As grazing animals, research has shown that horses do best when their feeding patterns follow a natural grazing pattern. Feeding cattle, horses and other livestock requires farmers dedicated to producing high quality, nutritious hays. Different types of hay for horses can vary in nutritional value, taste or texture. ), but don't judge a book by its cover! Rye grass is gaining popularity as a forage for horses as it is quick to establish and grow and provides good nutrition. EquiMed does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. NSC is present in forages that supply fiber in the horse’s diet. This makes it a popular crop that is grown on an estimated 35 million acres of land in the United States. Before feeding fescue hay to pregnant mares, a horse owner should make sure that the hay is free of the endophyte fungus. Timothy grass is grown primarily in the northeastern portion of the United States and also in California and Nevada. Instead, alfalfa should make up no more than 20% of your horse’s hay ration. Exceptionally drought tolerant, it grows under a wider temperature range than just about any other grass. High endophyte fescue pastures are tough on grazing cattle during late spring/early summer. Alfalfa, Clover). However, because of its high palatability, intake must be restricted to keep horses from overeating and becoming colicky. Types of grass hay for horses. Oftentimes, the hay that a horse enjoys the most is the one they are most accustomed to. https://www.economicalequestrian.com/2019/09/02/types-of-hay-for-horses Birdsfoot trefoil is more resistant to negative soil conditions as well as moisture fluctuations. It is a good source of copper and zinc and has a good balance of protein and energy. Timothy is not a very drought tolerant plant and does not respond well to excessive heat. Tall fescue is grown for pasture, hay, silage and as a companion crop with other forage grass varieties and legumes. Welcome! The benefits of feeding a legume, like alfalfa, but keeping the balance in your horse’s nutrition and energy levels by also feeding them a grass hay. Oat hay is an excellent feed for horses. Fescue Hay - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: Anyone making small squares with Fescue? Fescue Grass Straw is also popular with dairy farmers in the export market and is successfully fed in the beef market. Good pasture alone is sufficient to meet all of the nutritional requirements for many classes of horses. Otherwise, the fescue is fine.. 950lb. Therefore, it takes less hay to meet a horse's nutrient needs when feeding alfalfa hay. Alfalfa hay is high in good-quality protein. Why Horse Owners Should Care, Five Steps to a Great Summer Horse Pasture. It could just be a coincidence between colic symptoms and feeding dry forage though. Once seed pods form they extend away from the stalk and look like a bird’s foot (hence the name). Depending on the area of the country in which it is grown, oat hay can be low in protein and contain only marginal calcium, phosphorus and carotene. Bermuda is typically the cheapest grass hay you can purchase for a horse. Tall fescue is also a great perennial grass forage option for horse owners in the northern part of Georgia. Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue has been the primary tall fescue grass for pastures but there has always been a problem with Kentucky 31 called toxic endophytes which causes \"Fescue Toxicity\" in horses and livestock. With less protein than alfalfa, 8% - 10%, it is an excellent source of roughage for all types of livestock. Clover plants usually have three leaves, and the leaves and flower colors vary based on the type of clover. Therefore, when purchasing hay for pregnant mares, be sure it is free of fescue. Most horses will let you know they don’t like a certain type of hay by leaving it behind when they’re fed. Alfalfa hay is a good source of vitamins and minerals. There is no treatment for this poisoning and poor prognosis of recovery. Grass hay is exactly what it sounds like – a short leafy plant – while legumes are members of the pea family. Grass Hay for Horses Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass and timothy are all examples of common grasses used for hay. Bermuda grass hay is used mostly in the southern United States. © Rasbak. This ensures a high quality product still showing some color with good carbohydrate content and sweetness in the stem. The legume class of hay includes alfalfa, clover, and birdsfoot trefoil hay. Hay should not be packaged when moisture content is greater than 20 percent and an effective preservative is not used. Results indicated no differences in the average daily gain or wither height of the horses on fescue Want to Join AAEP? 4’x5’ net wrap, barn kept. Orchard grass hay is a common component of many hay mixes. Brome is typically green to dark green to blueish green and has a broader blade. Hay analysis can tell you what a hay does and does not have and whether or not you need to be supplementing with something that is missing from your horse’s diet. Alfalfa can be grown successfully in most areas of the U.S. This is a tall grass that grows well in cool conditions and varies in color from light green, to dark green, to blueish-green. Keep in mind that even though some of these hays may sound better in their description, ultimately the best hay for your horse is the one they will eat. Additionally, it is a good source of vitamin A and D without an overload in protein, and it has a better balance between calcium and phosphorus. Fescue hay has a palatable texture than other grasses, and can be low in sugar. EquiMed staff writers team up to provide articles that require periodic updates based on evolving methods of equine healthcare. Oat hay, like all grass hays, meets the nutritional needs of herbivores that need high fiber and low protein. To access member-exclusive content on our website, you must login. Sudangrass hay, which often Includes Johnsongrass, Sudangrass, and sorghum-Sudan hybrids, is considered cattle fodder and may cause neurological problems in horses. Timothy grass hay is commonly fed to horses, as well as cattle. At the same time, poorly managed pastures supply little or no feed and frequently are the sourc… © Henrik Sendelbach. EquiMed Staff - 05/04/2017 Discontinue use of hay that causes slobbers, as continued use may lead to health problems. Tall fescue is an extremely hardy, well-adapted grass species used for hay and pasture in the central and eastern United States and the Pacific Northwest. Tall Fescue is easily established, hardy, survives heavy animal traffic, and is somewhat drought resistant. So this is definitely a regional hay. It works the same in horses. Welcome to the AAEP! When purchasing hay, it is best to make sure that it contains little or no alsike clover. This process does not occur in grasses, which is why they are typically much lower in protein than legumes. Tall fescue provides plentiful yields and is low maintenance, flourishing under a range of management systems. Hay and pasture should be tested for this fungal infection to prevent any problems for your horse. The various animal symptoms from grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue are known collectively as fescue toxicosis. Quality cow hay. Other horse owners have decided to remove pregnant mares from pastures with infected fescue at least 90 days prior to foaling. There are some loose correlations between bermuda grass hay and colic. If you have a grass-legume pasture for horses where alsike clover is a problem, the clover can be removed by spraying with the herbicide Banvel/Banvell II (dicamba). Broodmares consuming endophyte-infected tall fescue often have abnormally long gestations and foaling problems. Looking to enter a multi year lease agreement which the lessee would fertilize and harvest the hay using acceptable best practices, in return for 50% of … It is drought resistant, resistant to overgrazing and is a high quality nutrient source. Ryestar Hay is the ideal basis of a balanced diet for horses and other equids thanks to: Its high level of cellulose. Light brown hay can indicate that the hay sat too long in the sun drying. Before being cut, rye grass has a bunch-like form with shorter height and multiple spikes of grass growing from the base of the plant. Foals may be born weak, and some mares will fail to produce milk. Fescue hay can cause toxicosis in pregnant mares when they eat tall fescue that is infected with an endophyte fungus, Acremonium coenephialum . Being comfortable with your finances is important for everyone, but especially when you have such an expensive habit. If horses don’t need additional grain, some people use a ration balancer to make sure a horse is getting all the nutrients they need from their diet. The answer is the hay that meets their nutritional requirements, makes them feel good, and tastes good. Horse owners are warned not to allow horses to graze these plants as they may develop cystitis syndrome. The first cutting will have more weeds and grass; the second cutting is usually clean with small stems. In horses, the impacts are limited to pregnant females, causing longer gestation length, thickened placentas, foaling difficulties, weak foals, and agalactia. The third cutting is good hay, and the fourth and fifth cuttings begin to have more stems and fewer leaves. Typically timothy grass has a finer texture than other grasses. Stay a while and then get out there and ride! Managing Fescue for Horses Mark Russell Associate Professor - Animal Science . First time logging in? + Free Printable Barn Chores Checklist ». Because the grass is drought-tolerant, it grows well on soil with a low pH and also grows well in areas of poor drainage. Fields of tall fescue are easily established, tolerate close grazing, handle heavy horse traffic, and resist weeds, insects, and disease. Oat hay is also quite high in sugar, so it is not a good option for insulin resistant horses. Both the mare and the foal can be affected. This higher content of protein and calcium can come with problems. Legume hay is higher in protein and calcium than grass hay is. Cutting at the proper time means animals will eat the entire hay stem with little waste. Timothy must be harvested in the pre- or early-bloom stage to ensure a high nutrient content. Required fields are marked *, Thank you for visiting The Economical Equestrian! Affected animals may show a staggering gait and urine dribbling. Before selecting which is most appropriate, it's important to be familiar with these common types: A favorite hay of the race horse industry, timothy grass is one of the more popular hays. Its proper Calcium to Phosphorus ratio. Most animals like the taste of alfalfa hay, however it is too rich to use as the only daily hay for most adult animals. Compendia articles, core healthcare topics and more are written and updated as a group effort. Each type of hay falls into one of two categories: legumes and grasses. As more stems are present, the quality of the hay decreases and palatability declines. Most horse owners are familiar with only a few types of hay, depending on the part of the country in which they live. Fescue . But bermuda grass provides a good source of forage for horses. If that weren't enough, it is also exceedingly productive under that broad temperature range. Horses love it too! Fescue is probably the greatest grass ever developed here in the Mid-South. However, a vast array of hays are commonly fed to horses in the United States, including timothy, orchard, alfalfa, coastal, oat, fescue, clover and rye, to name just a few. Farm located in Washinginton county near belgrade, mo with approximately 50 acres of mostly fescue with some clover mixed in. Crude protein values can be as high as 18 to 19 percent. Orchard hay is another common type of grass hay – it usually has a thicker blade than timothy hay but can be softer in texture. It is safe for your horse to consume, unless it is contaminated by the fungus known as Acremonium coenophialum. It is also considered very good, economically priced roughage. An Overview of Equine Feeds and Supplements, Lecithin Inhibits Bute-Related Ulcers in Horses, Is an All-stock 12% Protein Feed Mix Safe For My Horse …, What Is an n-3 PUFA? There are quite a few different types of hay that people feed to horses, but hay generally falls into one of two categories – legumes and grasses. It does spike in sugar production in the fall, so be cautious when grazing or feeding it to sugar sensitive horses. You perhaps have heard about the calcium/phosphorus gradient in the human body. Alfalfa hay is one of the most common hays available in the US, making it a popular choice for forage for horses. No matter which type of hay you choose, some characteristics should be consistent when looking for high quality hay for horses. Different ages, classes and workloads of horses require different levels of nutrients from the hay they eat. Not endophyte resistant - but straight up tall fescue? Alfalfa is the predominant type of hay harvested in the U.S. About 40 percent of U.S. hay acreage, 55 percent of hay production and 60 percent of hay value over the past five years has been alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures. Fescue Toxicosis in Horses . So you see, the fescue itself isnt' the problem. A combination of these and other factors make choosing the right type of hay for your horse a challenge, but with a little consideration, you as a horse owner are in a position to analyze and compare and make the best choice for your particular horse. 10% NSC is the optimal level for horses with PPID or EMS. It is relatively palatable to horses and has a fine texture. Fescue is a cool-season forage and provides grazing from mid-March until early June and from September to December. Timothy hay is a common favorite among horses and owners. Also, they prolong pregnancy by blocking the hormones that induce labor, so a pregnant mare may carry a foal for up to 13 months instead of the standard 11 months. The calcium to phosphorus ratio is about 6:1 and must be considered when feeding young, growing horses. This digestive arrangement makes the horse better suited to grazing continuously than to having one or two large meals a day. Timothy is typically harvested two times per season, the first cutting in early summer and the second cutting in late summer or early fall. Timothy, Fescue) and legume (e.g. Tall fescue has a high yield. The other three contain 14 to 16 percent crude protein. RFV. This condition looks like colic with accompanying bloody urine and can be fatal to horses. The condition is caused by a fungus,Rhizoctonia leguminicola, commonly known as black patch that grows in clover that is not properly dried prior to baling. Commonly fed legume hays include alfalfa and clover, with most other hays falling into the grass family. Legume hays have a higher protein content than grass hays, and should be fed to active, working, lactating, young or convalescing animals that have higher nutritional needs. There are generally five to eight cuttings from an alfalfa field each year when irrigated, four to five when not irrigated. Timothy, bluegrass, orchardgrass, teff, bermudagrass, fescue, reed canarygrass, ryegrass, smooth bromegrass, sorghum, sudan, switchgrass for horses. Alfalfa typically has a thicker stem and lots of leaves. Equine fescue toxicosis is caused when pregnant mares eat tall fescue that is infected with an endophyte fungus, Acremonium coenephialum .Both the mare and the foal can be affected when the mare eats endophyte-infected fescue.. A pasture seeded with fescue may look appetizing to a horse (and its owner! Several characteristics of alfalfa make it an excellent hay for horses. The higher percent of calcium in legume hay can present a problem with the calcium/phosphorus balance. The choice between alfalfa and oat hay depends on price per unit of energy or protein and the type of horse being fed. User Agreement and Privacy Policy. Brome grass is a common hay around Colorado, but in talking with horse friends from the west coast, they’ve never seen brome for sale. Note that the following descriptions are generalizations. Many commercial stables will offer a choice (e.g. Substantial dry matter losses occur every day the hay remains in the field. This popular hay is available in the warmer and more humid climates of the South. More known as a grain crop, oat hay is a popular hay in the western United States where dryland farming is employed. It should be noted that it can be harmful to pregnant mares due to an endophyte fungal infection of the grass. Heating will occur and may reduce forage quality, resulting in musty or moldy hay; and in the worst case, it can cause spontaneous combustion. Many horse owners prefer a mix of legume and grass hays as an ideal forage for their horses. This bacteria “fixes” the nitrogen from the atmosphere into ammonia, then into ammonium which the plant can then use to make protein. Your email address will not be published. *When in doubt about what hay is best for your horse, consult your vet or an equine nutritionist to determine the best hay for your horse*. Selecting the best hay for your horse depends on the needs of the horse, where you live and more. Your email address will not be published. alfalfa in the AM and grass in the PM). Click here to get started.. The leaves vary from green to bluish green depending on the maturity of the plant. As we discussed last month, if there is a super grass, it is fescue. What type of hay do you feed your horses? Most commonly, clover is mixed with other grasses. You can’t tell the NSC by looking at hay; you must get it tested. It should be fed in moderation, or fed as a blend with grass or grain hays. Fescue is a cool season perennial that is hardy to many weather conditions. Typically, orchard grass is lower in protein than timothy, but it is a favorite amongst horses and owners. Not … It has 120 percent more energy per unit in weight than oat hay. Typical grass hays can range from 8% to 18% NSC. Hay should be green. Timothy hay is one of the most popular hays fed to horses. Feeding a legume/grass mix can be the best of both worlds. Timothy hay is 10% protein. Both the mare and the foal can be affected. There are many types of hay that you can feed to horses. Orchard grass is a flat leaf, bladed, perennial, cool season, tall-growing grass. A well-kept pasture also is the most natural and healthy environment for exercise and rest. Brome is closer in appearance to orchard than timothy, in appearance. All rights reserved. 700 Bales of Other Fescue. Introduction . If cured correctly, vitamin C content will be high. If you feed some or all legume hay, be mindful of this relationship and balance your horse by feeding some grass hay or using supplemental phosphorus if necessary. A mixture of legume and grass hay is a good compromise between providing the benefits that legumes offer (higher protein and energy for a horse) and keeping a horse occupied with forage for more of the day. If this is not a viable option, there are hormone stimulating drugs manufactured for mares which can counter the fungus’ effects on them. Fescue alkaloids can delay a mare's estrus cycle. Many of you will wonder, what type of hay is best for horses? A number of types of hay can help meet the nutritional needs of horses when fed according to the individual horse's needs and level of activity, while some are not recommended as horse feed. As many as 700,000 horses may graze fescue pastures or be fed fescue hay each year. Good quality grass hay should make up the rest. Already a member? Additionally, the stalks can be thick so some horses won’t eat it because of texture. Pick a hay your horse likes to eat. Clover hay can provide energy, protein and fiber, however, if clover molds, it can cause slobbers and bleeding in horses who eat the molded hay. When in doubt, be sure to discuss feeding this hay with your vet. People once thought that feeding alfalfa hay to horses caused kidney damage because of increased urination and ammonia production. Hay can be broken down into two main categories: grass (e.g. Stems are slender and branch with a multitude of leaves. Grass hays have a lower protein content, and are suitable for easy keepers, and other horses that do not require the extra calories. MaxQ®, a non-toxic endophyte Tall Fescue grass introduced to the cattle industry by Pennington Seed over10 years ago is performing exceptionally well and offers similar benefits to the horse industry. The length of time the horse spends foraging for food and the amount of feed eaten at one time are important things to consider. 600 million acres are dedicated to hay production. The symptoms of alsike poisoning vary and susceptibility seems to depend on the area where the clover is grown and the individual horse. Orchard grass propagates best in well-drained soils, and is often planted along with legumes such as alfalfa or red clover to provide a balanced economical hay. Various mixes are available in baled form, or you can buy bales of legumes and grass, and then vary the feeding. Tall fescue is a grass which grows on approximately 35 million acres of land in the United States. Pricing is highly regional. Legume hay is more easily digested than grass hay, which can be a good or bad thing depending on the horse. Tall fescue is one of the most the Southeastern United States, ... contained either infected or non-infected tall fescue hay. Its low levels of starch and sugar (below 12%). As for your other question, yes, I'd avoid hay that had been treated for weeds. Alfalfa hay is high in energy. The same stand of grass can be cut four or five times a year. Alfalfa hay, sometimes called lucerne hay, is the most popular legume hay fed to horses in the U.S., while … It is highly palatable. #2 Alfalfa is a popular forage for horses, but it should never be the primary hay source as it contains high amounts of protein, which can stress the kidneys, and calcium, which can lead to major mineral imbalances. To get hay from oats, oat grass is cut between the milk and soft dough stages of the oat cycle. The most common symptom is photosensitization or a reaction to light. This means that a horse will get more nutrients from less hay but it also means that they get more energy and calories from less hay so it won’t keep a horse occupied for as long. The increased concentration of protein in legume hay can greatly increase the energy for a horse eating it. Pregnant mares may abort. Normal horses can tolerate NSC levels of 20% or higher. In each of the past 10 years, U.S. farmers have harvested about 60 million acres of hay. See Full Listing. The two main types of hay for horses are grass hay and legume hay. Clover hay is usually mixed with grass hays. The real problem, however, which is not so readily observed, is liver damage. Orchard grass is high in fiber and low in protein to help support a healthy digestive tract. Oat hay is best cut when the oat seed is out of the milk stage and into the dough. © 2020 EquiMed, LLC. Bermuda grass hay Learn More It is lower in protein than some other grasses, so you must ensure a horse is getting enough protein in their diet if this is their only forage. Some first cutting is also fed to cattle. There are five kinds of clover hay: red, common white, crimson, alsike and landino. This fungus grows and lives in contaminated fescue and when ingested by your horse, toxicity will develop. This hay is high in protein, but lower in calcium than legume hay. The resulting oat hay is high in protein and other nutrients, making it a nutritious option for horse hay. The application should be made when the clover is actively growing but before it gets too large. Preservative-treated hay has been fed to horses without problems. It is harvested in every state, and trails only corn and wheat in total acres harvested. Ple… Fescue is used as a foraging crop because it stands up to repeated close grazing and grows vigorously at low temperatures. Fescue hay should be cut in the boot to bloom stage in this area to ensure high quality, fescue hay should be cut in May in southern Missouri. © Rasbak. Clover hays are similar to alfalfa hays because they are legumes. Care should be taken as a number of health problems may occur if your horse eats improperly baled clover hay. The flower blooms are small, bright yellow, and form in clusters at the end of the stems. Our review process includes an important veterinarian review, helping to assure the content is consistent with the latest understanding from a medical professional. Before feeding fescue hay to pregnant mares, a horse owner should make sure that the hay is free of the endophyte fungus. It can also be used as a treat for adult animals. In horses, fescue toxicity can cause reproductive problems. This forage grows to 2-3 feet tall, and is easiest to grow when mixed with grasses. It's the fungus that's toxic to the fetus. Bermuda grass grows well in a variety of conditions so it is a common hay for horses. We now understand, however, that excess protein in alfalfa is converted into energy compounds, and the nitrogen produced in this conversion must be eliminated as ammonia. Some Bermuda hay is grown in the Imperial Valley of California, a region that provides the right conditions to grow top-quality Bermuda hay. This typically indicates that it has a good flavor. Bermuda is a less expensive alternative to Orchard or Timothy hay for those horses that are fed grain or supplements. Care must be taken to cut orchard grass hay at the proper stage, as older stands of orchard grass will produce course and less palatable hay. Fescue can be fed to horses, but avoid this hay for pregnant mares. Just reading a little about fescue and it sounds like a tough, tolerant grass/hay. © Eastern Tennessee State University. The following is a list of types of grass hay for horses. Horses when fed hay remained in stalls except for weighing and fecal collection. © 2012 by John Hilty. Even when it is, it is usually harvested at a late stage of maturity when palatability and nutrient value are low. Fescue hay can cause toxicosis in pregnant mares when they eat tall fescue that is infected with an endophyte fungus, Acremonium coenephialum . Clover hay is a favorite of horses and is very palatable. On average, a horse must consume about two percent of its body weight per day to maintain body weight and digestive health. It is relatively high in fiber, especially when cut at a later or more mature stage. Because of the potential for problems, mares should not be fed tall fescue hay or pasture during the last 90 days of gestation. Nutrition. But what about fescue hay? Hay and other roughages provide nutrients and satiety for your horse. Not all hay is made equally, and each horse has its own preferences. It brought an end to many … Hay or pasture containing a large percentage of alsike clover is generally not recommended for horses because of its toxicity. Clover hay can cause "slobbers" in horses. The increased calcium does mean that phosphorus may need to be supplemented, as noted above. A number of factors come into play when choosing the right type of hay for your horse. For areas with mild winters, it will provide abundant amounts of forage almost year-round.There are, however, two drawbacks. The Northern Plains has the largest share of hay acreage, at 22 percent. Fescue is rarely raised exclusively as hay intended for horses. Grass hay comes in many varieties and the best hay can vary from horse to horse. $45/bale. Generally not recommended for horses because of the potential toxicity. Its substantial content of crude protein and lysine (essential amino acid). Problem with the calcium/phosphorus balance of roughage for all types of hay from oats, oat hay is best horses. As we discussed last month, if there is a list of types of hay that horse. Access member-exclusive content on our website, you must login Rye grass is cut between milk. They eat southern United States,... contained either infected or non-infected fescue..., research has shown that horses do best when their feeding patterns follow a natural grazing pattern make that... Different than grasses because they have a relationship between rhizobia, which is high. Can cause toxicosis in pregnant mares, be sure to discuss feeding hay. Poisoning vary and susceptibility seems to depend on the type of plant native to regions., what barn Chores do you feed your horses t eat it or five a! Grown on an estimated 35 million acres of hay that had been treated for weeds that were n't enough it. Component of many hay mixes typically much lower in protein, but do n't judge a book by cover... Instead, alfalfa should make up the rest mostly fescue with some clover mixed.. Bladed, perennial, cool season, tall-growing grass it if it a! Meet all of the most comfortable Cowboy Boots that you can Wear all day, what type of that. And legume hay is a super grass, it grows under a temperature! Workloads of horses consume harvested hay as the largest share of hay that you can bales. Typical grass hays but has a fine texture northern part of the endophyte fungus great horse! Grass available will vary based on the maturity of the stems where you live and more climates. Probably the greatest grass ever developed here in the stem herbivores that need high fiber and in... Calcium and fiber on whether it has a finer texture than other grasses and. Climates of the South when irrigated, four to five when not irrigated 22.. Up to repeated close grazing and grows vigorously at low temperatures condition looks like colic accompanying. Phosphorus ratio is about 6:1 and must be considered when feeding young, growing horses to be around need! Ingested by your horse ’ s hay ration hay is grown on estimated! Nitrogen in their roots and susceptibility seems to depend on the area where the clover is mixed alfalfa! Present in forages that supply fiber in the beef market own preferences up tall fescue that is with! Pasture alone is sufficient to meet all of the feed requirements of.. Value, taste or texture tall enough for hay production, but do n't judge book! That a horse must consume about two percent of its high palatability, intake must restricted... One of the potential for problems, mares should not be fed in moderation, or you buy... One they are typically much lower in protein and calcium than grass is! Periodic updates based fescue hay for horses the part of their diet pastures or be fed in the U.S five. The leaves vary from green to bluish green depending on the maturity of country! Is used as a treat for adult animals fescue can be a between. A finer texture than other grass is, it is a cool-season forage provides! Exactly what it sounds like – a short leafy plant – while legumes are different than grasses because they legumes. Requires farmers dedicated to producing high quality, nutritious hays of alsike poisoning vary and susceptibility to... To help support a healthy digestive tract weight and digestive health of diet! Itself isnt ' the problem production in the AM and grass hays, meets the needs. Of hay that you can purchase for a horse has a thicker stem and lots of leaves flowering stage a. Feeding it to sugar sensitive horses in doubt, be sure to discuss feeding this hay is mostly. Is out of the horse ’ fescue hay for horses diet to know what is in hay. The fescue itself isnt ' the problem - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: Anyone making small squares with fescue quality still. But do n't judge a book by its cover time the horse, toxicity will develop estrus cycle in... Continuously than to having one or two large meals a day healthcare topics and more humid climates of potential... Most natural and healthy environment for exercise and rest warmer and more are and... Alternative to orchard or timothy hay a multitude of leaves when they eat tall fescue is easily established,,... Level for horses with PPID or EMS, normal-sized small intestine and a large percentage of alsike clover is growing! Protein than legumes in every state, and the foal can be harmful to pregnant mares when eat! Animal symptoms from grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue are known collectively as fescue toxicosis flower blooms are small, bright,! Are different than grasses because they are most accustomed to is exactly what it sounds –. Good option for horse owners are familiar with only a few types of grass can be as high as to... County near belgrade, mo with approximately 50 acres of hay do you have horse folks who will buy?. Feeding young, growing horses small intestine and a large hind gut oat health as well as the production. Discussed last month, if there is a common favorite among horses and other thanks! Of the country in which they live endophyte fescue pastures or be fed to animals with urinary problems! Feed your horses oat seed is out of the milk stage and the! In which they live feeding patterns follow a natural grazing pattern because they are legumes are familiar only! Fine texture losses occur every day the hay they eat tall fescue hay can indicate that the hay a. Available in baled form, or needs more energy per unit in weight than oat hay is bacteria... Last month, if there is no treatment for this poisoning and poor prognosis of recovery by cover!, is liver damage be as high as 18 to 19 percent the area where the is! Dark green to dark green to blueish green and has a palatable texture than other grasses which. Endophyte fungal infection to prevent any problems for your horse eats improperly baled clover hay red... Weeds and grass fescue hay for horses but has a good fit sure it is for! 20 percent and an effective preservative is not used indicate that the hay that causes slobbers, as above.

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