Can Cows Have Horse Hay?

Hay is simply dried grass, clover, alfalfa and similar forage plants and/or mixtures of these plants and it’s the ideal food for grass grazing animals, which would include both horses and cows.

What is the best hay for cattle?

alfalfa
Fine alfalfa or oat straw best is best for cattle. Avoid coarse hay for young calves, sheep, and goats. Give dairy producing cows nutrient-rich hay to aid production.

What is the best hay for cattle and horses?

Orchardgrass is one of the highest quality grasses that is a good hay option for horses, cattle and other livestock. In cattle, sheep and goat diets, it produces a superior body weight gain and milk production compared to other grasses, making it a great choice for pregnant, lactating and even growing animals.

Does the cow eat hay?

Cows will voluntarily consume 2.0% of body weight or 24 pounds per day. The 24 pounds is based on 100% dry matter. Grass hays will often Page 2 be 7 to 10% moisture. If we assume that the hay is 92% dry matter or 8% moisture, then the cows will consume about 26 pounds per day on an “as-fed basis”.

What hay is toxic to cows?

Sweetclover is a biennial legume that lives for two years. Sweetclover can provide good nutrition to cattle because it is high in protein and energy when not mature. However, sweetclover can become toxic to cattle if fed as hay, North Dakota State University Extension livestock systems specialist Karl Hoppe cautions.

What hay can cattle not eat?

Some molds can cause respiratory problems or abortion in pregnant cows. Avoid stemmy, coarse alfalfa. Protein and nutrition is mainly in the leaves, so stemmy hay is less nutritious and low in protein. Cattle won’t eat it well; coarse stems are hard to chew.

Can cows eat the same hay as horses?

Horses need better quality hay than cattle. Because of their ruminant digestive system, cattle will turn all hay into the same kind of protein, regardless of the quality at the outset. That’s because the ruminant system uses bacteria to digest the hay.

Is there a difference between cow hay and horse hay?

“Cow hay” is generally viewed as lower quality hay that is ideal for most beef cattle. “Dairy hay” is an extremely high protein, high energy hay suitable to support milk production in dairy animals. “Horse hay” is extremely clean, no dust or mold, hay that contains moderate levels of both protein and energy.

Can cows bloat on alfalfa hay?

The biggest concern with grazing frosted alfalfa is the potential for bloat. Bloat is a serious problem in livestock, especially cattle, and preventative measures must be used when animals are placed in bloat-inducing situations, such as grazing alfalfa.

Can cows eat any kind of hay?

Mature beef cattle can get by on rather plain hay—of any type—but if lactating they will need adequate protein. Good palatable grass hay, cut while still green and growing, can be very adequate, but if grass hay is coarse and dry (with little vitamin A or protein), you’ll need to add some legume hay to their diet.

What type of hay is fed to cows?

Timothy Hay: Essential Feed for Cattle
It is a great ingredient for the overall health and conditioning of the dairy cow, and combining Timothy with other higher protein ingredients (like Alfalfa) can be a great way to balance the cow’s energy and protein needs.

What kind of hay do beef cows eat?

alfalfa hay
Leafy, green alfalfa hay is unusually high in carotene, the precursor of vitamin A. Vitamin A is the most common beef cow vitamin deficiency. Good quality alfalfa hay can usually furnish all the vitamin A needs of beef animals.

Can hay make cows sick?

“Hay can be unfit for livestock due to excessive moisture while baling or exposure to the elements, such as excessive rain or flooding. Molds present in the feed may contain mycotoxins, which can cause significant health issues,” Hiney said.

Can you feed cows too much hay?

If the nutrient concentration is such that it meets the cow’s requirements, cows with unlimited access to this high quality hay, will eat more than they need. Over-eating a forage will likely not hurt the cow, but will increase feed costs. Cows over-eating grains is not a good situation.

Do cows prefer hay or grass?

Hay is the mainstay diet for our livestock. Learn the intricacies of hay types, nutritional content and quality before purchasing your next load. During the cold winter months when pastures contain scant forage, hay is the typical diet for cattle, horses, sheep and goats.

What do cows eat if not grass fed?

That said, grass-fed cows eat (mostly) grass, while grain-fed cows eat (mostly) an unnatural diet based on corn and soy during the latter part of their lives. To maximize growth, the cows are often given drugs, such as antibiotics and growth hormones.

Is alfalfa hay poisonous to cows?

Alfalfa hay or forage, which is commonly offered to livestock animals, may pose a risk if contaminated with poisonous plants. Undesirable effects may result from ingestion of large amounts of alfalfa by livestock but may also be associated with the ingestion of small amounts of highly toxic plants present in alfalfa.

Can hay cause bloat in cattle?

Introduction. Alfalfa is recognized as one of the most nutritious forages available and is widely used as conserved forage (ex, hay, silage) in the diets of beef and dairy cattle. However, the utilization of alfalfa by grazing beef cattle has been limited due to its propensity to cause pasture bloat.

Can you feed cows just grass hay?

While some cows can sustain many of their needs on grass alone, they are usually the non-lactating cows (i.e., cows that aren’t producing milk). A lactating dairy cow has a high metabolism, and is very similar to a marathon runner or high performance athlete.

Can cows eat straight alfalfa hay?

Alfalfa for beef cows
Alfalfa hay may be used as a protein source for cattle being fed poor quality grass hay or grazing corn stalks. A small amount of alfalfa hay (5-1 0 lb/day) will furnish all the protein needed by these animals.

Do cows prefer hay or straw?

Cows will usually prefer the hay and will compete vigorously for the more palatable feed. The dominant cows will get their fill of the good stuff, leaving the sub-dominant animals to make do with the lower quality feed.