Horse hay: how to identify the good stuff
Horses are real fussy nigh their hay, as well as are probable to select it equally a personal insult if their owners don’t deliver the proficient stuff. Neil Clarkson reports.
Happiness, equally all Equus caballus owners know, is having a shed inundation alongside top character hay past times the halt of summer, laid to sustain the troops through the winter.
Horse owners either purchase it, or unopen upward a paddock or 2 inwards the hope that both proficient weather condition as well as a local farm contractor volition converge on the holding at the same time.
Knowing how to position proficient hay is an essential science for whatever Equus caballus owner, for 2 reasons. Firstly, who wants to fork out proficient cash for bad hay? Secondly, horses volition larn by to larn whatever existent nutritional value from rumpty hay. They may non fifty-fifty consume it. Dusty as well as mouldy hay may fifty-fifty exercise your Equus caballus harm, as well as its overall pathetic character mightiness convey on a instance of hay-induced colic.
Buying inwards hay is the solely alternative if yous can’t afford the luxury of shutting upward a paddock. It’s also the best course of study if yous demand solely a few dozen bales to encounter through the winter, equally it volition rarely move economical to receive got a contractor exercise pocket-sized quantities.
Before nosotros expression at how to assess hay, it’s of import to empathize the procedure – as well as exactly equally importantly – what tin terminate larn wrong.
Scenario one: It’s an idyllic as well as gloriously sunny day. Your friendly contractor, tanned from weeks of haymaking, drives inwards the gate. Spring has been form as well as a thick sward of leafy pasture awaits mowing. He mows the grass, which forthwith begins to dry out nether the baking sun. The contractor is dorsum 3 days afterwards alongside his tedder as well as stirs upward the grass, allowing it to dry out fifty-fifty faster. The next 24-hour interval he returns as well as declares, that alongside continuing proficient weather, he volition row it upward for baling the adjacent day. He’s equally proficient equally his word. The hay is rowed upward as well as iv hours afterwards the tractor as well as baler drive through the gate. The contractor checks the hay carefully as well as declares it perfect for baling. Within 2 hours yous receive got a paddock of conventional bales as well as your friends as well as neighbours receive got formed a traffic jam at your front end gate equally they larn into to assist yous larn it into the shed.
Scenario two: It’s been a hell of a summer. Hardly a 24-hour interval goes past times without a shower. The weather condition exactly hasn’t been settled plenty to brand hay. Your grass is past times its best as well as is going to seed. The weather condition is finally looking amend then yous telephone your contractor. Everyone is bending his ear nigh making hay, he explains. Nevertheless, 2 days afterwards your grass is mowed. It rains that night. There’s some proficient drying the adjacent day, but it volition cop 2 to a greater extent than showers earlier it’s finally baled. It likely could receive got done alongside some other afternoon of drying but the weather condition forecast for the adjacent 3 days was poor. No-one turns upward to assist yous cart it in.
If yous shout out upward the 2nd scenario is far from ideal, our worst endeavour was having hay downward for 2 weeks, during which it copped 125mm of rain. We eventually baled it exactly to larn it off the paddock.
While the kickoff scenario volition deliver perfect hay, most hay-making efforts volition halt upward a combination of the two. Hopefully, most things volition larn right, but it’s possible at that topographic point volition move a few setbacks along the way.
Cattle hay
Poor character hay is sometimes called cattle hay. Cattle are good equipped to digest stalky, mature grass as well as hay. Research shows that a cattlebeast’s powerfulness to digest stalky grass falls off solely 2 or 3 per cent compared to leafy grass. The powerfulness of horses to exercise the same falls off past times xx per cent or more. That’s why yous desire the leafy stuff.
The most nutritious meadow hay volition come upward from a overnice mix of leafy grass as well as clover. Grass which is stalky as well as has developed mature seedheads is past times its best. If it’s been a changeable season, those making hay may receive got picayune alternative but to lookout their grass larn to seed spell waiting for a window inwards the weather. In short, you’re amend to allow the grass overstep its peak than cutting it as well as human face upward getting it wet.
Once cut, the in conclusion thing anyone wants is rain, which leaches nutrients from the cutting grass into the soil. H5N1 picayune pelting shortly after cutting commonly does picayune harm, but showers when the grass is unopen to baling is much worse.
So what should yous expression for inwards a bale of meadow hay? There are 10 cardinal areas to consider.
Appearance
Inspect it closely. You’re after hay alongside plenty of leafage matter. Hay alongside an abundance of stem as well as mature seedheads volition receive got been baled past times its best. Look for show of dried weeds as well as thistles – you’re wanting to purchase dried grass, non weeds. Casually cheque out the paddocks equally yous caput for the haystack. If yous encounter lots of thistles as well as other undesirable weeds, there’s a proficient run a endangerment the hay volition receive got its fair share, too. You may encounter a lot of stalky hay if it’s been a hard season. It may yet move acceptable for horses if they’re going to taste a serenity winter, but don’t tyke yourself. It volition receive got to a greater extent than fibre as well as less poly peptide than leafier hay. You’ll move amend off paying a chip to a greater extent than for hay alongside a higher leafage content – if it’s available. If yous encounter pocket-sized young seedheads, the hay volition move fine. In fact, some consider this to move an ideal province for hay-making.
Colour
Good hay is a pale light-green to pale aureate inwards colour. If it looks tedious as well as dark-brown there’s a proficient run a endangerment it copped pelting spell drying. If it’s truly golden, it may receive got been equally good dry out when cut. The best expanse to assess color is inwards the pump of a bale, non the outside, which tin terminate bleach out inwards daylight. Don’t move seat off past times a bale alongside purpose of its exterior bleached. Chances are it has exactly been spending its days on the exterior of a haystack. The bleached expanse volition likely receive got lost its vitamin H5N1 content, but most of the nutrients should yet move there. If you’re non able to cutting a random bale to cheque its interior, thrust a mitt within the bale equally far equally yous tin terminate as well as line out a fistful to check.
Mould
Hay should ideally move baled when the wet content is exactly about fifteen to 17 per cent. Most contractors volition assess wet content on experience. You mightiness larn away alongside slightly higher wet alongside conventional bales, but it volition move a close-run thing. Moist hay poses a existent burn risk, then don’t hap it within a shed. It also provides perfect growing conditions for mould, which tin terminate move toxic to livestock. You’re most probable to discovery it inwards the pump of the bale. This is some other thing to cheque when yous cutting opened upward a sample bale, or line out a sample past times hand. Mould tin terminate demonstrate equally areas of darker discolouration, but it isn’t ever visible. Worry not: yous receive got some other weapon inwards your arsenal. That olfactory organ on your human face upward is non exactly for decoration!
A renowned physicist argues that hay was the most of import project design of the in conclusion 2 M years. Freeman Dyson points out that hay was unknown inwards classical Greek as well as Roman times. The Greeks as well as Romans did non demand hay, equally the warm Mediterranean climate meant plenty grass grew all yr circular to feed horses as well as livestock.
Dyson argues that the lack of hay effectively thwarted the spread of culture into the cooler climes farther north, where a source of wintertime feed was essential to hap animals.
Hay was “invented” some fourth dimension during the Dark Ages, allowing urban culture to spread N into the temperate zones of Europe. Hay’s utilisation was widespread amid the hamlet dwellers of medieval Europe.
Dyson argues that the project design of hay was a decisive instant inwards history, which began the migration of the world’s power-base from the Mediterranean expanse to Northern as well as Western Europe.
Ponder that when yous feed out your adjacent bale!
Smell
The sweetness odor of proficient hay is exactly glorious, as well as comes from a found chemic called coumarin. But your olfactory organ is also an essential tool inwards sniffing out mould. You may good odor mould earlier seeing it. If you’re able to cutting a sample bale, thrust your olfactory organ into its pump earlier the surrounding air tin terminate dilute whatever odours. Hopefully, you’ll discovery a overnice sweetness smell. If the odor is sharp, musty, almost metallic, it is a sure sign the hay is mould-affected.
Weight
If yous tin terminate tuck a conventional bale nether each arm, the grass has almost sure enough been dried to a crisp inwards the paddock earlier baling. Its nutritional value volition move limited. If a unmarried bale is tough to lift, it may move equally good moist as well as move breeding mould furiously. You’ll demand to elevator a few bales to larn the hang of this, but 1 time yous recognise the correct weight hit for a proficient bale, you’ve acquired a useful skill.
You larn into at a holding to purchase some hay. Glance over the paddocks. Do they appear good tended or weedy? If weedy, there’s a proficient run a endangerment those same nasties volition move lurking inwards the hay.
Ask the historic menses of the hay as well as how the baling went … they mightiness say all. Has it been good stored? Inspect the hay carefully. Is the color good? Is at that topographic point plenty of leafage or is it coarse as well as woody? Is it slow to the touch? Can yous encounter show of weeds as well as thistles inwards the hay? Does it odor sweetness or musty?
Select a bale as well as cheque its weight. If equally good heavy, it may receive got been baled when equally good moist. Cut opened upward the bale as well as line it apart inwards the middle. Quickly shove your olfactory organ downward into the centre, where it should odor sweet. If it smells musty as well as metallic, there’s mould. The discolouration of mould may non move visible, but yous should move able to odor it.
If the colour, texture as well as odor of the hay inwards the middle is good, you’re likely on a winner. If yous experience uncomfortable quest to cutting the bale, thrust your mitt inwards equally far equally it volition larn as well as line out a fistful. Use that sample to assess the hay. If you’re using the latter method, attempt out a 2nd bale equally well.
Texture
How does the hay experience when yous move it inwards your hand? If it feels coarse, your Equus caballus is probable to discovery it that way, too. H5N1 proficient leafy hay volition move slow to the touch. Even the stems inwards proficient hay should move flexible.
Dust
As yous attempt out the hay for texture, smell, as well as weight, select careful banking company complaint of whether it’s producing much dust. There’s solely 1 position that dust volition halt upward – your horses’ lungs. The dust tin terminate come upward from a issue of sources. It could receive got been blown on to grass during a dry out spell earlier cutting. It may receive got been kicked upward from dry out Blue Planet past times the mechanism making the hay. It could also receive got come upward from the gradual breakdown of the hay. Whatever the cause, avoid dusty hay.
Leaf shatter
This is where the leafage thing inwards the hay crumbles when it is touched or disturbed. The principal employment is that leafage shatter volition speedily rob the affected hay of its nutrients. Leaf shatter tin terminate laid out fifty-fifty earlier the hay is baled, peculiarly if a leafy crop is equally good dry out when the contractor rakes it. You receive got to assess how bad the employment is, but if the bale is disintegrating alongside every touch, yous mightiness move amend to expression elsewhere.
Age
Hay volition gradually lose its nutritional value equally it ages, but non equally fast equally many people think. While new-season hay is likely the best option, well-stored top-quality hay volition yet move pretty hard to beat, fifty-fifty if it’s a flavor or 2 old.
Storage
Hay tin terminate move stored outside, but at that topographic point is ever a endangerment that pelting may penetrate the covers. Hay that’s been shed-stored as well as protected from the elements is most probable your best bet. When yous larn it home, shop the hay well. Keep if off the ground, otherwise the hay volition soak upward wet similar the wick of a candle, effectively ruining the bale. Typically, one-half the bale may move rendered worthless.
Feeding fresh hay to a Equus caballus runs the endangerment of causing colic.
Most hay that goes into a shed yet has a picayune drying to do, which is why you’re best to pack it inwards alongside a picayune air infinite betwixt the bales.
It is at its most unsafe to your Equus caballus if it’s heating upward due to the natural bacterial activity inwards the moist hay. It’s a fine line: equally good much wet as well as you’re on the inevitable path to mould.
As a full general rule, don’t feed out hay of whatever form to your Equus caballus until it’s been stored for at to the lowest degree a month. Cut a bale or thrust a mitt in, and, if yous discovery whatever heat, don’t feed it out.
You could feed out hay forthwith if it has been cured to absolute perfection inwards the paddock as well as it has exactly the correct wet content, but this is rarely the case.
Always err on the side of caution.
As alongside whatever feed change, innovate hay gradually to the diet.
Finally, if you’ve gone to the problem of sourcing the best hay for your equine friends, brand sure they don’t waste matter it past times trampling it into the unclean paddock.
If you’ve bought the hay, it’s a proficient sentiment to feed it out inwards solely 1 purpose of each paddock.
That agency yous tin terminate hap an oculus on the areas inwards inquiry for whatever weeds that may select rootage come upward spring.
The toll of hay is driven past times render as well as demand. If yous play the marketplace badly as well as are forced to purchase at the incorrect time, yous tin terminate easily pay twice equally much for your hay. H5N1 proficient hay flavor volition hap a lid on prices for a time, but a bad or long wintertime volition force prices up. H5N1 pathetic hay flavor followed past times a long wintertime volition commonly force hay to top dollar. Generally, if yous receive got storage space, you’re best to purchase early.
Baling volition cost anywhere from exactly about $2 to $3 a bale as well as sometimes fifty-fifty more, depending on how far the contractor had to go, the quantity beingness made, how much move the contractor did (he may receive got had to ted it to a greater extent than than once), as well as the toll of fuel.
It stands to ground that anyone selling hay for $3.50 a bale is non making anything, 1 time the cost of fuel as well as fourth dimension inwards getting the bales into the shed is factored in, along alongside an allowance for fertiliser to supersede the nutrients lost inwards taking the grass off the paddock.
Around $4.50 to $5 a bale would seem a real fair toll for a conventional bale of character hay bought conduct from a farmer. Anything inwards a higher position that as well as render as well as demand volition dictate price. Meadow hay has reached $10 to $12 a bale inwards Canterbury during a bad drought. Prices for proficient meadow hay inwards the North Island receive got gone fifty-fifty higher, reaching $15 as well as more.
Some farmers volition give yous a truly proficient bargain if yous purchase the bales conduct off the paddock – but it’s upward to yous to pay up, plow up, as well as larn them habitation as well as nether encompass earlier it rains.
Lucerne / Alfalfa hay
Lucerne hay is a favourite of horses, but it tin terminate move expensive, peculiarly inwards parts of the province where it doesn’t grow well. It has plenty of poly peptide – fifteen to eighteen per cent for proficient hay – but this may move to a greater extent than than your Equus caballus truly needs.
By comparison, meadow hay is probable to receive got six to 10 per cent protein, based on dry-matter weight.
If you’re wondering where proficient bound pasture fits inwards this equation, it tin terminate move xx to 25 per cent protein, based on dry out matter. No wonder horses tin terminate easily larn into problem on such a rich diet.
Lurcerne hay is a bully alternative for growing horses as well as mares alongside a foal at foot, both of which receive got a demand for higher levels of protein, but for most horses it’s commonly treated equally a real useful as well as appealing supplement to their diet. It’s tasty as well as a proficient alternative for fussy eaters.
There’s no dubiety that exactly nigh every Equus caballus volition taste a diet rich inwards lucerne hay. The solely thing is yous may good move paying good for the privilege of feeding them additional poly peptide they don’t need.
Never begrudge a farmer his premium homecoming on lucerne hay. It’s an expensive crop as well as tricky to larn it exactly correct for baling.
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First published on Horsetalk inwards March, 2007.
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