Feeding Oat Hay

[cabz]

I have an IR horse. It has been suggested to look into Oat Hay. I understand the oat grain has been harvested and that the stems are baled. If it was feed, the hay would probably be in a nibble net so horse can munch on it overnite. At present, we feed some hay in the nibble net that is not great, but gives the horse something to eat, not much nutritional value, but also gets some better hay. Horse is out about 6 hours a day with grazing muzzle. Horse is ridden/driven 4-5 times a week and currently weight is good.

Any thoughts, advise appreciated. Thank you.

[stb]

It is my understanding that oat hay is high in sugars. You want a grass hay, preferably tested so you know how much sugar it has. You may have to soak the hay if the sugars are not low. Slow feed hay nets are your friend as well.

[Murphy_s_Mom]

I fed some a few years ago when I was having a hard time finding good grass hay. Mostly I fed it to the goats but the ponies got some too. They all got really, really FAT on it.

[Dutchmare433]

There was a whole thread on this last year:

https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/horse-care/335666-oat-hay-learned-hard-lesson-about-feeding-it-free-choice

[luvmyhackney]

Do not feed it to an IR horse. Way too high in sugar. Walk away from the oat hay, its a waste of your money for this particular horse.

[moving_to_dc]

@cabz

I have an IR horse. It has been suggested to look into Oat Hay. I understand the oat grain has been harvested and that the stems are baled. If it was feed, the hay would probably be in a nibble net so horse can munch on it overnite. At present, we feed some hay in the nibble net that is not great, but gives the horse something to eat, not much nutritional value, but also gets some better hay. Horse is out about 6 hours a day with grazing muzzle. Horse is ridden/driven 4-5 times a week and currently weight is good.

Any thoughts, advise appreciated. Thank you.

That is oat STRAW, not hay. Hay is cut and baled BEFORE it matures or “goes to seed”.

[dressager]

Absolutely NO. Please, please, PLEASE do not feed this to your horse unless you have had this actual hay tested and tests within range (doubtful). Honestly I have seen multiple horse’s founder on oat hay- it is an inflammatory food - typically very low in protein and high in sugar. Not good for any horse IMHO, but horrible for an IR/EMS/cushings horse. Find something better- I’ve seen plenty of people think they were saving money by feeding this and then the vet bills start accumulating. I can tell you that my bills for inflammatory issues have gone way down since I got my horses OFF of oat hay and onto a low sugar Timothy hay.

[Scribbler]

As far as feeding any low quality coarse hay, it may well be low nutrition, that is low in protein and minerals. But it isn’t necessarily low in sugar. I’ve had very coarse first cut grass hay test insane high in sugars. So test any hay you are feeding to an IR horse.

[tinah]

Alfalfa is typically pretty low in sugar. In our area, we feed a lot of native grasses hay, with near as I can tell is mainly large and small blue stem. I tend to avoid feeding Bermuda, since the sugar in a field not properly fertilized with * something* can get ridiculously high, according to my hay man.

[piedmontfields]

As posted, no oat hay for an IR or PSSM horse.

Although many people like to avoid it for fear of impaction coastal hay (bermuda) is actually fairly low sugar. And it is fed throughout the SE.

[MysticOakRanch]

Ugh - Oat hay is one of the worst hays that exists! Only thing worse is barley. COW feed, not for horses. If it is cut after it seeds, it has NO nutrition, but is full of carbs/sugars. If cut before it seeds, it has minimal nutrition, and full of carbs and sugars.

Many people think straw is a low NSC option because it is low in nutrition - NOT true. Straw is nothing but carbohydrates and fiber.

Look for a tested hay, or look for teff, grass, timothy, something that is non-grain.

[IPEsq]

@piedmontfields

As posted, no oat hay for an IR or PSSM horse.

Although many people like to avoid it for fear of impaction coastal hay (bermuda) is actually fairly low sugar. And it is fed throughout the SE.

The Bermuda hay in the SE (coastal) is not exactly the same as in the more western states where it’s also grown. And different growing conditions can affect sugar content.

[JB]

@Scribbler

As far as feeding any low quality coarse hay, it may well be low nutrition, that is low in protein and minerals. But it isn’t necessarily low in sugar. I’ve had very coarse first cut grass hay test insane high in sugars. So test any hay you are feeding to an IR horse.

Absolutely - known IR horses must have either tested low NSC hay (preferably 10% or less) or soak the hay, and even then, soaking may not lower the sugar enough to be acceptable, depending on how high it was to start.

Even if you’re buying hay that is in general low NSC, never assume a given cutting is, as the growing conditions around its cutting could have made it too high.

And it’s also a misconception that just won’t die that the best thing (for any horse, but especially lamintic or metabolic horses) is to feed low quality hay. They are still horses, and they are horses in “trouble” and still need nutrition, and often MORE nutrition than when they were healthy. You can’t nutrient-starve horses to health.

@IPEsq

The Bermuda hay in the SE (coastal) is not exactly the same as in the more western states where it’s also grown. And different growing conditions can affect sugar content.

Right - it’s really important to be clear that the Bermudas cover a LOT of varieties, and it’s Coastal that is implicated in ileal impactions.

Bermudas are a warm season grass and as such, are typically lower in NSC than cool-season grasses. However, a given cutting can still be too high for a metabolic horse.

[grayarab]

Don’t feed straw to your horse can have serious issues with impaction colic. Straw can be very high sugar/starch Never feed oats. Don’t feed bagged feeds they are not good for any IR/Cushing horse. If a feed is needed use hay pellets timothy or grass mix pellet. For vit/min ADM GrowStrong is a great product no grain no molasses in it.

Beware of Alfalfa also some IR/Cushings horses CANNOT tolerate any alfalfa of any kind.

[candyappy]

@moving to dc

That is oat STRAW, not hay. Hay is cut and baled BEFORE it matures or “goes to seed”.

Exactly. That is why most horses love oat hay. The oats are still there and it was cut green, dried and baled just like any other hay. Otherwise it is straw that you would use for bedding. It is not baled until after the grain and plant dry while still standing in the field. The grain is then harvested and sometime later they bale up the plant stalks on the ground.

If cut at the optimal time it has 14-15% protein so I wouldn’t say it has no nutritional value.

[JB]

@grayarab

Don’t feed bagged feeds they are not good for any IR/Cushing horse.

Not a valid blanket statement

There are for sure many bagged/commercial feeds that are horrible for metabolic horses.

There are quite a few now that many IR horses can eat without issues.

There are some IR horses who just can’t have any of them for a variety of reasons - just too many calories, they can’t have soy, etc.

If a feed is needed use hay pellets timothy or grass mix pellet. For vit/min ADM GrowStrong is a great product no grain no molasses in it.

Not necessarily a bad one, but it does have iron, like a great many feeds and v/m supplements, and some IR horses must get off ALL supplemental iron to stabilize. Fortunately there are a few products now that don’t have added iron.

[grayarab]

If you read on the IR/Cushing group they DO NOT recommend any bag horse feed. I do not feed any hay pellets to my own horses just ADM Grow strong. Most bagged feeds have added iron most easy keeper horses don’t need any added bagged feed in diet. A good vit/min or mineral balanced diet according to hay test,use beet pulp with no molasses as carrier. Rinse soak rinse to wash out surface iron. I know testing hay & mineral balancing isn’t always an option or doable.

I have kept my own fat easy keeper geldings IR free for over 15 years now,using the IR/Cushing group protocol. No they don’t recommend ADM Grow Strong. But that’s what my horses will consume for a vit/min,with nothing else provided. They consume 2 to 3 oz a day of growstrong and both look fantastic,good strong hoofs and gleaming hair coats. But i have many many years of dealing with the easy keeper. Poster children for IR horses and have been successful with keeping them IR free.

Exercise is a great IR buster if horse is sound to exercise.

Many feeds have added soy which is terrible for any horse causes many IR horse major issues.

[JB]

@grayarab

If you read on the IR/Cushing group they DO NOT recommend any bag horse feed.

That may be, but the fact remains that many IR horses are just fine on a bagged feed. The devil is in the details.

Most bagged feeds have added iron most easy keeper horses don’t need any added bagged feed in diet. A good vit/min or mineral balanced diet according to hay test,use beet pulp with no molasses as carrier. Rinse soak rinse to wash out surface iron. I know testing hay & mineral balancing isn’t always an option or doable.

I agree that added iron can be an issue. But it’s not an issue for all metabolic horses.

That’s independent of being an easy keeper. And not all IR horses are easy keepers. The hard(er) keepers are certainly in the minority, but they are out there.

I have kept my own fat easy keeper geldings IR free for over 15 years now,using the IR/Cushing group protocol. No they don’t recommend ADM Grow Strong. But that’s what my horses will consume for a vit/min,with nothing else provided. They consume 2 to 3 oz a day of growstrong and both look fantastic,good strong hoofs and gleaming hair coats. But i have many many years of dealing with the easy keeper. Poster children for IR horses and have been successful with keeping them IR free.

What do you mean “IR-free”? As in, tested IR and suddenly they aren’t? Or never were, just easy keepers who have not (yet) developed to be IR horses? The difference is really important.

Exercise is a great IR buster if horse is sound to exercise.

100% agree, the more exercise the better, and even just 20 minutes a day hand walking can do wonderful things

Many feeds have added soy which is terrible for any horse causes many IR horse major issues.

A gazillion horses have been fed feeds with soy in them for decades without any issues.

I agree that nearly all of them add soy, as it’s a cheap source of protein and lysine. Pea protein tends to make things really expensive And yes, many IR horses have to stay off soy, which can make feeding the harder keeping ones really difficult.

[dressager]

@candyappy

Exactly. That is why most horses love oat hay. The oats are still there and it was cut green, dried and baled just like any other hay. Otherwise it is straw that you would use for bedding. It is not baled until after the grain and plant dry while still standing in the field. The grain is then harvested and sometime later they bale up the plant stalks on the ground.

If cut at the optimal time it has 14-15% protein so I wouldn’t say it has no nutritional value.

Where do you get your data? I double checked the equi analytical site. In over 16,000 samples from 2000-2016 oat hay has an average protein of 8% and a normal protein of 5%. So clearly the majority of the hay isn’t being cut at the optimal time.

[grayarab]

@JB

That may be, but the fact remains that many IR horses are just fine on a bagged feed. The devil is in the details.

What do you mean “IR-free”? As in, tested IR and suddenly they aren’t? Or never were, just easy keepers who have not (yet) developed to be IR horses? The difference is really important.

Maybe so many IR horses have done just fine on bagged feed. There are many who don’t do just fine on bagged feed,proof is on the IR/Cushing Group. Yes i will always mention to the IR/Cushing group as i have GREAT respect for the knowledge on there. There are also people who don’t recognize problems they are having with their IR horse is in fact feed related.

My horses were borderline IR last spring when tested, blood work sent to cornell. With current diet & exercise the blood work this spring is back to normal range according to the IR/Cushing group standards. Which by the way is lower then what cornell normal range.

Yes bagged feed serves a purpose but many many horses do just fine without that in their diet. Diets can be made up with proper vit/mins calories added with never feeding a bagged feed.
^^^^^
Might not agree with this ,but it can be done even for the hard keeper IR horses. Like i said i will alway reference back to the IR/Cushing Group.