In this study, reed canarygrass hay was not as digestible as timothy hay. Having a long growing season, its forage is palatable and nutritious and will yield 3 … Small bales can be opened easily, but the same cannot be said for larger round bales. On the east coast of the United States, I would say a mix of grasses in a hay is more common than any pure single-species hay like you find on the opposite coast,” remarked Crandell. She … Aside from pasture, hay is the predominant forage consumed by horses, so its value in equine diets is unquestionable. A profusion of leaves and few stems indicates that the hay was made at the desired maturity and that few leaves came loose during baling. © Copyright 2020 Kentucky Equine Research. It starts growing early in spring and is both summer and winter hardy. Mixing grasses with a legume has two notable benefits. Pure legumes are rarely roundbaled, but if faced with tightly wound round bales that cannot be opened, an instrument designed to remove core samples from the inside of hay bales, called a hay probe, can be used. Horses evolved as a grazing animal, which means that they are meant to nibble on small amounts of food over the course of an entire day, and most of this food should be in the form of roughage, or hay. At the same time, p… She fed six confirmed headshakers and six nonheadshaking controls a diet of alfalfa and grass hay at a standard 1.5% of each horse’s body weight. As a pasture grass, horses seem to consume more of it in the fall after a frost has hit and the sugar content has risen. Cereal hays should be light green in color; a yellow, straw-like color would indicate that the hay was harvested too late and will be of lower nutritional value. Where wet soils require alternatives, try bird’s-foot trefoil. Distinguishing hay types is important, if only from the standpoint of purchasing the appropriate hay. This change in qu… The authors suggested that two factors may have influenced digestibility. There was no difference by diet in apparent dry matter digestibility of nonstructural carbohydrates, starch, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese. Because these lethal insects often swarm, it is possible for only a few bales to be infected. Although the most popular legume used among horse owners is alfalfa, other legumes such as red or crimson clover, lespedeza, birdsfoot trefoil, and peanut hay are often fed, and these provide horses with high-quality nutrients. For some horse owners, the gold standard among grass hays is timothy due largely to its extreme palatability. The stem contains few nutrients and a great deal of indigestible fiber. “I have seen lovely bales of the classic timothy/alfalfa mix. Horses were kept in stalls and were walked 30 minutes each day on an automated exerciser. Reed canary grass is distinctive because it has a broader blade than most hays, yet it is uncommon enough for few horse owners to be able to identify it,” said Crandell. Because the outside of a bale can be misleading, especially if it was situated on the edge of a stack with exposure to the sun or other elements, appraisal necessitates breaking open several bales. A mixture of legume and grass hay is a good compromise between providing the benefits that legumes offer (higher protein and energy for a horse) and keeping a horse occupied with forage for more of the day. As a nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research (KER), she understands the importance of good-quality hay. Early-maturity hays are softer to the touch than late-maturity ones.” As with legumes, Crandell checks for dust and unusual odor indicative of mold. Fescue has gained much attention over the last couple decades for its sometimes detrimental effects on pregnant mares when it is infected with an endophyte fungus. “I might shake a couple of handfuls to see how much dust flies off. Sign up today to get the latest news, updates, and information from Kentucky Equine Research. Although a less than ideal ratio was found in the Chiefton strain of reed canarygrass hay used in this study, it is not known if this is typical of all such hay. “I also look at stem coarseness, as this tells me the stage of maturity of the plants when they were harvested. Good Horse Grass Crested Dog’s Tail. As hay, it would be harvested in the spring and summer so palatability might not be an issue for certain horses. This is a very common grass especially in dry areas and is great for horses. Forages as hay or pasture make up the significant share of the daily intake of a horse. Unlike cool-season grasses, Bermuda hay is lower in protein but higher in fiber. From a nutritional standpoint, clovers and alfalfa are very similar: higher in calcium and protein, and more calorie-dense than grass hays. They did not meet minimum requirements for copper, zinc, and sodium. Grass hays differ by region, depending on what grows best in the area. A practical advantage occurs as well: when grasses and legumes are grown together it is more difficult for horses to pick out the tasty portions, as they could if fed a flake of legume and a flake of grass. This usually means that the leaves came off during baling or when the hay was lying in the field. Canary grass hay in barn $2 (Coos Bay) pic hide this posting restore restore this posting. The presence of mold, unusual growths on leaves, insects, and suspicious plants is noted. Reed canarygrass can be used for pasture, hay or silage. favorite this post Dec 16 Hay, Hay, Hay Horse quality $5 per bale The molars chew and grind bulky feed, such as hay and coarse grains. type of hay for horses – Grass Hay. The opposite is often true with legumes, and these hays sometimes have an abundance of stems and few leaves. Oat hay is the most common cereal hay fed in the United States, and if harvested at the right time, it is quite palatable to horses. It is not unusual to run into bales that have both green and brown plant material, according to Crandell. Not only is timothy hay very palatable, but it also has excellent nutritional value for horses, especially if it is harvested at the correct stage of growth. The full text of this report can be found in the Journal of Animal Science 84:3104-3109. Don't know that for a fact, but it has had lots of chances here and never been in the pasture. A variety of fescues, ryegrass, orchard grass and more, many of the varieties in our mix will self-seed each year and … Our dairy and horse hay has a Relative Feed Value (RFV) of 115-120. Alfalfa is the first choice as a legume seeded for hay or pasture. Chiefton grows well in the mid-Atlantic region, is tolerant of flooding and drought, and has good nutrient digestibility compared to some other perennial cool-season grasses. Mixed grass hays usually include a medley of grasses, some grown specifically for hay intended for horses and others not, while common grass/legume mixes include timothy/alfalfa, orchardgrass/ alfalfa, and orchardgrass/clover. Grass Hay for Horses. In contrast, highest quality is obtained before seed heads begin to appear and declines rapidly thereafter (Table 4). A less than ideal calcium: phosphorus ratio such as that found in reed canarygrass hay can be detrimental to calcium absorption. Chiefton reed canarygrass hay can be fed to horses in place of timothy hay, but managers should know that this hay may be consumed at a lower rate, at least when first introduced to horses; is not as digestible; and may require the addition of dietary calcium in some form. 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