Can Horses Eat Pea Straw?

Other forages such as pea hay or pea straw can also be used for horses. The nutrient values for these feeds are highly variable and a feed analysis would be very beneficial when considering these feeds in horse diets.

What type of straw can horses eat?

What type of straw is best for horse feed? Oaten or barley straw is generally softer (less indigestible fibre) than wheaten straw and is therefore more commonly used for feed. If you have a feed analysis performed, look for an NDF of less than 65.

Can horses eat peas hay?

Pea straw has low digestibility and quality, but would be usable provided it is mixed up to 50:50 with a good-quality grass hay or legume hay. Barley hay is suitable as an alternative forage for horses.

What happens if a horse eats straw?

Lignin fiber is completely non-digestible in the digestive system of horses. If horses eat a large volume of straw, this lignin fiber accumulates in the digestive system and it can plug (impact) the digestive system. This results in severe colic and even death if not properly treated.

Is it OK for horses to eat straw?

While straw is not as nutritious as hay, it is safe for horses to eat and can be a source of beneficial roughage. In contrast, the horses on wood shavings paused less frequently while consuming their hay meal and did not have anything to eat once finished.

What kind of straw is best for horses?

Common mixes are timothy/alfalfa, orchardgrass/ alfalfa, and orchardgrass/clover. The best hay mix for most horses, without any health problems, is one-half Alfalfa and one-half Timothy.

What hay should horses not eat?

Types of Hay for Horses—What to Avoid

• Perennial ryegrass and rye.
• Dallisgrass.
• Argentine bahiagrass.
• Johnsongrass, Sorghum grasses/Sudangrass.
• Switchgrass, which causes photosensitivity, peeling skin, mouth ulcers and liver disease.
• Foxtail Millet (aka German Millet) and Meadow foxtail.

Can horses eat Timothy straw?

Like all forages fed to horses, timothy hay should be free of mold, dust, and weeds. Timothy hay is appropriate for all classes of horses, including young, growing horses.

How much straw can a horse safely eat?

Feed barley or oat straw, ideally not sprayed with chemicals and of good hygienic quality. Feed no more than 50% of the total forage amount as straw. NB Pat Harris suggests feeding no more than 25% of the total forage amount as straw.

Can horses eat pine straw?

Summary. Some horses eat their bedding. Ingestion of small amounts of straw or shavings is usually not harmful, but ingestion of larger amounts can cause intestinal obstruction and colic. Most horses that are fed adequately do not ingest significant amounts of shavings.

Is oat straw good for horses?

Oat straw is an excellent source of fibre and is low in sugar and can be used for horses, ponies and donkeys that require a low sugar, low starch and low energy diet.