Horse hay - information on cutting time, hygiene, crude fiber content
A nationwide equine medicine statistic currently provides a sad result. According to these statistics, more coughing horses are useless than limping ones. This is often due to moldy hay and musty stables. The number of gastric colics in horses has also increased rapidly. On average, horses are worn out after 10 years, even though they could be used for well over 20 years.
The horse’s very sensitive respiratory organs and digestive tract require hygienically perfect feed. Spoilage indicators such as storage or mold fungi put a great strain on the organism of (not only) horses. For this reason, dry and clean hay should play a very important role in feed production.
Horse hay: The ideal cutting time
The production of hay for ruminants differs significantly from that for horses. While the highest possible energy value is most important for ruminants, cleanliness and a high crude fiber content are the top priorities for horse hay. However, you should say goodbye to “ancient” feed. That is a thing of the past. The other extreme, i.e. energy hay, is also not recommended for horses. But when is the ideal time to cut horse hay? The ideal cutting time depends very much on the plants in the field and is therefore variable. However, it is possible to make a general statement about the ideal cutting time.
The crude fiber content of hay for horses should be between 28% and 32%. Longer hay from approx. 20 cm also aids digestion. Longer forage increases the chewing time and thus salivation. The saliva serves as a buffer and can prevent stomach acidity. Especially if the feed has a lower crude fiber content as recommended above, longer feed is beneficial.
Avoid razor cuts
During the actual forage harvest, i.e. when mowing, a razor cut (5 cm to the ground) should be avoided at all costs. The risk of additional forage contamination is higher than the additional yield per hectare. When drying in the field, it is important to distribute the hay evenly. This also ensures even drying. Rotations of up to 500 rpm on the PTO shaft have proven effective for the first rotary process.
During the third rotary process, the rotations should be reduced to 340-400 rpm so that not only stalks are harvested.
The hay should only be brought in at a residual moisture content of 12%. Hay can be stored from 14%, but the stalk will gradually release some residual moisture. This allows the forage to moisten again. We offer special measuring devices to reliably determine the forage moisture in the field for newcomers. Professionals determine the residual moisture of the forage using sensory skills (feeling, hearing).
Advantages of hay drying
During the actual forage harvest, i.e. when mowing, a razor cut (5 cm to the ground) should be avoided at all costs. The risk of additional forage contamination is higher than the additional yield per hectare. When drying in the field, it is important to distribute the hay evenly. This also ensures even drying. For the first rotary process, revolutions of up to 500 rpm on the PTO shaft have proven effective.
During the third rotary process, the revolutions should be reduced to 340-400 rpm so that not only stalks are harvested.
The hay should only be brought in at a residual moisture content of 12%. Hay can be stored from 14%, but the stalk will gradually release some residual moisture. This allows the forage to moisten again. We offer special measuring devices to reliably determine the forage moisture in the field for newcomers. Professionals determine the residual moisture of the forage using sensory skills (feeling, hearing).
Horse breeding farm and hay drying at Olympic champion Mario Matt - Video
Mario Matt, 2014 Olympic slalom champion in Sochi and horse breeder in Flirsch am Arlberg, has been running his own LASCO hay drying facility for several years. He shared his experiences in a short video.
Buy high-quality horse hay
However, if you don’t have your own horses or don’t have enough space, you have to buy horse hay. Caution is advised here! The horse hay advertised by some farmers often does not keep its promises! This is often not even a hidden, maliciously concealed defect, but due to the fact that, for example, mold spores can take root two to three meters deep.
In addition to a representative “hay sample”, a meaningful hay analysis (feed analysis) should therefore also be part of the shipment. This should not only describe the general nutrients of the forage but also include microbiological content. The Association of German Agricultural Research and Testing Institutes (VDLUFA) maintains tables with guide values for interpreting the microbiological content. Bacteria, mold and yeast contents are divided into 4 levels (limit values) and interpreted according to the nature of the feed and the animal. The Rosenau feed analysis laboratory can carry out such analyses.
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Info about photos: Three horses Shutterstock, rest lasco.at
