LET’S TALK ABOUT HAY 

Overheard in the feed store recently:

“I only feed first crop hay. Horses should never have second crop, that’s for cows.”

“My horses only eat second crop hay. Supplements? Nope, I don’t believe in them. Just second crop hay. It’s all they need.”

Which statement is correct? Neither, although each has some interesting points to consider.

Today we’re going to look at the haying season, the differences in first and second crop, and why your horse needs more than just hay. We’ll talk about the economics of hay and some alternatives you can use when hay is poor quality or in short supply, as it was this past year.

Here in Maine, we hope to have two cuttings, or crops, of hay. In an ideal summer, the first would happen in June and the second would likely happen in August. It might even be possible to have a third cutting, but it’s never a sure thing. That’s because haying is dependent on the weather. If spring is cold and wet, then the grass is slow-growing, and the ground is muddy, and farmers can’t get out in the fields to cut. If we have a hot, dry summer like last year, the grass won’t grow much because of the lack of rain, and the fields won’t yield as much. We’ve had years when spring came early and some people were able to hay in May, we’ve had wet years when tractors couldn’t even get onto the fields to cut first crop until July because of the mud, and we’ve had years when some people were able to cut a third crop in late September and into early October.

There are several factors to consider before the farmer heads out to the field. The condition of the ground matters, as no one wants to cause damage by getting stuck in a muddy field, and you, as the customer, wouldn’t buy hay that is covered in dried mud. The weather forecast must be favorable, as hay needs on average three days to dry properly before it can be baled. The grass needs to be at the right point in its life cycle, and that is what is of the most concern to us as we feed it our horses.

The farmer can’t custom order the proper weather for haying- he must take advantage of windows of opportunity as they open. And sometimes those windows don’t open until the hay is more mature than we would like. As a result, the hay may be coarser than your horse prefers, and it may look brown or be dusty. Overly mature hay is lower in protein and nutrients and not as digestible, so the horse gets less nutrition from it. On the other hand, cutting the hay too early isn’t good either because the stems may not be long enough to stay together in a bale and it may not dry properly, leading to moldy hay or hay that can cause a fire in your barn. (Never feed moldy hay. The toxins and the dust can be dangerous and even deadly for your horse. It doesn’t matter how little- or how much- you paid for it. It isn’t worth it.)

Now let’s look back at the statements at the beginning of this article. Why might someone believe that horses should not eat second crop? It used to be a widely held belief that second crop was too rich in sugars and starches for horses, meaning that it would lead to laminitis, colic, and other ailments. Then that belief modified to “too rich for SOME horses.” Most of the time, second crop hay is greener and leafier than first crop and higher in nutrients…but not always. How do you tell? Have a hay analysis done on your hay and you’ll get a true picture of the calorie, protein, and carbohydrate count. You can’t tell just by looking. I put away both first and second crop one year thinking that the Morgans would get the first crop and the TB and TB crosses would have the second…and then I had the hay analyzed. It turned out that the second crop had fewer calories and a lower carb value than the first crop, so I had to switch what everyone was eating! The TBs went on to the first crop and the Morgans ate the second crop.

So, what about the second statement regarding feeding only second crop, and nothing else with it? Even though the second crop hay may be lovely and green and leafy, it’s likely not supplying all your horse’s needs. While it’s true that forage should be the major component of a horse’s diet, we live in an area where hay can’t produce all the nutrients that a horse requires. It may be low in protein or calories or minerals. Our area of the country is notably deficient in selenium. It may be high in one category, such as calories, but low in protein, leading to horses with a decreased muscle mass. Again, a hay analysis will tell you. This is where a ration balancer is ideal- it fills the nutritional gap without adding carbs or many calories to the diet.

Now I know it’s impractical to analyze the hay before you buy it. If you are buying out of the field, you take what you can get. If you are buying from a feed store, the hay probably comes from several sources so it’s nearly impossible to get an analysis on all the hay. I encourage you though to test any hay that you buy in large quantity so that you know what you are feeding, and then you can address any excesses or deficiencies accordingly. How do you get your hay analyzed? Ask your local feed store if they offer testing.

As I’m writing this, the 2021 haying season hasn’t started yet. It will hopefully be a better year for hay production than 2020 was. In southern Maine, hay production was down 40%, and that meant that it was very hard to find as winter went on. Many farmers couldn’t provide for all their customers and feed stores had to go further afield, including Canada, to find hay for sale. If you buy hay throughout the year, you noticed that the price increased…a lot. That is partly the cost of transporting hay, because fuel prices went up too. Any time that hay changes hands, such as going from farmer to broker to transporter to feed store to you, the price will go up, because everyone has to make some money to keep their businesses going. Haying is a very expensive business, with tractors, mowers, tedders, rakes, balers, and wagons (and repairs on all of that) costing many thousands of dollars. Your local farmer must make money on his hay because he has to purchase all that equipment, keep it running, and may have to hire help to get the haying done. There is property tax on hayfields too, and even more expenses if he adds fertilizers and lime to improve his crop. If production is down, hay prices will go up because he still has all those expenses to cover.

How can you best plan for the upcoming hay year? First, figure how much hay you will need based on the number of horses you have and how many days they will consume hay. A recommended estimate is 2% of the horse’s body weight per day. Notice that this is in pounds, not in flakes, by the forkful, or other units of measurement. Some horses can do with less, some horses need more because of their metabolism or work level. Remember that you can address the need for more calories with commercial feeds and supplements. If you are someone who seems to attract horses that need homes, or if you board horses, figure how much hay you will need if all your stalls fill. You’ll also need to figure how many days based on your pasture situation. Remember to account for night-time feedings too if the horses spend their nights inside during the summer. Because we’re in New England, it’s impossible to determine the exact date when pasture will end and your horses will be completely on hay. My rule of thumb for my farm is that we’ll likely need to feed hay daily from October to May. Any extra pasture time in October or May is a gift!

Touch base with your hay producer sooner rather than later. First, you want to make sure that he is still in business. If he is planning to retire or is not haying anymore, you’ll need time to find another supplier. Let him know how much hay you think you will need and understand that you aren’t his only customer- he is trying to keep many people happy.

Take steps to make the most of the hay that you buy. This may mean investing in equipment, such as round bale feeders or hay huts, so that your horses don’t turn their hay into outdoor bedding. There are large slow-feeder nets made to go over round bales: using one of these inside a round bale feeder has almost eliminated the wasted hay in my turn-outs. Feeding frequent and smaller servings is helpful for those that tend to spread their daily hay. For indoor feeding, slow feed hay nets or bags and mangers can prevent a lot of waste if your horse tends to use his as bedding before he consumes it all. I know that many people would like their horses to eat their hay off the floor, as it is a more natural position, but it also leads to a lot of waste if you are feeding more than he wishes to consume. Always make sure that your hay nets or hay bags are out of the reach of hooves and blanket snaps, and that there are no loose strings or ropes. You may feel more comfortable with installing a metal hay manger if your horse has a history of getting into trouble with nets or is adept at untying and unhooking things. Nets also aren’t suitable for anything with very small hooves, such as ponies, minis, or foals. They could easily get entangled even though the net holes are small. Safety should always come first.

How you store your hay can also make a difference in its long-term quality. Make sure that your bales are on pallets to allow for ventilation and allow a few inches between stacks as well. Store bales under cover to protect them from the weather. If you have birds in your barn, install some kind of barrier over the hay to keep it from being covered in bird droppings. If you must store it on a concrete floor, use pallets so the bottom of the bale doesn’t become nasty. Never store “wet” hay, as it quickly rots or develops mold and can even heat up to a point where it self-combusts. If in doubt, work your hand into the center of the bale. If it feels hot, it should not go into storage. If there is a moldy or swampy smell, it should not go into your barn at all!

If hay is in short supply, there are several alternatives available. There are specialty chopped forages that come in bags and are of high quality. Yes, they are much more expensive than an equivalent weight of hay, but they have the advantage of being clean and of consistent quality. They may be timothy, alfalfa, or mixed grass. Some are specially formulated for horses with dietary or health issues. Different varieties may have added molasses for palatability and dust reduction or may be sprayed with soy oil for horses that need to be on a low carb diet. Be careful though- follow the feeding rate, as these can quickly add pounds to your horse! Another form is forage cubes, such as alfalfa, timothy, or a mix of the two. These are also chopped forages, but they are compressed into cubes instead of being loose. They can be difficult for horses with tooth problems, so it helps to soak them to soften them up.

Another alternative is to use pelleted forages, such as a hay extender pellets, timothy pellets, or alfalfa pellets. They don’t contain the long pieces of fiber that other forages do so horses tend to eat them quickly. The quality tends to be consistent, and they may have some vitamins added, but they are fed to livestock in addition to horses so aren’t necessarily formulated just for equines. Check the ingredients on the bag: hay extender pellets aren’t actually compressed hay. They may consist of wheat middlings, alfalfa meal, and other grain by-products. An important point to consider: because horses are suited to eating long-stem hay, it’s better to stretch your hay supply as long as possible by supplementing with these alternatives rather than feeding all your hay first, and then having to switch to another form of fiber.

Complete feeds are a great choice too, especially for horses that have trouble eating long-stem forage. They can be used to replace part or all of your forage. These usually contain beet pulp and/or rice bran for fiber. Alternatively, beet pulp and rice bran can be added to your regular feed. They won’t completely replace your horse’s diet because they lack many nutrients, but they are a great source of fiber. Again, pay attention to the feeding rate. It’s a good idea to consult your vet and your feed store for recommendations.

Anything you buy in a bag is more expensive than its equivalent weight in hay, but it has the advantage of being of consistent quality and ingredients. This is an important consideration for your horse’s gut. We don’t often think about it, but bales of hay differ from field to field and from producer to producer. If you are buying small quantities of hay, you should transition your horse slowly from one batch to another just like you do when changing feeds. Yes, I know that very few of us do it, but if your horse seems unhappy it could be that he is having trouble adjusting to the frequent feed changes. There are digestive supplements on the market to help regulate the bacteria in his digestive system and help him feel more comfortable. Keep this in mind if you are moving your horse from one barn to another and bring along some hay from the previous barn. We all know that we should make feed changes slowly, and this should apply to hay too as it makes up the bulk of a horse’s diet.

This is a good time to evaluate each horse in terms of his hay needs. Older horses with tooth issues would do better with a complete feed that contains a high fiber value than they would with regular hay that they can’t chew properly. Remember though- not all senior feeds are complete feeds, so check you feed bag carefully and follow the recommendations for your horse’s weight and activity level. If your horse is picky and seems to waste half his hay, choose the better-quality hay, and monitor how much he is fed to reduce waste. If you have an “air fern” who eats anything that doesn’t move, he might be a good candidate for a less nutritious hay coupled with a ration balancer. If he eats his hay quickly, invest in a slow feeder bag or nibble net.

Finally, let’s summarize what we’ve discussed.

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