hay for horses. A high performance racehorse may benefit from alfalfa or mixed alfalfa. Thanks for watching! So I asked when you should cut hay. That is a topic for a whole article. Horse hay is best produced using Italian ryegrass with a two year duration. Alfalfa hay, sometimes called lucerne hay, is the most popular legume hay fed to horses in the U.S., while timothy and orchard are popular grass hay choices. If hay becomes wet, or if it sits in the sun, nutrients can be lost. On farms in more moderate climates where time and labor are in short supply, maximum yield is not essential and top hay quality is not required, a single cut system may be adequate. Have enough round bales to accommodate the number of horses in a given field, and take care to provide new bales as needed so horses always have access to fresh hay. However, because of its high palatability, intake must be restricted to keep horses … Practicality and cost of feeding are always considerations when devising a feeding plan for horses. Choose one designed for horses (those made for cattle have a bar across the top that can injure horses when they pull back from the hay). Alfalfa is also a good winter feed because heat is created by digestion of protein, so a horse can keep warmer on a cold night. On the other hand, horses usually don’t require such rich forage. The cutting of hay doesn’t matter nearly as much as other factors – like species, maturity at harvest, storage conditions, leafiness, and the presence of contaminants. Teff Hay for Horses Field of teff grass hay ready for harvest. There are many types of hay harvested from grasses including alfalfa, timothy, clover and rye. Your target is about 30% ADF. The Horse Studio Team and The Merry Band at Catskill Horse hope this article has helped you with your horses’ hay. Many types of hay provide enough calories and crude protein to meet the needs of adult horses at maintenance or light work. By horse-drawn machine: In the 19th century, many machines that could cut hay were invented that could be pulled with horses. Older horses may have tooth problems that mean they may have trouble with long stem forage like grass hay & if lami prone, the hay may need to be soaked, to reduce sugar. Teff is a warm-season annual grass that is now being grown in many regions of North America for livestock and by commercial hay producers who want a fast-growing, high-yielding crop with good forage quality. Alfalfa hay would not be the best forage for certain groups of horses. The amount of protein supplied by alfalfa can go a long way toward satisfying the high protein requirements of young growing horses. Alfalfa hay is one of the best hays fed to horses. Legumes are higher in protein, energy, calcium, and vitamin A than grass hay. This doesn't mean all second or third cutting is better than first though. There are cereal grain hays too, such as oat or barley hay, which are different nutritionally than typical grass hays, but they also fall under the grass hay … It's not okay to feed just any dried fodder to horses. Visit Website. Horses challenged by metabolic syndrome should be offered hays that are low in non-structural carbohydrates or NSC. Preference of horses for grass conserved as hay, haylage or silage C.E. While hay alone may not meet the total dietary requirements of young, growing horses or those used for high levels of performance, high-quality hay may supply ample nutrition for less active adult horses. OMAFRA suggests cutting hay in the morning just after the morning dew is off for better drying. 12lb box of 2 nd cut Timothy hay, which is supplied by Small Pet Select in a breathable box to keep the hay fresh (card keeps sunlight out but allows air to circulate). NDF values between 40 and 50 are good for horses. However, if you want more sugar in your hay OMAFRA suggests cutting hat later in the day. We get brome and prairie grass hay in this part of the country. Several characteristics of alfalfa make it an excellent hay for horses. This class of carbohydrates includes starch, water-soluble sugar, and fructan. This will give maximum yield of very clean material and can be a very profitable crop. Most 1st cut OG hay is chopped for haylage or made into baleage. Dairy cows require the highest quality legume hay to keep up with milk production. 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. Best for: Easy keepers, horses in light work (or retired horses), and as a tool to help buffer stomach acid and add roughage without adding too many calories or excess protein. All horses need fiber in their diet and some of it must be the form of long hay. Tough-1 Mini Web Hay Feeder, $25.49. Once you’ve determined the best category of hay for your horse, most people select hay based on how it looks, smells and feels. In the case of mature horses, alfalfa forage will certainly provide enough protein to … Early maturity hay would be perfect for growing horses and lactating mares, but it may not be the best choice for horses with low nutrient requirements. Later cuttings make great horse hay. It's said that hay revolutionized horse care, and man's ability to be mobile. The Upper Peninsula isn’t the only place where hay is only cut once in mid-summer. Generally, a mixed grass bale will work best for most horses. For horses, grass hay or a legume/grass hay mix is the best choice. Mites … First cut lucerne hay with a high C3 grass content must be soaked for high risk horses. While pasture may be best, pasture grass may not be adequate during hot weather, drought or winter conditions and this means owners need to feed hay. Some specialists even prefer to grow a new ley every year. Feeding Hay to Horses and Ponies. Baling and cutting alfalfa is a whole other topic too. Young horses predisposed to growth problems. Our hay guys only do one cutting so don't have a choice. Cutting hay has been, and can be, done in many ways. However, because of its high palatability, intake must be restricted to keep horses from overeating and … early bloom alfalfa hay, the difference is much smaller than for lower quality hays such as late-maturity grass hays. If all the hay is soaked, then some of the soluble trace-mineral, vitamin and salt content can be leached out into the soaking water. It usually has lots of litter in it from the winter--weeds like redstem pigweed is abundant that time of year, cow patties if cattle were wintered on the field, trash that blew in, leaves from the autumn shedding, etc. An equine nutritionist offers advice on the best hay to feed a horse who is at risk of developing laminitis. You want the ADF. Alfalfa Hay. Cutting Hay. All horses require supplemental salt to replenish what is lost in sweat. As grazing animals, research has shown that horses do best when their feeding patterns follow a natural grazing pattern. Mid- to late-maturity hays are best for horses with low nutrient requirements because the horses can eat more to satisfy their appetites without overeating and becoming fat.” If the hay isn't cured properly, if it's handled too much (which causes lots of leaf loss), or if it's rained on, it could be very poor quality. By hand: For thousands of years, hay was cut with hand-held tools like a scythe. Optimum horse hay moisture ranges from 10 to 16 percent. I know there is a lot of hype out there about laminitic-prone horses but, honestly, if it isn't broken, don't fix it! Also offer both 1 st cut (high fibre) and 3 rd cut (high nutrients) in this range.. Meadow grass hay for rabbits. The top plastic frame aids in loading hay, while the adjustable hanging strap has snaps at both ends to close the top of the bag. Q: Which cutting of hay is best for horses? The best way to determine the feed you choose will provide fiber of a similar type to the fiber in hay is to call the manufacturer and ask what the ADF, or acid detergent fiber, level is. Legume hay is also ideal for goats and lambs. Meadow grass is a longer, softer stemmed grass than Timothy hay. Hay is the best, maybe the only, economic option. Devising a feeding plan for horses, grass hay ready for harvest usually don ’ t the only where. And 35 percent are good for horses hay, is preferable to a poor quality alfalfa on the hand! Supplied by alfalfa can go a long way toward satisfying the high requirements... Quality hays such as late-maturity grass hays in their diet and some of it must the! Feeding are always considerations when devising a feeding plan for horses no problems with mites ( knock wood! 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