An age-old question: when is feeding old hay to horses O.K.?

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Article brought to you by KER.

Cultivating good-quality hay is no easy task and is dependent on cooperative weather for optimal success. Hay farmers must keep a keen eye on plant growth, the moisture content at harvest, and other baling considerations in order to avoid moldy hay for horses. Mold forms on hay because of excessive moisture, which is why it is so critical to harvest hay under the most conducive conditions and then store it properly once baled.

Moisture content is a crucial measure when it comes to hay production. Once hay is cut in the field, it needs to dry. Length of drying time varies based on geographical region and weather. Humidity or rain will slow this process, leaving the crop vulnerable to mold and fungus. If hay is baled at 12-14% moisture or less, the likelihood of mold is reduced.

If a preservative is not used on cut hay, mold will grow if moisture concentration above about 14%-15%. In addition to nutrient loss, mold growth produces heat. If moldy hay is stored in tight stacks or in areas of poor ventilation, there is a risk for spontaneous combustion. For this reason, all hay should be stacked in well-ventilated areas, with an alternating pattern that allows airflow between bales.

Common molds that grow on hay include Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Rhizopus, among others. Molds generate spores that can irritate respiratory tissues, contributing to recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), also known as heaves. RAO can lead to impaired performance due to difficulty breathing. Special attention should be given to the hay being fed to a horse who already suffers from RAO to avoid additional complications. Moldy hay can also cause colic.

Botulism is a concern for horses consuming hay, particularly large round bales. If animals or carcasses of small animals, such as mice, are caught up in the bale during harvesting, they can infect the hay with Clostridium botulinum bacteria as they decay. Contaminated hay can cause illness to the horse that consumes it. Symptoms of botulism in horses include weakness, muscle tremors, inability to swallow, loss of muscle tone in the tail, paralysis, and incoordination. Horses left untreated for or severely affected by botulism may die if the bacteria paralyze the respiratory system. Ask your vet about the botulism vaccine if your horse consumes round bales.

Proper storage is a critical component of hay-feeding. “Hay should be stored in a dry, well-ventilated area off of the ground,” advised Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research. “Avoid placing tarps tightly around hay, which will prevent moisture from escaping. Don’t stack hay too high, and be sure to leave some space between each bale to allow for airflow.” These techniques will help minimize the risk of mold growth in hay.

Further, no matter which variety or cutting of hay you have in the barn, take the time to inspect it prior to feeding. Hay may look perfectly fine on the outside, but it is possible for mold to be growing on the inside, according to Crandell.

While mold may be difficult to detect visually, an unusual odor usually accompanies mold growth. If hay is dusty or smells musty, do not feed it. Any black or gray mold is a sure sign of spoiled hay and potential health risk to the horse. Work with your hay supplier to replace unsuitable hay bales, and talk to your veterinarian about preventative measures for maintaining the horse’s health.

Hay is a staple in the diets of many horses. For those horses that do not receive a commercial fortified concentrate with their hay, owners should consider a vitamin and mineral supplement, such as Micro-Max (Gold Pellet, Nutrequin, or Perform in Australia). A well-formulated vitamin and mineral supplement will round out the nutritional needs of horses on all-forage diets. “The use of a vitamin and mineral supplement or a ration balancer to fill in the nutritional gaps formed by feeding only pasture or hay is an easy, though oft overlooked, management strategy that ensures optimal health,” said Crandell.

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Article brought to you by KER.

Common hays fed to horses include various pure grass hays, mixed grass hays, and legume hays such as alfalfa (lucerne) and clover. If these hays are not available, horse owners may have to choose alternative hays from less traditional hay types. While these other forages are usually suitable for horses, some have associated risks.

Foxtail or German millet can be used for horse forage. If foxtail millet hay is fed to horses, additional calcium supplementation will be required as it is high in oxalates, substances that make it difficult for the horse to absorb the calcium in its diet. Some reports show that horses grazing millet hay may have lameness and joint swelling. Some pearl millet reportedly has an alkaloid buildup that can induce toxicity in cattle. Horses may also react to these alkaloids because they are susceptible to alkaloid toxicity syndromes. All millets can accumulate nitrates, which in grazing or haying millets can reach toxic proportions. Nitrate can be controlled somewhat by reducing the amount of nitrogen per application and increasing the number of applications. German millet can cause oral lesions.

Sorghum grasses include sudangrass, johnsongrass, hybrid forage sorghums, and grain sorghums. Here we consider all classes of forage sudangrasses and associated hybrids the same. In reality, there may be some without toxicity problems.

Sudangrass in the green growth stages can cause a urinary tract disease in horses called cystitis syndrome or cystitis/ataxia (staggering). The disease is irreversible and is believed to be associated with low levels of cyanide (prussic acid) in sudangrass. Piper sudangrass is a variety low in prussic acid and may be a good choice to minimize this problem. Hay produced from sudangrasses will not likely cause cystitis/ataxia syndrome because prussic acid dissipates as hay cures. Sorghum pasture can also cause a problem for pregnant mares in the first three months of pregnancy, presumably because of prussic acid content; mares may abort. Foals can be born with contracted tendons.

Sweet-stemmed sudangrasses and other sorghums that are relatively high in sugar also cause a laxative reaction in horses. If it is necessary to use sudangrasses, be sure to use a nonsweet, starchy type and try to use other roughages as part of the ration.

Like sudangrass, johnsongrass can be high in prussic acid (cyanide), which can occur in any green plant and especially stressed ones. Rapid growth after a drought, plants stressed by drought or cold, and plants at and soon after frost are especially hazardous. Prussic acid does not occur in dangerous amounts in properly cured, dry hay. Prussic acid poisoning is not as severe a problem in horses as in cattle, but it can occur. Johnsongrass can also have a high nitrate content.

All types of sorghum contain cyanogenic glycosides, although there is quite a bit of variation among species and varieties. Some types of sorghum have been associated with poisoning horses in Australia. If horses are grazing sorghum-dominant pastures or if they are fed hay containing sorghum species, they may have an increased risk of chronic cyanide poisoning. A higher risk is associated with grazing young sorghum-dominant pastures affected by frost or storms and sorghum hay that has not been cured. The risk of poisoning is generally associated with accumulation of toxic levels of cyanogenic glycosides, resulting in chronic neurotoxicosis.

Pea straw has low digestibility and quality, but would be usable provided it is mixed up to 50:50 with a good-quality grass hay or legume hay.

Barley hay is suitable as an alternative forage for horses. The average analysis of barley hay shows a relatively low level of energy and protein, with similar calcium and phosphorus values as oaten hay. Try to select barley hay that has been cut at the milky dough stage, so the grain and the barley awns are not fully developed. When feeding barley hay, be aware that awns from the heads may catch in a horse’s teeth or cause ulcers in the horse’s mouth. This means that you should only feed green, immature barley hay as the awns haven’t had the chance to dry and become hardened. While oaten hay can be quite golden, barley hay should be green. Oaten hay is considered to be more palatable than barley hay and is probably the first choice for this reason, but barley hay can be a useful hay when a horse doesn’t need the extra energy and protein in alfalfa (lucerne) and a grass hay is needed.

Canola hay is not recommended as it has low digestibility and questionable quality and usually is treated with a heavy spray that the horses will ingest. Triticale and wheaten hays are usually acceptable provided they are cut early and do not have an abundance of awns or grain in the heads. Vetch hay, a legume, is also an acceptable forage.

Would you like help evaluating your horse’s diet? Contact us at J & J Farms by clicking here!

Article brought to you by KER.

Choosing hay for your horse has much to do with his metabolism. Is your horse an easy keeper that requires few calories to stay in fighting weight? Or, is he a hard doer that demands calorie-laden meals to maintain reasonable body condition? Perhaps he is of moderate metabolism—if he’s fed normal fare in standard amounts, he’s good to go. What’s a horse owner to do when it comes to pairing metabolism with hay selection? Use these general tips to find a suitable hay for your horse.

Easy keepers. These horses, genetically blessed to maintain weight easily, are perhaps the simplest for horse owners to nourish, especially when it comes to hay selection. While all hay intended for horses should be free of dust, mold, and weeds, owners of easy keepers should be on the lookout for fair- to good-quality grass hay.

“Forage will represent most, if not all, of an easy keeper’s diet, especially if the horse or pony is not in work, so choosing the right kind of hay is important,” explained Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., an equine nutrition advisor with Kentucky Equine Research (KER). “The key is to select hays that are predominantly grass, as these have fewer calories than legume hays, such as alfalfa or clover. Though perfectly acceptable, most easy keepers do not require the caloric punch of high-quality grass hay. Easy keepers generally do well on grass mixtures, maybe even late-maturing blends, which often have a little of this and a little of that.”

Though it might be tempting for owners of easy keepers to buy the best hay available, a balancing act is necessary, as both quality and quantity of hay should be considered. “If hay is all that an easy keeper has available to eat, it is important to keep the quality in check so that a sufficient quantity can be fed,” advised Whitehouse. “A hay that is appropriate for an easy keeper, such as mid- to late-maturing grass, might have only 80% of the calories of an early-maturity legume.”

From a practical standpoint, this means the same amount of calories would be found in 10 lb (4.5kg) of the grass hay or 8 lb (3.6kg) of the legume. With the importance of gastric motility in mind, it is far healthier for easy keepers to have access to near-constant source of low-calorie hay than smaller meals of high-calorie hay.

Horses and ponies with a known sensitivity to sugar, especially those that are prone to laminitis, should be given hay low in nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC), preferably near 10-12% of dry matter. A laboratory such as Equi-Analytical can test hay for NSC, and an equine nutritionist can formulate an appropriate diet based results from forage testing.

Horses fed all-forage diets may not consume all of the nutrients required for optimal health, even if they maintain body weight easily. Choose a well-formulated vitamin and mineral supplement to augment the forage. Try Micro-Max, a supplement formulated by KER that is especially appropriate for horses that may have insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome. In Australia, choose Nutrequin or Gold Pellet.

Horses with moderate metabolism. Owners of horses with moderate, or average, metabolism have much more leeway in the hays they choose. Healthy portions of good-quality grass hay, about 1.5-2% of body weight, coupled with an appropriate concentrate fed at the recommended levels will usually keep these horses in optimal weight.

“In choosing hay for these horses, owners have more freedom. They could seek out good-quality grasses or maybe some grass-legume mixes. At this point, availability might come into play. Since so many types of hay could satisfy nutritional requirements, it is easiest to choose one that’s readily available,” Whitehouse said.

Hard keepers. Choosing a suitable hay can significantly help achieve weight gain or maintenance in a hard keeper, according to Whitehouse.

“Legumes and legume mixes provide an edge for horses that have difficulty maintaining weight. Alfalfa and clover are the legumes most familiar to horse owners. The uptick in calories often associated with high-quality hay made from immature, and thus nutritiously ripe, plants can go a long way in meeting calorie demands,” she added.

Legumes should be especially leafy, as most of the nutrients are found in the leaves. Older horses often do well on legumes because they can easily process the soft leaves regardless of the condition of their teeth.

The question of quantity becomes a factor, too. For most horses, especially hard keepers, it is important to keep hay in front of them at all times. Not only are the digestive benefits irrefutable—a working, dynamic gastrointestinal tract is far healthier than a static one—but many horses will often resort to eating when bored, so it is best to keep haynets or feeders well stocked.

Some hard keepers are notoriously picky eaters. While most horses object to the concentrate portion of their rations, every now and then a horse comes along that finds alfalfa distasteful. “Though flat-out refusal of alfalfa is not common, it does happen,” said Whitehouse. “In these instances, it is best to source a good-quality grass hay that was baled at early maturity.”

Forage selection is integral in formulating a diet for horses and ponies, whatever their metabolism may be. Would you like help evaluating your horse’s diet? Contact us at J & J Farms by clicking here!

Article brought to you by KER.

Horsemen recognize the importance of good-quality forage for horses and ponies. As such, horse owners are becoming savvier in choosing the best hay for their horses, especially when those horses are affected by metabolic conditions.

In order to gauge how much sugar or starch a hay contains, it must be submitted to a laboratory for analysis. In some instances, hay growers or brokers will have hay analyzed prior to offering it for sale. By reviewing these reports, horse owners have an idea if the hay is appropriate for their horses as a result  (assuming the sellers have the starch and sugar analyzed).

The most common sugar and starch measurements available from a laboratory are water-soluble carbohydrates, ethanol-soluble carbohydrates, and starch.

• Water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) are extracted from the sample with water. WSC include simple sugars, short-chain polysaccharides, and fructans.
  –  Simple sugars are digested in the small intestine, and their absorption significantly affects glycemic response.
  – Fructans, on the other hand, are fermented in the large intestine. Their absorption has a less significant response on glycemic response but can affect the pH of the hindgut. In some horses, overconsumption of fructans is thought to have a role in the onset of laminitis.
• Ethanol-soluble carbohydrates (ESC) is a subclass of WSC and measures only simple sugars and short-chain polysaccharides. Because of this, the amount of fructan can be estimated by subtracting ESC from WSC.
• Starch is a complex polysaccharide carbohydrate that is preferentially digested in the small intestine. When large amounts of feed are offered at one time, some undigested starch flows to the hindgut, where it is fermented.
  – Fermentation of starch can lead to production of lactic acid, which can disrupt the carefully balanced microbial population of the hindgut.

How can a horse owner determine the level of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) in forage from this information?

“Traditionally, NSC can be calculated by adding WSC and starch,” said Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research. “NSC would include all of the monosaccharides and disaccharides as well as all polysaccharides, such as fructan, and starch.

“Occasionally, NSC is calculated adding ESC and starch, especially when dealing with concentrate feeds. Because of this, the fructan content is expected to be very low. In fact, grasses are more likely to form higher amounts of fructans than grains.

“However, when looking at NSC in forages, it is best to use WSC and starch for the calculation because of the negative effects both fructans and starch can have in the hindgut of sensitive horses.”

When faced with a metabolic horse, hay selection is critical. Of particular import is NSC content.

“For forages, I like to make sure the forage is under 12% NSC. Some nutritionists might go as low as 10%, but I feel there is little difference between 10 and 12% because forages have slow consumption rates. When horses eat a feedstuff over time, not as much sugar enters the bloodstream in one fell swoop,” said Crandell.

Though no hay can be reliably classified as low-NSC without being tested, some tend to be more appropriate for metabolic horses, according to Crandell.

“In my experience, warm-season grasses like coastal Bermudagrass and teff tend to be lower in NSC than cool-season perennial grasses, such as timothy and orchardgrass. One cool-season perennial in particular, ryegrass, can be very high in NSC and should be avoided for use in horses with any hint of metabolic issues. Believe it or not, legumes like alfalfa are usually lower in NSC than many grass hays.”

Stage of maturity can also influence NSC content, Crandell noted:

“Of course, there are always exceptions, but generally the more mature the grass, the lower the NSC or at least the lower the calories. Further, the more mature hays tend to be stemmier and require more chewing, resulting in slower consumption rates.”

Other factors may affect NSC levels, such as time of day the hay was cut (morning vs. evening), how quickly the hay was harvested out of the field, and whether it was rained on. If the hay spends more days drying before baling, NSC tends to be lower.

Horse owners often work with equine nutritionists to formulate rations. Having a hay analysis in hand allows the nutritionist to fine-tune the diet in a way that is impossible without.

When a hay analysis is not available, nutritionists must rely on average hay values. According to Crandell, that can differ considerably from the actual hay being fed.

“I am overjoyed when a horse owner has a hay analysis,” said Crandell. “If I have a forage analysis, then I can really nail down the nutrient levels in the diet.

“Imagine baking a cake by estimating the ingredients and their amounts versus using an exact recipe. Chances are, the cake will turn out satisfactory with estimated amounts, but the exact recipe will likely yield superior results.”

Horses on all-forage diets require vitamin and mineral supplementation for optimal nutrition. Choose a high-quality supplement formulated by a reputable manufacturer.

Visit J & J Hay Farms for more information.

Article brought to you by Kentucky Equine Research.