Forage Quality II: Quality of Horse Hay C. Norman McGlohon Program Development Coordinator ANR NE District

Quality: Horse or Owner????

Owner Limiting factor: –Perception –Knowledge –Experience Intelligence is normally not a limiting factor.

Where do buyers of horse hay get their information? Friends Veterinarian Farrier Trainer Boarding Stable Operators TV Shows Popular Press Articles published outside the SE.

State of Mind Anthropomorphism = to ascribe or give human attributes If you take a horse out of it’s natural environment and treat it like a human, then it creates stress, illness, unsettledness …..

What are the owners looking for? Color Odor Texture Variety Alfalfa vs Grass Fescue vs Bermuda Weeds Price

What Mistakes Do They Make? They smell it, taste it, touch it and don’t know what is in it.

Approximate digestible energy values of hays for horses HAYCRUDE PROT. % NDF %CRUDE FIBER % DIGEST. ENERGY MCAL/LB DIGEST ENERGY KCAL/LB Alfalfa  20 < 30< Alfalfa Alfalfa< 15  47  Bermudagrass  12 < 65< Bermudagrass Bermudagrass< 7  72  Fescue  12 < 65< Fescue Fescue< 7  70  Orchardgrass  12 < 60< Orchardgrass Orchardgrass< 7  65 

What is the horse looking for? Quality: Based on their activity or maturity class Quantity: Based on their size and age.

Is it good enough? Animal Requirements Dietary Supply

Quantity CLASS OF HORSEDAILY FEED INTAKE (% OF BODY WEIGHT) RELATIVE FORAGE QUALITY (RFQ) Maintenance %75 or greater Gestating mare %80 or greater Lactation %90 or greater Growing (weanlings) %100 or greater Work (performing) % 100 or greater Stallions (non breeding) %75 or greater Stallions breeding %80 or greater

Other Issues A Producer Can Address Seasonal Sales –They don’t think about buying it ‘till they need it –They have limited storage. –Delivery Bale Size

One point to remember: Stage of maturity at harvest –Colic –Behavior –Palatability –Quality –Price