Cereal hay includes oaten and wheaten hay. Pasture hay consists of various grasses/legume mixtures. Green fodders include oats, wheat and barley in the growing stage, and pasture grasses. Cereal and Legume. These are specially grown.
What is considered grain hay?
Forage hay is a multi-grain hay that consists of oats, wheat and barley. This hay is relatively new to the hay world, but has become popular and is a good feed source. Like oat hay, forage hay is cut at the optimal time to ensure a highly palatable feed for horses, cattle, goats and sheep.
Is beardless wheat hay good for horses?
Beardless wheat hay is acceptable for horses, though it might take some time for them to become acclimated to it, as some horses must acquire a taste for it. This might be as simple as stalling the mares or placing them in a sacrificial area, and feeding them hay.
Is wheaten hay good for horses?
Barley or wheaten hay can also be fed to horses and if well-made can have a similar value to oaten hay. Disadvantages – Due to the high sugar content, cereal hays are NOT suitable for IR/laminitis prone horses. The high sugar content can also cause horses to spend hours grazing on it, resulting in dental issues.
What is 3way hay?
The 3-Way blend is a mixture of Alfalfa, Oat, and Barley hay.
What are the 4 categories of hay?
Hay falls into several categories: grass, legume, mixed (grass and legume) and cereal grain straw (such as oat hay). Some of the more common grass hays include timothy, brome, orchard grass and bluegrass. In some parts of the country fescue, reed canary grass, ryegrass and Sudan grass are common.
Which cutting of hay is best?
The most common choice of hay is second cutting, but first cutting is also good for horses, plus it is usually cheaper than the other two. Choose hay that is soft, green, and leafy, with thin stems, so it is easier for horses to eat.
Does wheat make good hay?
Wheat can make excellent hay. Cut in the boot to very early head emergence growth stage, it can have a high nutrient content. Yield may be increased by waiting until early milk stage of the grain, but it will be lower in quality.
What’s the best hay for horses?
Timothy hay is one of the most popular hays fed to horses. It can be quite expensive, depending on whether it has to be shipped long distances. Timothy must be harvested in the pre- or early-bloom stage to ensure a high nutrient content.
Is beardless wheat hay good for cattle?
Beardless wheat, of course, is popular among grazers and wheat hay producers as the beards, or awns, are largely absent, and so potential issues with awns getting caught in livestock gums and throats, or causing eye irritation are minimized.
Is chaff better than hay?
Chaff is produced by chopping up the hay into smaller pieces. This make it easier for feed it set quantities, good for mixing other products with and less mess than traditional hay bales. It is also easier to digest than hay so it is great for young ones and older horses.
What hay can horses not eat?
Oat hay has thick tougher stalks that some horses will not eat. Oat hay tends to be higher in nitrates and also high in sugar (NSC), so this hay is not an option for insulin resistant horses. Here’s a comparison chart so you can see the differences between alfalfa hay, timothy (grass) hay and oat hay.
Can you feed chaff instead of hay?
Yes, you can just feed it instead of hay. A reason some people wouldn’t do that is because it is a bit more expensive to feed in the same amounts as hay, and although it is long stem forage it can be eaten faster since it is already chopped up and requires less sorting, chewing and tearing by the horse.
Is hay a grain or grass?
Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep.
Can horses eat milo hay?
Wheat and grain sorghum (milo) are less suitable for feeding horses. Wheat is especially dangerous because it causes colic by impacting in the gastrointestinal tract. A 50:50 ratio of corn and oats combines the safety of oats with the economy of corn. It is often recommended for horses.
Is Rye hay good for cattle?
In the upper Midwest, cereal rye is a popular cover crop that can provide forage for beef cattle. But, an important key for successfully feeding cereal rye forage is to match the nutritional content of the forage with the nutritional requirements of the animal.
Is hay just long grass?
Hay is a grass that has been cut, dried, and stored for animal feed. Hay is made from the stems, leaves, and seed heads of plants that are fresh. It is cut and baled when it has the most nutritional value, and is fed to livestock.
What is the most common type of hay?
The types of hay we work with that are the most common are: Grass hay and legume hay. Grass hay is a long hollow stem that can grow up to 60 inches tall with leaves that can grow up to 17 inches long.
What is the best type of hay for cattle?
Most experts recommend mixing alfalfa with grass hay, rather than relying exclusively on alfalfa hay. Alfalfa hay is often recommended for dairy cattle, but may not be a good fit for beef cattle, since it can lead to bloat. Legume hay is another nutritious option for cattle, since it’s high in protein.
Is second cut hay better than first?
They are generally given grain as well. First cut hay is grass heavy and doesn’t have a lot of legumes, such as alfalfa or cover. Second cut hay has a finer texture and usually, a greener color and heavier leaves. It is more dense, the leaves are more tender and healthier, especially in protein.
How much does a bale of hay cost?
The Price of Hay Bales By Weight Hay Quality Bale Type Minimum Price Per Ton Grade 1 Small Square $160 Large Square $85 Large Round $65 Grade 2 Large Square $85.
What does good hay look like?
Good quality hay should be bright green in color with little fading. A bleached, yellow, brown or black color may indicate aged hay, mold or poor storage conditions. Storage condition and age have a significant effect on vitamin content of hays. In some cases, they can replace hay in the diet entirely.