DEALING WITH HAY SHORTAGES

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DEALING WITH HAY SHORTAGES

• STRETCHING HAY SUPPLIES

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Hay Supplementation Considerations

• Horse NON RUMINANT HERBIVORE
• 1. Gastrointestinal function
• 2. Behavior

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Hay supplementation considerations

• How much hay is needed?
• 1. Minimum of 0.75 to 1 in dry matter or hay as
  fed? Not less than 50 of total diet?
• 2. Minimum of 24 NDF (13 Crude fiber) or 14
  ADF?
• 3. Does form of hay make a difference?
• chopped, cubed, pelleted

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Relationship of NDF Crude Fiber

• Legume hays
• NDF (Crude fiber - 2.07)/ 0.546
• Grass hays
• NDF (Crude fiber - 3.72)/ 0.4

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Know how much hay you are feeding

• Weigh hay to make sure it is not less than 0.75
  of body weight.
• Limit time on round bales, i.e. will generally be
  full 1 to 2 hours AM PM.
• Commercial feeds higher than 14 crude fiber, hay
  can make up 0.5 BW.

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Hay Roughage Substitutes

• Beet pulp
• Alfalfa cubes pellets
• Soy hulls
• Haylage
• Cottonseed hulls
• Citrus pulp?
• Complete feeds
• Whatever is substituted make sure chew factor
  is present.

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Beet pulp

• DE approximately 1.0 Mcal/lb, Crude protein
  8-10, NDF 40.5
• Substitute up to 50 of hay.

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Alfalfa Cubes Pellets

• Remember you are feeding alfalfa.
• Cubes and pellets are consumed rapidly, chew
  factor and stem length of concern.
• Choke concern with pellets.
• Cubes up to 50 for long stem hay.
• Pellets up to 25 for long stem hay.

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Soy hulls

• NDF 61, C.P.11-13 , DE 0.8 -1.1 Mcal/lb.
• Booth, et al. replace up to 50 of forage in
  diet.
• Recommendation probably no more than 25 as
  sorting will occur, chew factor concern as no
  long term studies have been reported.

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Cottonseed hulls

• DE .50 Mcal/lb, C. protein 3.8, NDF 80.
• Maximum of 20 of total diet.
• Mix with grain or can mix with chopped hay.

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Haylage

• High moisture ensiled hay harvested at 40 60
  dry matter.
• Highly acceptable, actually prefer over hay.
• Slightly more digestible than hay?
• Disadvantage with wet (high moisture),
  possibility of spoilage if not fed relatively
  quickly.
• Botulism rare but possibility.

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Digestible energy comparisons (Hoffman 2004)
Feed DE, Mcal/kg DE, Mcal/lb
Hay 2.15 0.14 0.97 .06
Pasture 2.49 0.13 1.13 .06
Super fibers 2.62 0.14 1.19 .06
Grains 3.71 0.14 1.68 .06
CSH diets 3.15 1.43
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Example Diet 1150 pound horse, light work
POUNDS/DAY
Bermudagrass hay 4.90
Beet pulp 4.90
Grain mix (10-12 Prot., 5-8 Crude fiber) 9.75
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Light work, 1150 pound horse nutrient intake
ITEM REQ. IN UNITS REQ. ST
D.M intake 19.20 17.45 Lb/day 90.88 OK
D.E. 21.30 22.47 Mcal 105.49 OK
C. Protein 852.0 863.1 Grams 101.30 OK
Calcium 26.00 46.58 Grams 179.16 OK
Phosph. 18.50 26.37 Grams 142.54 OK
C. Fiber 3.00 3.0 Lbs 100 OK
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Example 2, 1150 pound horse doing light work
POUNDS/DAY
Bermudagrass hay 6.00
Cottonseed hulls 4.50
Grain mix (10-12 Protein, 5-8 C. fiber) 10.25
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Nutrient intake
ITEM REQ. IN. UNITS REQ. ST
D.M. intake 19.20 18.92 Lb/day 98.53 OK
D.E. 21.30 21.40 Mcals 100.47 OK
C. Protein 852.0 815.4 Grams 95.70 Marg
Calcium 26.00 38.20 Grams 146.94 OK
Phosp. 18.50 28.02 Grams 151.48 OK
C. Fiber 3.00 4.29 Lbs 142.92 OK
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Example 3, 1150 pound horse light work
POUNDS/DAY
Beet pulp 5.00
Whole oats 3.50
Cracked corn 3.00
Alfalfa pellets 2.00
Rice bran 1.75
Ration balancer 1.50
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Nutrient intake
ITEM REQ. IN UNITS REQ. ST
D.M. intake 19.20 15.02 Lbs/day 78.22 OK
D.E. 21.30 22.27 Mcals. 104.54 OK
C. Protein 852.0 858.9 Grams 100.80 OK
Calcium 26.00 55.40 Grams 213.07 OK
Phosp. 18.50 37.05 Grams 200.25 OK
C. Fiber 3.00 2.98 Lbs. 99.41 Marg
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HELP

• GARY HEUSNER
• 706-542-9092
• gheusner_at_uga.edu