Making Hay

© Carla Huston BES

Living as we do in the Midwest, feeding hay is a necessity, certainly in the winter and for some all year. Unfortunately, many horse people do not know what constitutes good horse hay. Instead they rely on traditional feeds, the advice of other unknowledgeable owners and availability of product to determine their buying choices. A number of criteria must be evaluated, though, to establish which hay will be best for the horse. A general understanding of the factors that affect quality will aid in selecting a hay to feed your own herd.

There are two types of plants that are harvested into hay. Legumes, clover and alfalfa, for example, have bacteria in the root nodules that use nitrogen from the air and produce higher levels of protein. Legume hays also have a higher energy content, as well as calcium and phosphorus levels. Alfalfa and clover hay are very palatable, and horses will readily consume this feed. Unfortunately, because of its high nutritional plane it takes very little to satisfy the average horse's nutritional needs. To keep the horse from overeating very small portions must be fed. Consequently, many individuals are left with unsatisfied hunger because they cannot keep their stomachs full. Legume hays are also more expensive than grass hays. For the owner it is usually an unnecessary expense since the excess nutrients are eliminated by the horse in the urine. High-performance athletes may benefit from a ration containing alfalfa or clover hay, since their energy requirements are higher. The protein and mineral levels are still high, though, and should be considered when designing the horse's diet.

Grass hays include timothy, brome, Kentucky bluegrass, oat and barley, to name a few. These types are generally more in line with the adult horse's requirements. Harvested properly, these hays are also very palatable, and the horse readily consumes them. It is possible to feed more without overloading the horse with calories or other nutrients. The animal, therefore, is kept busy with the hay, mimicking more closely the natural pattern of grazing. Grass hays are less expensive, so even though the horse eats more of it, the ration is still cheaper to feed. A horse on a maintenance diet or in light work can probably subsist on grass hay alone, provided it is of high-quality. For those at a higher level of activity the addition of grain (determined according to the increased need) can provide the extra energy.

Hay quality can be judged by many factors; the most important is the plant's stage of maturity at cutting. The stem contains the fiber while the leaves hold the other nutrients. As the ratio of stem to leaf content increases so does the fiber content. As the plant then grows from the vegetative to the reproductive stage, the palatability, protein content and digestibility decrease. For maximum nutrient content, legumes are harvested when a few flowers start to appear in the field. Grasses are harvested when seed heads start to appear. Many cuttings may be produced every season and can vary in nutritional values. The number of cuttings depends on the region of the country it is grown and the length of the growing season. The first cutting often contains more weeds and has less nutritional value than later cuttings.

Weather conditions at harvest also contribute to the quality of the hay. Rain and sunlight have a large impact on the finished product. Excessive rainfall has many detrimental effects on the cut plant. When overly wet, leaves can be beaten from legumes, soluble carbohydrates are leached out and the hay is packed down so it does not dry properly. If baled in a damp condition, mold is certain to develop, and the bale is in danger of spontaneous combustion from internal fermentation. Too much sunlight can cause a loss of vitamin A, by bleaching color from the plant.

Knowledgeable evaluation of hay is critical for the horse owner to purchase good quality at a fair price. First check for flowers or seed pods; this will indicate the stage of maturity at harvest. There should not be any mature seeds or plants in full bloom. Then estimate the leaf to stem ration. The leafier, the higher the percent nutrient, while the stemier, the higher percent fiber. Color and smell are also indicative of hay quality. Check for a bright green color that shows minimal bleaching and loss of nutrients. The hay should have a fresh clean smell. Any sign or smell of mold or dust eliminates that bale as a horse feed. Horses are very sensitive to those particles, and ingestion of them could cause many physical problems. Also undesirable are any foreign materials such as sticks, weeds, dirt, paper, etc. These are dangerous to the horse and a waste of money. If buying a large lot of hay, it may be wise to send a sample to a laboratory for accurate analysis of nutrient content. When the hay is of top quality it is more valuable; be prepared to pay more for it than for a load that is not as good. However, paying more per ton for top quality hay will save the buyer money in the long run, since less can be fed to maintain a level of nutrition and less is wasted from dust, mold or trash.

With a knowledgeable eye and an understanding of what constitutes good horse hay, horse owners can supply their animals with a nutritional feed for the cold winter months. Many horses can subsist quite well on a ration strictly of grass hay. Watch the horse's condition as the winter progresses and use him as the guideline for how much to feed