Evaluating hay feeders for horses can help you reduce waste. As one of the most common forages fed to horses, hay can be offered on the ground. It is also fed in a net, or in some type of feeder. Hay is often scattered and trampled by horses, reducing the percentage that is consumed when it is fed from the ground. Nets and feeders are designed to keep hay available, dry, and contained so it can be eaten rather than wasted.

Various feeder types and designs have been developed for use with horses. A recent study, conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota and supported by a grant from AQHA, was designed to compare hay waste among several square‐bale feeders used for outdoor feeding of adult horses. Feeder designs included a hay rack, a slat feeder, and a basket feeder. A control situation (hay fed on the ground) was also evaluated.

The Study:

Two feeders of each type were placed in separate outdoor paddocks. Twelve adult horses were divided into four groups of three horses. The groups were rotated through the four paddocks for seven-day periods. Two daily feeding of grass hay were provided, each containing half of an amount equal to 2.5% of the herd’s total body weight. Before each feeding, all uneaten hay left in the feeder and lying on the ground was collected and weighed, and the percentage of wasted hay was calculated.

Using a purchase value of $250 (USD) per ton of hay, the researchers determined the time required to equal the cost of each type of feeder with non-wasted hay. Efficiency of feeders was also compared to the no‐feeder control.

All feeders resulted in less hay waste compared with the no‐feeder control. Average hay waste levels were 1, 3, 5, and 13% for the slat, basket, rack, and no‐feeder control, respectively. The slat feeder was the most cost-effective option, paying for itself in nine months. The rack and basket feeders paid for themselves in 12 and 11 months, respectively. No injuries were observed from any of the small square‐bale feeders during the trial.

Results from this trial may help horse owners select hay feeders and may also assist in estimating how much hay should be purchased.

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Article brought to you by Kentucky Equine Research.

Vitamins are defined as organic substances that are necessary for the proper nutrition of plants and animals. Ingested in minute quantities, vitamins act as coenzymes and precursors of coenzymes in the regulation of many metabolic processes. Some vitamins must be provided by food, while others are produced within the body. Not all animals are able to produce the same vitamins, which is one reason feeds designed for one species are not necessarily suitable for another type of animal.

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Minimizing wastage in round hay bales stored outdoors has many advantages. Hay for horses traditionally comes in two forms: square bales (usually rectangular) that weight about 40 to 50 pounds, or larger and much heavier round bales. Round bales have advantages and disadvantages compared to smaller square bales. Cost, availability, and the need for less covered storage may be good points, while detractions include necessity of a tractor to move the bales and probability of having some hay wasted during both storage and feeding.

To stored hay in good condition, pay particular attention to the conditions where the bales are stored. Choose a spot that is dry and well-ventilated. If possible, make several smaller stacks of bales rather than one large stack; this allows air to reach more hay and minimizes the chance of mold formation. Storing hay in a covered building is best, but if no shelter is available, bales can be placed on pallets or frames that are raised four to six inches off the ground.

Cover outdoor hay with plastic or another protective material, but don’t wrap it so completely than air can’t circulate around the bales. Tarps or other opaque covers will keep the hay from being degraded by sunlight. Bales that are stored indoors can also benefit from being loosely covered to protect them from dust and animal droppings that can spread diseases to horses.

Feed the oldest hay first, mixing it with small amounts of newer hay and gradually increasing portions of newer bales until you use all the older supply. This is especially important if you are changing not just the cutting but the type of hay, as in switching from grass hay to alfalfa (lucerne) hay. A gradual change allows the microbial population in the horse’s hindgut to adapt to the new type of hay, avoiding gastrointestinal upsets.

Be sure hay was sufficiently dry before it was baled. Hay that is too damp is likely to mold, producing heat in the process that may be sufficient to cause a fire. Inspect each bale as it is fed, discarding any hay that is obviously moldy or has a musty or burned odor. A bale that feels significantly heavier than other bales in a particular batch of hay has a good chance of being damp and moldy.

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An age-old question: when is feeding old hay to horses O.K.?

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Cultivating good-quality hay is no easy task and is dependent on cooperative weather for optimal success. Hay farmers must keep a keen eye on plant growth, the moisture content at harvest, and other baling considerations in order to avoid moldy hay for horses. Mold forms on hay because of excessive moisture, which is why it is so critical to harvest hay under the most conducive conditions and then store it properly once baled.

Moisture content is a crucial measure when it comes to hay production. Once hay is cut in the field, it needs to dry. Length of drying time varies based on geographical region and weather. Humidity or rain will slow this process, leaving the crop vulnerable to mold and fungus. If hay is baled at 12-14% moisture or less, the likelihood of mold is reduced.

If a preservative is not used on cut hay, mold will grow if moisture concentration above about 14%-15%. In addition to nutrient loss, mold growth produces heat. If moldy hay is stored in tight stacks or in areas of poor ventilation, there is a risk for spontaneous combustion. For this reason, all hay should be stacked in well-ventilated areas, with an alternating pattern that allows airflow between bales.

Common molds that grow on hay include Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Rhizopus, among others. Molds generate spores that can irritate respiratory tissues, contributing to recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), also known as heaves. RAO can lead to impaired performance due to difficulty breathing. Special attention should be given to the hay being fed to a horse who already suffers from RAO to avoid additional complications. Moldy hay can also cause colic.

Botulism is a concern for horses consuming hay, particularly large round bales. If animals or carcasses of small animals, such as mice, are caught up in the bale during harvesting, they can infect the hay with Clostridium botulinum bacteria as they decay. Contaminated hay can cause illness to the horse that consumes it. Symptoms of botulism in horses include weakness, muscle tremors, inability to swallow, loss of muscle tone in the tail, paralysis, and incoordination. Horses left untreated for or severely affected by botulism may die if the bacteria paralyze the respiratory system. Ask your vet about the botulism vaccine if your horse consumes round bales.

Proper storage is a critical component of hay-feeding. “Hay should be stored in a dry, well-ventilated area off of the ground,” advised Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research. “Avoid placing tarps tightly around hay, which will prevent moisture from escaping. Don’t stack hay too high, and be sure to leave some space between each bale to allow for airflow.” These techniques will help minimize the risk of mold growth in hay.

Further, no matter which variety or cutting of hay you have in the barn, take the time to inspect it prior to feeding. Hay may look perfectly fine on the outside, but it is possible for mold to be growing on the inside, according to Crandell.

While mold may be difficult to detect visually, an unusual odor usually accompanies mold growth. If hay is dusty or smells musty, do not feed it. Any black or gray mold is a sure sign of spoiled hay and potential health risk to the horse. Work with your hay supplier to replace unsuitable hay bales, and talk to your veterinarian about preventative measures for maintaining the horse’s health.

Hay is a staple in the diets of many horses. For those horses that do not receive a commercial fortified concentrate with their hay, owners should consider a vitamin and mineral supplement, such as Micro-Max (Gold Pellet, Nutrequin, or Perform in Australia). A well-formulated vitamin and mineral supplement will round out the nutritional needs of horses on all-forage diets. “The use of a vitamin and mineral supplement or a ration balancer to fill in the nutritional gaps formed by feeding only pasture or hay is an easy, though oft overlooked, management strategy that ensures optimal health,” said Crandell.

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Common hays fed to horses include various pure grass hays, mixed grass hays, and legume hays such as alfalfa (lucerne) and clover. If these hays are not available, horse owners may have to choose alternative hays from less traditional hay types. While these other forages are usually suitable for horses, some have associated risks.

Foxtail or German millet can be used for horse forage. If foxtail millet hay is fed to horses, additional calcium supplementation will be required as it is high in oxalates, substances that make it difficult for the horse to absorb the calcium in its diet. Some reports show that horses grazing millet hay may have lameness and joint swelling. Some pearl millet reportedly has an alkaloid buildup that can induce toxicity in cattle. Horses may also react to these alkaloids because they are susceptible to alkaloid toxicity syndromes. All millets can accumulate nitrates, which in grazing or haying millets can reach toxic proportions. Nitrate can be controlled somewhat by reducing the amount of nitrogen per application and increasing the number of applications. German millet can cause oral lesions.

Sorghum grasses include sudangrass, johnsongrass, hybrid forage sorghums, and grain sorghums. Here we consider all classes of forage sudangrasses and associated hybrids the same. In reality, there may be some without toxicity problems.

Sudangrass in the green growth stages can cause a urinary tract disease in horses called cystitis syndrome or cystitis/ataxia (staggering). The disease is irreversible and is believed to be associated with low levels of cyanide (prussic acid) in sudangrass. Piper sudangrass is a variety low in prussic acid and may be a good choice to minimize this problem. Hay produced from sudangrasses will not likely cause cystitis/ataxia syndrome because prussic acid dissipates as hay cures. Sorghum pasture can also cause a problem for pregnant mares in the first three months of pregnancy, presumably because of prussic acid content; mares may abort. Foals can be born with contracted tendons.

Sweet-stemmed sudangrasses and other sorghums that are relatively high in sugar also cause a laxative reaction in horses. If it is necessary to use sudangrasses, be sure to use a nonsweet, starchy type and try to use other roughages as part of the ration.

Like sudangrass, johnsongrass can be high in prussic acid (cyanide), which can occur in any green plant and especially stressed ones. Rapid growth after a drought, plants stressed by drought or cold, and plants at and soon after frost are especially hazardous. Prussic acid does not occur in dangerous amounts in properly cured, dry hay. Prussic acid poisoning is not as severe a problem in horses as in cattle, but it can occur. Johnsongrass can also have a high nitrate content.

All types of sorghum contain cyanogenic glycosides, although there is quite a bit of variation among species and varieties. Some types of sorghum have been associated with poisoning horses in Australia. If horses are grazing sorghum-dominant pastures or if they are fed hay containing sorghum species, they may have an increased risk of chronic cyanide poisoning. A higher risk is associated with grazing young sorghum-dominant pastures affected by frost or storms and sorghum hay that has not been cured. The risk of poisoning is generally associated with accumulation of toxic levels of cyanogenic glycosides, resulting in chronic neurotoxicosis.

Pea straw has low digestibility and quality, but would be usable provided it is mixed up to 50:50 with a good-quality grass hay or legume hay.

Barley hay is suitable as an alternative forage for horses. The average analysis of barley hay shows a relatively low level of energy and protein, with similar calcium and phosphorus values as oaten hay. Try to select barley hay that has been cut at the milky dough stage, so the grain and the barley awns are not fully developed. When feeding barley hay, be aware that awns from the heads may catch in a horse’s teeth or cause ulcers in the horse’s mouth. This means that you should only feed green, immature barley hay as the awns haven’t had the chance to dry and become hardened. While oaten hay can be quite golden, barley hay should be green. Oaten hay is considered to be more palatable than barley hay and is probably the first choice for this reason, but barley hay can be a useful hay when a horse doesn’t need the extra energy and protein in alfalfa (lucerne) and a grass hay is needed.

Canola hay is not recommended as it has low digestibility and questionable quality and usually is treated with a heavy spray that the horses will ingest. Triticale and wheaten hays are usually acceptable provided they are cut early and do not have an abundance of awns or grain in the heads. Vetch hay, a legume, is also an acceptable forage.

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