What type hay for easy keepers?

[OzarksRider]

Those of you with easy keepers–what type hay do you feed?

I have two easy keepers, and for years I’ve been feeding hay from summer cut grasses, either bluestem or bermuda, and both horses have done very well. They’re stalled at night and out muzzled during the day, with a 3-4 hour break mid-day in a dry pen during the lush growing season.

But now my 3 local hay suppliers have either died or decided to quit cutting hay, so I’ve got to find another source. Last year I didn’t see a single ad for any summer type hay, and it was a good growing season. I’m thinking I might have to get cool season hay, which I really don’t want to do. Around here, the vast majority of the hay is some combination of fescue/orchard grass/ clover. Would a second cutting mixed grass be better than the first cut spring hay? My fear is that in the end I may not have a choice–I’ll have to take what’s out there. So I was wondering–how do you feed your easy keepers?

[Scribbler]

@OzarksRider

Those of you with easy keepers–what type hay do you feed?

I have two easy keepers, and for years I’ve been feeding hay from summer cut grasses, either bluestem or bermuda, and both horses have done very well. They’re stalled at night and out muzzled during the day, with a 3-4 hour break mid-day in a dry pen during the lush growing season.

But now my 3 local hay suppliers have either died or decided to quit cutting hay, so I’ve got to find another source. Last year I didn’t see a single ad for any summer type hay, and it was a good growing season. I’m thinking I might have to get cool season hay, which I really don’t want to do. Around here, the vast majority of the hay is some combination of fescue/orchard grass/ clover. Would a second cutting mixed grass be better than the first cut spring hay? My fear is that in the end I may not have a choice–I’ll have to take what’s out there. So I was wondering–how do you feed your easy keepers?

I feed commercial Timothy but I ration it. Our local grass hay may look coarse but can be scary high in sugars.

[Snowdenfarm]

Generally, Timothy and Orchard are similar in ESC, but Orchard is usually higher in starch than Timothy. First cuttings, though they are spring grasses and can have seed heads, are generally lower in both ESC and starch then second cuttings. They are stemmier than second cuttings and the stems contain more lignins which are an insoluble fiber. So, without testing, I would go for first cutting Timothy. It is still a shot in the dark and if I detected the slightest sign of high sugar – pulses, a hard crest, fat pads over tail head or in front of sheath/udder – I would soak it.

[Scribbler]

@Snowdenfarm

Generally, Timothy and Orchard are similar in ESC, but Orchard is usually higher in starch than Timothy. First cuttings, though they are spring grasses and can have seed heads, are generally lower in both ESC and starch then second cuttings. They are stemmier than second cuttings and the stems contain more lignins which are an insoluble fiber. So, without testing, I would go for first cutting Timothy. It is still a shot in the dark and if I detected the slightest sign of high sugar – pulses, a hard crest, fat pads over tail head or in front of sheath/udder – I would soak it.

Yes, good advice though people around here have foundered horses on our freakishly high sugar first cut hay.

I’d just add though that the symptoms you list are not signs your hay is high sugar but rather signs your horse is having a metabolic emergency and about to get laminitis and maybe founder. Some horses will never have a metabolic emergency on high sugar hay and others get one on relatively low sugar hay.

The best way to test sugar levels is to test sugar levels. Run a hay test. A nice idea with a new hay species to see the nutritional profile and maybe alter other aspects of supplements to compensate.

The best way to keep horses from having a metabolic emergency is to not let them get obese.

[lenapesadie]

Teff is a nice option if you can source it. My horses like it really well. They’ll leave any Timothy they find too stemmy so first cut Timothy isn’t practical for me.

[JB]

Find out if the sources did or will test their hay. Offer to pay for it if necessary - that might prompt them to see the value if other buyers find out it’s tested, and start doing it themselves.

I have seen quite a lot of 2nd cutting Orchardgrass that was phenomenal for even IR horses, but they tended to be grown in the East. Most 2nd cut OG I’ve seen from the PNW is too high octane. So, location/climate/growing conditions make a difference.

Definitely see if there’s any Teff around, just know it’s not guaranteed to be good for these guys

You do want to avoid hay with clover in it, unless it’s really just a smattering, as it’s going to increase the calories over straight grass

[anon68314200]

@Scribbler

The best way to test sugar levels is to test sugar levels. Run a hay test. A nice idea with a new hay species to see the nutritional profile and maybe alter other aspects of supplements to compensate.

Testing is really The only way. Whether a field is fertilized or not amount of sunshine rain etc. and more, all impact macro nutrient profiles

Whether a field is fertilized or not, amount of sunshine rain etc. Will all heavily impact the final nutrient contact of the hay no matter what the species or type.

I Empathize with the OP, I’m currently shopping for similar

[OzarksRider]

@Scribbler, where do you get commercial timothy? Where I live the local Tractor Supply only carries timothy/alfalfa pellets. Nobody carries timothy hay, and none of the local farmers grow it.

[OzarksRider]

@JB

I have seen quite a lot of 2nd cutting Orchardgrass that was phenomenal for even IR horses,

That’s very interesting. We have a fair amount of orchard grass hay in my area, so I’ll keep that in mind.

@JB

Definitely see if there’s any Teff around

I found teff a few years ago, but that guy only bales big round bales now and I don’t have the equipment to handle those. I need small squares.

@JB

You do want to avoid hay with clover in it

Yes, I agree. Even with grazing muzzles my horses get plenty of clover when they’re turned out, so they sure don’t need any more when they’re stalled at night.

@Scribbler

The best way to keep horses from having a metabolic emergency is to not let them get obese.

Agree 100%. And that’s the struggle with easy keepers. It’s hard enough to keep them slim even with stemmy, lesser quality hay. The idea of them eating rich spring hay all night long scares me.

[Scribbler]

I’m in the PNW, in Canada. The Timothy is grown inland in either Alberta or Eastern Washington state. I buy from hay dealers that source and import from farmers, and sell direct to clients. They also supply the feed stores, who charge more. I get 3 string 110 lb bales and sometimes 60 lb compressed bales made for overseas export.

This is the major source of quality hay here. The other option is our local grass hay that is grown on old pastures that haven’t yet become subdivisions, and it’s very variable.

I know the Southern US has other grass species.

[stargzng386]

I’m in a similar situation on the east coast in VA. Almost everything around here is orchardgrass. I have a chunky pony and goats who share their hay. The goats are super picky and don’t like stemmy stuff. Timothy is too stemmy they won’t eat enough of it and it’s hard to find. I used to feed brome which the loved but my supplier lost the lease on that land it was sold. I searched and searched because I wanted 1st cutting. I actually found my local southern states selling an orchadgrass brome mix and bought that. I asked my vet before buying and she said I could get orchargrass but would need to soak it or alfalfa. My problem with alfalfa is while it’s low in sugars it’s too much protein not great for my pregnant goats and the pony won’t be able to eat much of it without blowing up. So I have the mix and if I have too I’ll soak it. No one around me will test because hay is selling so fast there’s no benefit to them. I’m a small time buyer not worth it, I would test on my own if it were easy but the sites I found you need a special hay corer thing to get hay from the middle of multiple bales.

[Scribbler]

You can just grab samples from the inside of open bales.

[JB]

@OzarksRider

that guy only bales big round bales now and I don’t have the equipment to handle those. I need small squares.

Do you have a place to store a few of the rounds at a time, and would the guy hold your allotment for you? Some do. Others want it out and gone so they aren’t responsible.

If you do have those means, you can peel-n-wheel out to the pasture if that setup is conducive. We get 800-1000lb rounds loaded onto our truck, roll them off and into the barn, and I peel and deliver. The only moving around is rolling a new round to where I can work with it.

@Scribbler

You can just grab samples from the inside of open bales.

You do need to get really in the middle, as that represents the majority of that bale. And you need a reasonable 10% random sampling of the batch.

[stargzng386]

Do you have a link for what company to send it too?

[JB]

www.equi-analytical.com has all the info on how to pull samples, and how to get them sent in

The 601 test will be fine for your situation.

[Pico_Banana]

@stargzng386

No one around me will test because hay is selling so fast there’s no benefit to them. I’m a small time buyer not worth it, I would test on my own if it were easy but the sites I found you need a special hay corer thing to get hay from the middle of multiple bales.

I’m in the same boat. No one around me tests. (Closest place is 65 miles away.) No one will hold a bunch for me while I test and wait for results.

So I test after I buy so I know if I need to soak. I did buy a hay probe. It was only about $100 and it’s super easy to use.

[JB]

@Pico_Banana

So I test after I buy so I know if I need to soak. I did buy a hay probe. It was only about $100 and it’s super easy to use.

Does your source have enough hay that you can afford to wait the time it takes to get test results, buy a random sampling of bales, test those, and then buy more if it’s an ok test?

[Pico_Banana]

They might, but they decline to cooperate that much.

I have discussed testing options with them, and they look at me like I’m from outer space.