Is Rye Haylage Good For Horses?

High Fibre Ryegrass is suitable for all classes of horse and pony but particularly those in hard work and should be fed to replace the hay ration. Our haylage has a superb hygienic quality and so will benefit those suffering from respiratory conditions. The fermentation process ensures sugar levels are under 10%.

What is the best haylage for horses?

Meadow haylage is a good option if you are looking for a lower-calorie, non-heating haylage. It provides your horse with much more water content than that of regular meadow hay. This is a very palatable haylage that is a great option for fussy eaters, older horses and laminatics (thanks to its low sugar content).

Can horses eat rye?

Rye grain is similar in energy, fiber, and feeding value to corn, but is higher in protein. Rye can be fed to horses but should be mixed with other grain and not over one-third of the grain mix should be rye because of its low palatability. Rye should be closely inspected for ergot that is highly toxic to horses.

Which haylage is best for weight gain?

In most cases, a simple change in haylage for horses will promote weight gain e.g. changing from hay to a good quality haylage or from straw-based chaff to an alfalfa-based chaff, such as HorseHage Alfalfa or Mollichaff Alfalfa Oil.

Is rye hay high in protein?

Rye grass hay has a significant amount of protein, around 8% to 9% on average, however, it can be dangerous for some horses. It contains high levels of fructans, which can be very detrimental for horses that are unable to digest it properly.

Is ryegrass good for haylage?

Ryegrass is one of the highest quality forages that can be produced in the Southeast. Spring rain showers can limit the ability to dry ryegrass down to the right moisture level for hay. Ryegrass haylage can successfully be used to store a higher-moisture feed source for use in a winter feeding program.

What is ryegrass haylage?

Made from a selection of ryegrasses, HorseHage Ryegrass Haylage is cut at an earlier stage of growth to provide optimum protein and energy levels. Made from a selection of ryegrasses, HorseHage Ryegrass Haylage is cut at an earlier stage of growth to provide optimum protein and energy levels.

What are 3 things horses should not eat?

Here are eight foods you should never feed your horse:

• Chocolate. ©russellstreet/Flickr CC.
• Persimmons.
• Avocado.
• Lawn clippings.
• Pitted fruits.
• Bread.
• Potatoes and other nightshades.
• Yogurt or other milk products.

Is winter rye OK for horses?

Ryegrass is highly preferred by horses and also tolerates grazing better than some of the other annual options. For those concerned about non-structural carbohydrates, however, annual ryegrass may have the potential to accumulate more stored sugars than other annual forage species.

What are the foods that horses should avoid?

8 Foods You Should Never Feed to Your Horse

• Chocolate. Just like dogs, horses are sensitive to the chemical theobromine which is found in the cocoa which is used to make chocolate.
• Persimmons.
• Avocado.
• Lawn Clippings.
• Fruit with Pips and Stones.
• Bread.
• Potatoes and Other Nightshades.
• Yogurt and Other Dairy Products.

Is haylage more fattening than hay?

Haylage is, however, higher in protein, and more digestible than hay giving it a higher DE content. As a result, horses generally tend to do better on haylage, so it’s often not ideal for overweight horses and those prone to weight gain, metabolic and laminitic horses, unless it is a high-fibre, lower DE variety.

Can haylage cause laminitis?

One study found a higher insulin response to haylage compared to dry and soaked hay. High circulating levels of insulin in the blood are of concern as it is thought to link to laminitis.

Should you feed more haylage than hay?

Haylage has a lower DM content than hay, so your horse will need to be fed slightly more weight of haylage than hay to get the desired amount of fibre in their diet – which is important for digestion and general wellbeing. Haylage is more digestible than hay, giving it a higher digestible energy (or DE) content.

Is rye hay high in sugar?

Hay made from wheat, barley, rye-grass or oats is high in sugar especially if it has been made prior to seed formation. Sugar levels can be elevated in grasses when they are drought stressed or over-grazed.

Is rye a carb or protein?

Like all whole grains, rye flakes are high in carbohydrates. They’re complex carbohydrates, so they won’t cause the blood sugar spikes you’d get from white bread or pasta, but it’s still important not to overdo your intake. Limit your intake to one ¼ cup serving.

Is rye hay low in sugar?

Ryegrass is often high in sugar and has been the cause of much laminitis, but if it is not drought stressed and cut early in the morning it can be a quality low sugar hay. Ryegrass staggers is another concern in feeding ryegrass.

How does rye grass affect horses?

Symptoms of ryegrass staggers include: Trembling, unsteadiness and poor muscle co-ordination. In severe cases they will stagger and can fall over. Lack of control is often worst at the horse’s rear end.

What is the healthiest grass for horses?

Grazing perennial cool-season grasses
We then determined that horses preferred mixtures of endophyte-free tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass and timothy. This mixture also yielded well, withstood grazing pressure, and met the nutritional needs of most classes of horses.

Does ryegrass fix nitrogen?

Using Annual Ryegrass could help keep the nitrogen in the soil profile and available for the crop the following year. In addition to improving fertility, Annual Ryegrass produces biomass that will increase the soil organic matter and fertility after the cover crop is burned down in the spring.

What is the purpose of ryegrass?

As the name suggests, annual ryegrass is a short-lived grass used to provide quick color, short-term erosion control or temporary stability for a season. Turf-type perennial ryegrass is used in those same ways, but it comes back year after year in northern climates to establish a permanent lawn.

Is haylage better than dry hay?

Properly done, most livestock tend to find haylage more palatable than dry hay. However, when acetic acid levels increase, again due to the contents bring overly wet, feed intake tends to significantly decrease. Nutritional content is also something that can be compromised by improper moisture.