How to calculate hay amount?

[mydaddysjag]

How many pounds of hay to you figure you need per horse per year? Im getting our hay for the year, but since this is my first time buying regular square bales, Im worried I wont get enough, or will grossly over buy. I only have two horses, a 34" gelding who is about 290 lbs and a 36" stallion who is about 310lbs. Both are show horses, and in show season I do cut their hay back and replace some with beet pulp.

So, im just trying to figure out how many bales to buy, Im scared to run out in winter or spring and not be able to find anything decent.

 

[chandab]

I'd go with 2% of their bodyweight per day, its probably a little high for show horses, but would probably then give you a little extra in winter. So with 290 and 310, that's 600# of horse to feed per day; 2% of that is 12# hay per day for both horses. [12#*7 days is 84# per week. if you feed hay year round, that's 365 days * 12# per day = 4380# for the year, go a little high and get 2.25 ton for the year. If the bales average 70#, that's almost 29bales/ton or about 65 bales for the 2.25 ton.]

This will give you a place to start, if you don't feed hay year round, then you'll need less hay. If you have really nasty winters, you might need more.

 

[attwoode]

I usually figure about 30 (60lb) bales per horse when fed with some grain. Yours are a little bigger so around 40 bales of this size for each horse should be about right. 80 bales would be a good start.

 

[Marty]

Chanda you put me to shame. I could never calculate like that! You guys are GOOD!

I change their amounts around anyhow by doing a visual body check often so that doesn't work for me but it is a starting point. And in winter, I'm very generous so I can't stick to figuring it out like that. What a dummy huh?

Don't ever be worried about over buying. I learned that a long time ago because you never know how hard that winter is going to be or how long it will be until the following summer when its time to bale. This year my hay didn't get baled until July and a darn good thing I had enough to fall back on.

 

[Sandy B]

Experts say 1-2% of a horse's body weight per day. Your base will have to depend on the horse's activity, metabolism and the quality of the hay. I tend to feed more hay in winter when its cold. Are you buying 2 or 3 string bales? The 3 string tend to way 100+ pounds, while the 2 string tend to weigh about 60-70 pounds max.

 

[chandab]

Chanda you put me to shame. I could never calculate like that! You guys are GOOD!

I change their amounts around anyhow by doing a visual body check often so that doesn't work for me but it is a starting point. And in winter, I'm very generous so I can't stick to figuring it out like that. What a dummy huh?

Don't ever be worried about over buying. I learned that a long time ago because you never know how hard that winter is going to be or how long it will be until the following summer when its time to bale. This year my hay didn't get baled until July and a darn good thing I had enough to fall back on.

Thank you. Although, like I said, its just a starting point. You might need to feed more or less, but it gives you an idea of how much to buy for the year. My dad was an engineer, so math is in my blood.

 

[MeganH]

How much hay would suggest for a weanling a day? If they were only getting grain and hay? (like in the winter in our parts)

 

[chandab]

How much hay would suggest for a weanling a day? If they were only getting grain and hay? (like in the winter in our parts)

For a weanling, since its still growing; pretty much free choice, good quality hay (I prefer grass or grass/alfalfa mix hay; I'd be more careful with straight alfalfa, as its usually pretty rich). I can't imagine a mini weanling eating more than around 5# daily, but I'm not sure, as it depends on their weight.

 

[mydaddysjag]

Ok, I was figuring on getting 100 2 string bales, I feed hay year round with grain. Sounds like that should be a pretty generous amount with room for any weather issues, etc.

 

[chandab]

Ok, I was figuring on getting 100 2 string bales, I feed hay year round with grain. Sounds like that should be a pretty generous amount with room for any weather issues, etc.

Depends on the weight of those two string bales. The bales I buy are 70-75#, the ones my FIL puts up are only about 50#. If the bales you are getting are 70# bales, then 100 will probably be plenty for the year.

 

[mydaddysjag]

They're 50-60lb bales, I was figuring that would be at least 5000lbs (probably more, most bales are 60lbs, but some are a little light) I figured if I needed 4380 and had at least 5000lbs, that would be 620lbs "extra" (again, probably more, they are mostly 60lb bales, but I wanted to account for the least there could be so I didnt "short" myself).

 

[chandab]

They're 50-60lb bales, I was figuring that would be at least 5000lbs (probably more, most bales are 60lbs, but some are a little light) I figured if I needed 4380 and had at least 5000lbs, that would be 620lbs "extra" (again, probably more, they are mostly 60lb bales, but I wanted to account for the least there could be so I didnt "short" myself).

Sounds like a good plan. Left over hay is always good, then you have a cushion should next year's crop be late or worse than this year's.

 

[Karen S]

We do an easier formula, we figure 10 bales per horse and multiply that by the number of horses we have. We've always been pretty much right there with around 15-20 bales left when we are ready to cut and bale hay again. This year I have 8 horses but purchased 100 three strand square bales of fertilized/irrigated coastal hay lst year I had 15 horses so purchased 150 square bales. I also purchased 9 round bales to put out during the winter. We won't feed all of the rounds but keep a couple for emergency (like this year with the drought) and glad we did. We've used this formula for close to 20 years now and works for us.

Karen

 

[chandab]

We do an easier formula, we figure 10 bales per horse and multiply that by the number of horses we have. We've always been pretty much right there with around 15-20 bales left when we are ready to cut and bale hay again. This year I have 8 horses but purchased 100 three strand square bales of fertilized/irrigated coastal hay lst year I had 15 horses so purchased 150 square bales. I also purchased 9 round bales to put out during the winter. We won't feed all of the rounds but keep a couple for emergency (like this year with the drought) and glad we did. We've used this formula for close to 20 years now and works for us.

Karen

So glad that works for you; but with B-size horses and minimal grain fed, that is no where near enough hay for my crew. Each one of mine goes through an average of 1 bale per week (to 10 days depending on the time of year), or just shy of one bale per day for 11 minis (365 bales per year for the herd, if they are 70-75# bales).

 

[Magic]

I used to do the figuring by body weight and percentages, but now it's easier for me to estimate by how many bales we've fed per day, per time of year (fewer in the spring and summer when many horses are out on pasture for example) and decide that way. We raise about half of the hay we need these days and buy the other half. It's delivered and put in our hay barn straight from the fields. I'm glad that we have such a big hay barn because it's nearly full-to-bursting with hay right now, lol! I make sure to figure extra too, in case we have colder than usual weather, or the weather delays first crop (like it has the last two years) or we *ahem* purchase an extra horse or two.

 

[horsehug]

Well it might sound like I way over feed, but I am really happy with the condition of my horses and I do live with severe winters and long winters! And I like to keep my wonderful grass hay in front of them for lots of hours in those long winter months.

Having said that, it always has worked well for me to buy approximately one ton per year per mini.

Last year I added three minis in October that I had not planned on, and sure enough I ran out before it was haying season around here, but luckily my hay rancher and a friend had some left from last year for me.

Counting my 4 foals, only one of which I plan to keep, I have 25 minis, so I just got my hay for the year and I bought 23 tons. It should work out about right or with a little left over for me. This one ton per year per horse has worked out for me for 23 years.

Susan O.

 

[Sandee]

Ok, I was figuring on getting 100 2 string bales, I feed hay year round with grain. Sounds like that should be a pretty generous amount with room for any weather issues, etc.

That should be plenty with some leftover.

I figure 1 1/2 -2% of body weight for the daily feeding but that should include all the food so if you have pellets or beet pulp you need to figure that in too. Weigh beet pulp and alfalfa pellets or pelleted "horse food" dry.

The best way to keep them at the ideal weight is to try to figure what would be their "ideal" weight and then feed accordingly. By doing this I can take off pounds on my overweight horses and feed up my underweight ones (LOL). Right now I have mostly grass hay so I feed a 250 lb "normal" horse about 4 lb. of food. (again figure is they stand around or "work" so you add more for work).

My mare, for instance, gets 2 1/2 lb hay plus 1 lb Purina Mini plus 1/2 lb of alfalfa cubes (which I then soak). Don't be ashamed about being strict on measuring and figuring. I even weigh all my hay.

100 bales (40-50 a bale), lasted me all last winter and most of this summer for 3 minis and 1 shetland (who ate 4 lbs of hay besides his other food for the winter). However, this spring and summer that was supplimented by pasture.

 

[Margo_C-T]

I write down every time(date, am or pm)that I open a bale of hay, so that I have a REALLY good 'handle' on how much I use and should need 'next time around'. I use only 'small square', two string bales, of both alfalfa and grass hay; alfalfa bales average 60 lbs,;, grass hay(this year, a straight dovey fescue)average @ 50 lbs, sometimes a bit heavier.(I buy alfalfa by the ton, but have to buy the grass hay by the bale.)Cost around here is high; this year, my alfalfa was $240/ton, which averaged to just barely under $7/bale from the grower; the fescue was also $7/bale from the grower (BEST price I've had in years; feed stores have been and are still, charging $9.50 - $9.95/bale+7% tax/bale.)

I buy for the full year in advance. Last year, I bought 45 bales of alfalfa and 56 bales of grass; I used only 27 bales of alfalfa and 54 bales of the grass. So for this year, I got only 19 bales of alfalfa, and 65 bales of the dovey, though what I've used of it so far lets me know I may need up to 15 more bales of grass(many of the bales are lighter than last year's grass hay.) Since I began feeding 'Thrive',which is mostly forage-based, I have cut way back on the amount of alfalfa I use, and expect I will not use even as much as the @ 18-20 bales I used this past year(approx. mid-June to mid-June) in the coming year. I am feeding 5 minis...one is small, one is a sturdy 37+", the others all 32-34"--on this amount.

I do also feed soaked beet pulp and a bit of ground flax to all, 'Thrive'(am finding I need to feed LESS than the generally reommended amounts)to four of the minis, a minimal(1 1/3 C/day)of TC 'Senior' to the other one. I haven't 'done the math' on % of body weight, just go by how they look--and at this point, probably need to cut them back some, as they are a bit hefty! I use 'slow feeding' methods and am what I consider generous w/ grass hay; give a hay feeding three times daily.Since hay is 'gold', esp. nowadays, I also do all I can to minimize waste and loss!

Grazing seldom is available, due to the drought and general spareness of the native grasses here, so really isn't a factor.I am afraid I couldn't afford to keep all of my horses if I had to buy, at local prices, the amounts of hay some have said they feed!!!Oh, for the days when a bale of hay was $3!!

Margo in NM

 

[Minimor]

For 20 horses (Shetlands & B size Minis) I buy roughly 105 round bales, 1200 lbs each plus I like to get a few loads of small squares in--I have 200 ordered this year but haven't hauled them in yet.

 

[Magic]

I don't know how you all get tons of hay put up! Must be a lot younger than me!

Two words for you Diane-- BALE WAGON.

Big ol' behmoth picks up the two-string bales and loads them up from the fields, it holds 160 bales, and then they back it into the hay barn and and "dump" it, and there's another nice big stack of hay!

We got 2000 bales this year and we would die if we had to do it all by hand! We (and by "we" I mean my tough husband) have to haul it from the hay barn to the horse barn, which is about 150 feet or so, and it's been by wheelbarrow lately since our utility vehicle broke down, but I just tell hubby that is how he stays so buff.