Question about alternative types of forage

[Lori W]

Here in our neck of the woods, we're feeding hay now due to the extreme drought conditions. Hay is going to be scarce / expensive this year, so I'm looking ahead for additional types of forage.

I know that there's much less 'chew time' with some of these alternatives, so I'll still be feeding hay, just less than usual. I will also be utilizing slow feeders as much as possible. Every stalk will be precious this year!

So... what are your experiences / preferences feeding the following to your minis:

• Pelleted hay (straight alfalfa or timothy/alfalfa mix)
  
• Cubed hay
  
• Bagged hay
  
• Complete feeds (i.e., those with forage included)
  

Any other suggestions to add forage?

 

[Miniv]

The bagged condensed hay may be your best bet for chewing satisfaction, as it does expand once you open the bag. It is expensive, though.

Another thought is to try teaming up with other horse owners and buying a load of hay from out of your region?

 

[disneyhorse]

Plenty of horses do just fine on alternatives to hay. These are fed a lot here, where storage and hay availability is already tough because I live in a city. If price isn't a consideration, the bagged hay will be the closest to hay.

Cubed hay will offer better long stem fiber than pellets, but if your minis are really tiny may have to be soaked. Pellets are even more processed, so have less long stem fiber and again, choking may be a hazard for fast eaters or tiny minis and may benefit from a quick soak.

The complete feeds are eaten the fastest and offer virtually no long stem fiber. They are best used in addition to some hay, or for horses with dental issues who otherwise could not chew hay. Very digestible, but maybe not the best answer for the average horse.

I feed a combination of hay (grass) in addition to pellets or cubes (alfalfa) because of storage constraints and the ease of measuring pellets. Often I work the complete feeds (triple crown complete is so yummy!) into their diets as a substitute for "grain" if feeding meds or supplements.

 

[chandab]

Don't forget beet pulp is a good fiber source and can be added to the list of products to help stretch forage. Beet pulp can be upto 40% of the diet, its better if soaked to reduce the chances of choke; a little goes a long ways, since its measured by weight dry, when you soak it and it expands, the horse thinks he's getting a bigger meal.

I typically use pellets if I need something to extend my hay, as I haven't had any problems feeding pellets dry. I've fed cubes, but can only seem to find brands that are rock hard, so they have to be soaked.

I've fed bagged, chopped hay, but they are so expensive. If you can find them in your area, TNT Forage and Lucerne Farms products (both have been available at TSC) were the most economical I could find (Triple Crown and Kent/Dynasty were rather spendy to me).

If you have room to store, as mentioned before, finding an out of area source and shipping it in might be the most economical, depending on how many horses you have to feed. I'm thinking semis hold around 20 ton, but it might be more depending on the size of the truck.

 

[muffntuf]

There are some forage cubes and pellets out there too. BUT I would suggest you put a call out to your friends in the neighborhood and maybe split that cost of bringing in a load of hay from elsewhere. Nelson hay in southern Minnesota has plenty this year, unless he gets on the boatwagon to TX. He has primo hay.

Stan Lee is a forage product out of the upper west coast - I like their cubes a lot. SO do the ponies.

You can do it.

But word to the wise folks - if you haven't caught how high soy beans are - the price of your grain is going to go up again in about a month or so because soy beans are in high demand right now...

 

[CZP1]

I feed the bagged hay and and pellets. Though I only have one mini, it is ecomonical for me (sorta $19.50 50# bag) but horse is kind of tubby right now and is on a dry lot. The hay lasts about a month and the grain almost 2 months. I also feed the Safe Starch hay and Triple Crown lite from Southern States. The bagged hay Lucern that is available at our TS is $15.00 for a 35# bag.

 

[JAX]

I have used soaked beet pulp when i have had to cut my horses hay consumption down. Not a lot of fun for 33 horses in the winter but it worked like a charm. I started with a handful mixed right into their feed, and as they adjusted I upped it more and more till I was happy with the amount they were getting. Some horses were not happy about it at first but they get used to it and soon loved to slurp their sloopy wet new food!

 

[Margot]

We have a lot of hay this year as until now it has been wet and we make our own, still have about 15 acres to cut and bale. Will have to start feeding hay soon as the pastures are drying up but we do feed chopped hay to our show horses because it seems to keep the bellies off them. It goes a long way and the horses like it, not sure on price now as we are not feeding it right now.

 

[Marty]

My first choice would always be long stemmed forage. When we've had drought conditions in the past we have gone out of state to bring back square bales. I think its important they keep that chewing action going especially during the winter months. The time to hay shop is really now.

I also do keep a little bit of condensed bagged hay in the tack room for back up. Presently I have a couple of horses that are on the bagged alfalfa from Tractor Suppply also. Its way too spendy but one way to cover the bases. Good luck to you.

 

[bevann]

In the past when necessary I have used hay cubes(must be soaked) alfalfa pellets and bagged chopped forage.Lucerne brand and Triple Crown brand.I think both make alfalfa and a timothy type.These are good in a bind and offer more chewing time than cubes, but all are more pricey than baled hay.

 

[Lewella]

When we had a severe drought a few years ago and hay was simply not available (not even from out of state...the crap that was being sent here as "dairy quality" was so moldy and full of weeds you couldn't feed it to anything). I consulted with my feed guy and we came up with a plan for a high fiber feed mix that I could buy in bulk to feed 30+ head. Though I didn't have hay what I did have was a shed full of oat straw. If you've ever bedded stalls with straw you know they'll eat it. That shed full of straw was my solution for long stemmed forage. The custom feed mix gave them all the nutrients they needed and the straw gave them the chew time and bulk they needed.

 

[minih]

I also do keep a little bit of condensed bagged hay in the tack room for back up. Presently I have a couple of horses that are on the bagged alfalfa from Tractor Suppply also. Its way too spendy but one way to cover the bases. Good luck to you.

I have been buying the compressed bagged alfalfa from TSC also, it is a little stemmy in places but overall the horses love it and it is very green. Smells good too, even tho it is a little dusty.

 

[Joanne]

See the thread I started on live sprouted feed for horses.