Hay Facts at Healthy Hay 4 Horses

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HAY FACTS

Image: Compressed bales Of all the factors affecting the quality of alfalfa hay for horses, the stage of maturity at harvest is the most important. Management decisions can have the greatest impact. As the alfalfa plant matures from the vegetative stage to flowering, the amount of fiber increases, while crude protein and digestibility (TDN) decrease. Early cut alfalfa hay is also more palatable and is consumed in larger quantities. This hay is usually leafier and has finer stems, which results in better texture (soft to the touch).

Forage quality represents the total of the plant constituents that influence a horse’s consumption and use of the feed. Hay classification is based on fiber components, an estimate of energy content, and crude protein. Purchased hay should be selected based on the quality your horse needs and price. Typically, the seller is responsible for sending hay samples to a lab for testing.

Physical characteristics of high quality hay

Leafiness- High quality hay contains a high percentage of leaves. Leaves provide
50 – 75% of the digestible matter, 75% of the protein, and 90% of the carotene (relates to vitamin A content) found in hay. Any leaf loss reduces the nutritive value of hay.

Color- A bright-green color indicates proper curing and high carotene content and usually indicates the absence of weathering, mold, dust, or heat damage. However, color may be deceiving and overrated. In general, color is more important to the person who is buying-selling-feeding than it is to the horse, as the horse is color blind and cannot distinguish green from brown.

Foreign material- Weeds and other foreign material (wire, dirt, rocks, sticks, insects) lower the palatability and feeding value of the hay.

Odor and condition- Odors in hay, such as musty or rotten odors, indicate lower hay quality that is more objectionable to horses than to other livestock. These odors result from storage of hay that is too moist or weather damaged. Dirt also reduces hay value.