MAKING YOUR HAY COUNT – WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH FINANCIALLY

Text: Hannah Botha, MSc Equine Science

With ever-increasing prices, we are all looking for ways to cut costs, but one area that we should never skimp on is our horse’s hay supply.

Forage is a vital part of the horse’s diet, as it provides a valuable portion of the daily energy requirements and is essentially what the horse is designed to eat.

Forage serves to help sustain a healthy digestive environment and produces heat during the fermentation process that breaks down forage in the hindgut. This heat production aids the horse in staying warm and comfortable in cooler temperatures. Fibre (a large component of forage) can also increase the horse’s water intake. This fibre produces a unique water reservoir in the hindgut, which can prevent dehydration and electrolyte loss during strenuous exercise or during hotter times of the year.

In summary, forage is a vital component of the diet and cutting back too drastically could lead to digestive issues, costing you more in the long run. So, in times when hay is at a premium, or you simply can’t get enough, how can you stretch your hay further, and what options are there to reduce wastage?

Are you feeding the correct amount?

The average horse should be provided with 1.5% of his body weight in forage dry matter per day. However, for those needing to gain weight or those in higher need life stages (lactating mares, for example), 2-2.5% of body weight may be needed. However, good-doers needing to lose weight may need to consume only 1% of their body weight per day.

These variations in amounts show the importance of performing a body condition score and accurately assessing the horse’s workload, as this will ultimately determine how much they receive and if their forage needs are met correctly.

It is worth investing in a hanging scale which you can use to weigh your hay net, as this will allow you to accurately measure how much hay is being fed to avoid over or underfeeding.

Consider hay type and quality

Hay prices vary throughout geographical regions, dependent on the type of hay grown in each area. To avoid higher costs, look for locally grown hay, and consider if it is necessary for every horse to have the same hay. For example, lucerne can often come at a premium price and perhaps the good-doer that receives a slice per day just for a ‘treat’ could do without. This would save lucerne for those horses that could benefit from it more, such as horses suffering with ulcers.

Also, not every horse may need the same quality of hay. For example, you could save your A grade hay for those who are young, old, pregnant, lactating or who need to gain weight. It should be noted that the term ‘quality’ here refers to the nutritional value. All horses should be provided with well-stored hay that is free of mould, dust and other contaminants.

Good-doers may benefit from feeding lower-quality hay to reduce the overall calorie content of their diet. More mature cut hay can be beneficial in these situations, as it will provide a good fibre content without the higher calories of other hays.

Jansson et al., 2021 showed that replacing 50% of a horse’s daily allowance with good quality straw could be beneficial in prolonging feeding time without increasing the risk of EGUS (a previous concern of researchers). This shows that using forage alternatives may be an option for some horses. An alternative like this would need to be introduced gradually over time 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.

Consider a hay extender

Forage extenders are designed to replace a portion of the forage in the horse’s total daily diet in times when hay or grazing may be of poorer quality or not available at all. Forage extenders are available in many forms, such as chaffs, cubes, soya hulls and beet products.

Forage extenders such as hay cubes can be used to stretch hay in many situations, such as:

– for horses with respiratory problems as they limit their exposure to the inhalation of dust.

– for horses struggling with inflammatory disorders of the bowel where long-stemmed hay can cause irritation.

– for horses with dental issues that struggle to chew and digest long-stemmed hay and chaffs.

– for hard-working horses who can sometimes lose their appetites during competition leading to a reduced intake of forage.

Buy in bulk

Buying in bulk does have the advantage of allowing you to buy at a set price without worrying about monthly increases. However, you need to keep in mind that you should only buy what you need. Nutrient levels in stored hay decrease over time, and by the time hay is 12 months old or older, additional support may be needed to meet basic daily requirements of some nutrients.

Square vs round bales

Small square bales are easier to store and handle as they can be kept inside and don’t require machinery to move. For the individual horse owner/small yard, they are also easier to feed.

Large round bales do have the advantage when feeding larger numbers of horses. However, wastage is often higher as the outer layer is not typically eaten well, and if feeding in the paddock, significant amounts are trampled into the ground. Pulling hay off a large roll when filling up hay nets for smaller numbers of horses can also be highly wasteful. Round bales may need to be stored outside, which exposes them to the elements, and when left out in paddocks, this could increase the risk of mould and other toxins developing. Only consider round bales if the herd is big enough to consume within a few days.

Regardless of the bale size, hay wastage can be costly for any size operation, so taking the time to minimise losses can be highly valuable.

Consider how you feed your hay

When we look at reducing hay wastage, it’s important to consider how and where you provide your horse’s hay. The aim should be to prevent hay loss by keeping it off the ground or stable floor, reducing the risk of contamination. Using hay feeders or specially designed feed bins can reduce wastage by up to 85%.

The more common feeders are hay nets and hay racks/bins. Nets have the advantage of coming in different hole sizes, with smaller-sized holes being useful for slowing a horse’s feeding rate. This can be useful for good doers, where a reduced amount of hay must be stretched over longer periods. Slowing feeding rate can also help improve digestive health, especially in situations where a continuous flow of ingesta is important, such as assisting in the management of gastric ulcers. Whichever feeder you choose, it should not, however, be frustrating for the horse.

Hay racks can be useful as they are generally larger and allow more hay to be provided. This can be helpful if you cannot visit your horse several times a day to refill a net. Racks and nets should be placed at heights whereby the horse has access but can’t get caught in them.

The higher position, however, does mean that there is a more unnatural neck position which can have repercussions on the horse’s back position and jaw angles throughout the hours horses are pulling hay from their slow feeders, according to research by Raspa et al. 2021.

Feeding on the ground, although it is generally considered to be the most wasteful, does have the advantage of allowing the animal to adopt a more natural grazing position. If stalls are kept clean regularly, there should be no issue with feeding in this way.

For those feeding outside, consider placing something under your feeder or find a feeder with an inbuilt tray to help capture fine leaf matter (which is highly nutritious), such as is produced when feeding lucerne.

Managing pastures

Proper pasture management can mean better grazing for your horses and reduced hay costs.

It can be a challenge to maintain healthy pastures that provide high-quality forage. A good place to start is to speak to your local grass specialist/seed merchant to choose a grass suited to your climate and soil conditions. This allows the best chance of producing a good yield of grass throughout the year.

Horses tend to overuse certain parts of pasture, literally eating favourite areas until overgrazed, which can allow for weed encroachment. Having a rotational grazing plan/system in place and correct fertilisation and weed control will serve the horse owner well. Proper pasture management will ultimately allow for nutritious grazing to be provided, allowing yards to rely less on conserved forage.

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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.; Bergero, 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