Hay Alternatives for Horses

Thank you to Standlee Western Forage for sponsoring this post on hay alternatives.

Over the past several years, horse owners throughout the United States have been struck with numerous natural disasters from drought to flood and fire, to pest devastation. This has left most of the country in a state of local hay shortage. Waiting until the last minute to source hay will be risky as hay availability continues to decrease. Therefore, owners might want to familiarize themselves with hay alternatives that could be used to supplement their horse’s diet. Other reasons for using hay alternatives include space limitations – if you don’t have a huge hay loft to store 4 or 5 month’s worth of hay, more compact sources of forage should be considered.

No matter the breed or intended use, all horses require fiber in their diets. Good quality forage or pasture should make up at least half of most horse’s diets. Horses will readily eat many types of grass and legume hay, especially if it is of high quality. In absence of these quality sources, horse owners must find alternative fiber options. Some common alternatives include; hay cubes, forage pellets, complete feeds and fiber by-products.

Chopped Hay

Hay chopped to a length of one inch can be very successfully used in a ration by adding the grain mixture directly to the hay. One can easily vary the forage-to-grain ratio without changing the feedstuffs when the horse’s requirements change. Chopped hay may become dusty and need molasses or vegetable oil to keep down the dust.

Forage Cubes

Forage cubes are an excellent fiber source for horses and are generally easily accessible at most feed stores. Normally, forage cubes are 2-inch by 2-inch cubes and made from coarsely chopped hay. Cubes can be made from a variety of hay types and can be bagged and purchased with a composition guarantee on the bag. Storage and handling ease, and decreased wastage, are advantages that may offset the increase in purchase price.

If offered voluntarily, most horses will consume more forage cubes than baled forage, so owners should measure and monitor their horse’s intake. Forage cubes can be fed just like hay, at a 1:1 ratio of the like hay type the horse currently consumes. For example, if a horse consumes five pounds of timothy forage at each feeding, replace that with five pounds of timothy forage cubes and adjust if needed to maintain the animal’s proper weight.

Forage cubes are heavier in weight, so you’ll need to weigh them to ensure the horse is getting the proper amount of forage. Forage cubes can be hard, so it is also recommended that they be soaked for 10 minutes before feeding to soften them. A secondary advantage to wetting forage cubes is it can slow down the rate of intake by the horse.

Forage Pellets

To make the pellets, manufacturers grind dried forage, most commonly alfalfa or grass blends, to a small particle size and then make it into a pellet. The premise is to make the forage as convenient as possible without the dust usually associated with conventional hay. Forage pellets can also be used in conjunction with hay to improve the overall quality of a diet or as a way to sneak more forage into the diet of a horse that  eats little hay. For horses that have lost many teeth, pellets can be wet and made into a mash or slurry. Unsoftened forage pellets can be hard, so care should be taken when feeding them to horses that bolt their feed. The quality of a forage pellet is usually consistent, and the form makes them easy to  digest.

By-products

Beet pulp, produced by sugar beet processing, is a popular fiber source for horses because of its digestibility and palatability. Studies have shown that a horse’s diet can contain up to 55% beet pulp without negative effects. It’s important to remember, however, that beet pulp’s digestibility is higher than most grass hays, so ensure the horse’s diet is balanced properly when making the switch. The protein content of beet pulp is low, so it is important to properly fortify the diet with additional protein if beet pulp is the primary forage source.

Brans, such as rice bran and wheat bran, are another option but are often less desirable due to their high phosphorus concentrations. If feeding bran, ensure the horse is consuming adequate calcium to keep the calcium to phosphorus ratio to at least 1:1. Additionally, remember that rice bran contains high fat levels, so it should not be used in overweight or obese horses.

Not Recommended as Hay Alternatives

Pure lawn grass clippings are unacceptable. The small particle size and high moisture content of grass cut with a lawn mower results in rapid fermentation in warm weather. Feeding lawn clippings and garden refuse can lead to colic, laminitis, and/or death, and is not recommended.

Haylage and silage should also be avoided. These forages are sealed in airtight containers with increased moisture content to promote fermentation of the forage. Because of the moist, airtight environment, the bacteria that cause botulism may grow if the forage is improperly baled or stored.

Summary

Standlee Premium Western Forage has a variety of hay alternatives. Selection of any Standlee Premium Western Forage® products will provide high quality forage for your horse. To avoid digestive upset, the new forage products should be introduced gradually into the diet during a 7-10 day period. It is also recommended that you begin feeding these forage alternatives prior to running out of your existing hay. In other words, replacing a portion of their regular hay on a daily basis is a less drastic dietary change than to suddenly make a total switch of their forage source. If you are replacing lower quality hay with a higher quality forage product, you may need to feed less based on the body condition of the horse. If you have questions about the use of Standlee Premium Western Forage® or want to learn more, please visit standleeforage.com.

Blog post by equine nutritionist Stephen E. Duren, M.S., Ph.D.

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