Text: Hannah Botha, MSc
How can you stretch your hay further, and what options are there to reduce waste? Hannah Botha from Epol talks us through her top tips for lowering forage wastage.
Tip 1: Ensure you are feeding the correct amount
Forage should be the foundation of every horse’s ration, and ensuring that it is provided at the right level is key. Obviously, underfeeding is not desirable in any form; however, overfeeding can also be problematic for long term health, not to mention wasteful of the valuable forage and money that went into purchasing it.
The average horse should be provided with 1.5% of his body weight in forage dry matter per day. However, for those needing weight gain or those in higher need life stages (lactating mares, for example), 2-2.5% may be needed. Good doers needing to lose weight, on the other hand, may only need to consume 1% of body weight per day. This all shows the importance of performing a body condition score and accurately assessing workload, as this will ultimately determine how much forage the horse should receive and if the horse’s forage needs are being met.
Dry matter is the weight of the forage minus its water content. Generally, the dry matter content of hay would be around 90%. However, a hay analysis would give you a better indication of this as well as details of the hay’s overall nutritional value, once again allowing you to assess your horse’s needs better.
So, for example a 500kg horse needing 1.5% of body weight in forage per day would need 8.3kg of hay per day.
500kg x 0.015 (1.5%) = 7.5kg
7.5kg / 0.9 (90% or exact water content) = 8.3kg
As you can see, factoring in the dry matter ensures that we are always feeding the correct levels. It’s also worth investing in a small luggage scale which you can use to weigh your hay net or even a feed bag filled with the desired amount of grass in it. This will allow you to accurately measure how much hay is being fed to, again, avoid over or underfeeding.
Tip 2: Select the correct type of hay for each horse
When supplies are limited, it may be worth considering if every horse needs the same quality of forage.For example, saving your highest quality hay for those who are young, old, pregnant, lactating or for those needing weight gain may be prudent. It should be noted that the term ‘highest quality’ refers to the nutritional value of the hay, not actual ‘quality’. It goes without saying that all horses should be provided with a well stored hygienic product free of mould, dust and other contaminants.
Good doers may benefit from feeding lower quality (i.e. lower nutritional value) forage to reduce the overall calorie content of the diet. For these horses, more mature cut hay can be beneficial, as it will provide good fibre content without the higher calories of other hay types.
A recent study (Jansson et al., 2021) showed that replacing 50% of a horse’s daily allowance with good wheat straw could be beneficial in prolonging feeding time without increasing the risk of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (a previous concern of researchers). This shows that using forage alternatives may be an option for some horses. However, do note that mycotoxin risk increases with straw products, so analysis is highly recommended before feeding. An alternative forage source like this would need to be introduced gradually overtime to ensure that the digestive wellbeing of the horse is not put at risk, and it should also not be the only forage source in the diet.
Tip 3: Buy in bulk
Every time you change your hay supply, the risk of colic increases, so buying in bulk avoids changes mid-season and reduces colic risk. It also has the advantage of allowing you to buy before prices increase in mid-winter. Having a consistent long-term supply also allows you the time needed to test your hay and then build a more specific diet plan around that profile.
Keep in mind that once again you should only buy what you need (plus a bit extra, of course). Nutrient levels in stored hay do decrease over time, and it’s likely that by the time hay is 12 months or older, additional support will be needed to meet basic daily requirements of some nutrient levels.
Small vs round bales
Ultimately, deciding what size bale to use will come down to the individual set-up and size of the property in question.
Small square bales are generally easier to store and handle as they can be kept inside and don’t require machinery to move; they are also easier to feed for the individual horse owner/small yard.
However, large round bales have the advantage when feeding larger numbers of horses and will ensure that you have a good, consistent supply. The disadvantage is that wastage is often higher with round bales as the outer layer is not usually eaten well. If feeding takes place in the paddock, significant amounts are often trampled into the ground. If filling slow feeders from round bales, the wastage also tends to be higher as you lose hay when pulling it from the roll. Round bales also generally need to be stored outside, which exposes them to adverse weather conditions if not stored correctly. They are exposed to the elements when left out in paddocks for big groups, resulting in an increased risk of mould and botulism, so only consider using if the herd is big enough to consume within a few days.
A combination of round and small bales may be a consideration for some yards so that round bales can be placed in the field for larger groups, but square bales be used for feeding once the horses are stalled. Regardless of bale size, wastage all adds up and can be costly for any size operation, so taking the time to minimise loss is important.
Tip 4: Consider using a feeder
There are many options when it comes to hay feeders, and which one to choose will largely depend on your personal set-up and what you ultimately want to achieve by using one, as well as cost and ease of use. However, hay feeders, in general, are a great way to reduce hay loss by keeping hay off the ground or stall floor and reducing the risk of contamination with faecal matter, sand and dirt, as well in some cases protecting hay from the environment. It has been shown that some feeders can reduce wastage by up to 85%.
Although it is generally considered to be the most wasteful option, feeding on the ground does have the advantage of allowing the animal to adopt a more natural grazing position. If stalls are kept clean, there should be no issue with feeding in this way; however, it’s not generally recommended to feed on the floor if outside or using a deep litter system.
The more common feeders used are hay nets, hay bags or hay racks. Hay nets and bags have the advantage of coming in different hole sizes, with smaller sized holes being useful for slowing a horse’s feeding rate down; this, in turn, can improve digestive health, especially in situations where a continuous flow of ingesta is important such as in assisting in the reduction of gastric ulcer risk. These are also undoubtedly the most practical feeder for horses that travel.
However, keep in mind that a feeder should not be frustrating for the horse, as this can reduce the amount of hay they are inclined to eat. This can sometimes happen with feeders that have small holes or those that pack hay in tightly, making it hard to pull out.
Hay racks can be useful as they generally are larger and allow more hay to be provided in one go. This is particularly helpful if visits to the yard are restricted to fewer times per day. However, keep in mind that racks and nets should be placed at heights where the horse has access but can’t get caught in them.
NOTE: New research (Raspa et al. 2021) shows that the higher height position of such options do mean that a more unnatural neck position is adopted, which can have repercussions on the horse’s back position and jaw angles. It is, therefore, advisable to look for nets/bags that can be used safely at slightly lower angles. Freedom feeders and Haychix are both excellent options in these situations.
Fixed stall feeders are a good option for those wanting lower neck positions but with the safety of a more solid knee height feeder. These should be well made with no protruding parts. They sometimes come with nets over the open parts, which further slow feeding. Hay optimisers are another great option, and I have good experience with these.
For those feeding outside, consider placing something under your feeder or find a feeder with an inbuilt trough that will capture the small leaf matter (which is highly nutritious). This is especially important if leaves are prone to shatter, such as when feeding alfalfa. Also, look at feeders that are lower to the ground to not only improve head and neck position but also to reduce the amount that can be blown away in high wind areas.
If you are feeding round bales, a feeder that helps provide protection from the elements is ideal and will vastly increase the longevity of the hay. Hay huts are great for this use and are simple and easy to use.
Remember that adding anything extra to a stall or field should be done carefully and should be monitored regularly to ensure continued safety for your horse.
Research articles noted:
Jansson, A., P. Harris, S.L. Davey, N. Luthersson, S. Ragnarsson, and S. Ringmark. 2021.Straw as an alternative to grass forage in horses: Effects on post-prandial metabolic profile, energy intake, behaviour and gastric ulceration. Animals (Basel) 11(8):2197.
Raspa, F.; Roggero, A.;Palestrini, C.; Marten Canavesio, M.; Bergeron, D.; Valle, E. Studying the Shape Variations of the Back, the Neck, and the Mandibular Angle of Horses Depending on Specific Feeding Postures Using Geometric Morphometrics. Animals 2021, 11,763. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ani11030763