Do You Have To Soak Hay Cubes For Horses?

Most horses will properly chew forage cubes. However, for any horse that is new or naïve to forage cubes, tends to bolt their feed, or with poor dentition, it is recommended to soak the cubes in water prior to feeding them.

Do hay cubes have to be soaked?

Hay cubes can be fed wet or dry. When first introduced it may be advisable to wet the cubes as the horse will have easier time biting off small chunks to chew at one time. As a horse becomes accustomed to eating them, they can typically be fed dry. With that said, wetting the cubes should not be discounted completely.

Do you have to soak alfalfa cubes for horses?

Healthy horses with normal teeth do not necessarily need to have soaked cubes, unless they bolt their feed; in these instances, soaking can help increase the time it takes them to finish the meal.

How long should you soak hay cubes?

How long the cubes are soaked and the amount of water used depends somewhat on the horse’s preference. Generally, at least 20-30 minutes are needed with equal parts water to soften the cubes.

Should you soak hay for horses?

Hay soaking for short periods of time (30-60 minutes) is an acceptable management method for reducing respirable particles and certain nutrient concentrations. Feed soaked hay immediately after soaking to eliminate the potential for mold growth.

How much hay cubes does a horse eat a day?

We have used hay cubes as the sole source of fiber in several research studies at Rutgers with good results, feeding up to 12 to 15 lbs of cubes per horse per day.

Are hay cubes better than hay?

​Many horses do as well on alfalfa pellets and cubes as they do on alfalfa hay. One reason people prefer pelleted or cubed hay is that it tends to be a more consistent product that changes little between bags, unlike hay cuttings.

Can horses colic on alfalfa cubes?

Alfalfa cubes and pellets can cause colic.
And pellets are concentrated in alfalfa hay, increasing the risk of colic. A horse will likely eat all the alfalfa cubes they have available, but when fed alfalfa hay, they are picky and often waste some.

How do you start a horse on alfalfa cubes?

Add alfalfa cubes to your horse’s diet gradually, as sudden dietary changes can cause health issues. If alfalfa cubes will be its primary feed, replace 1/4 of its old feed with alfalfa cubes. Mix the cubes with its old feed to get its digestive tract and taste buds accustomed to its new diet.

How do you introduce alfalfa cubes to horses?

If your horse is fairly new to being fed alfalfa cubes, or if you know he tends to eat too fast and is prone to choke, you’ll want to spray the cubes down with water before feeding them. There’s no need to soak them for a long time beforehand, as they will start to soften right away after being sprayed.

Should I feed my horse hay cubes?

The nutrient levels found in cubes tend to be more consistent than hay. Alfalfa cubes are sold with a guaranteed minimum nutrient content. Reduced dust. Cubes have little dust and are therefore a good alternative to hay for horses with certain respiratory problems.

Is hay or cubes better for horses?

Horses that eat hay are likely to need less frequent dental care and have healthier teeth than those that eat cubes or pellets. Stomach Protection: It’s no secret that performance horses, especially when they travel, are prone to gastric ulcers.

What happens if you soak hay for too long?

In warmer conditions, soaking hay for more than two hours is also likely to result in the hay starting to ferment and this is not desirable for then feeding to horses. Studies have shown that soaking for longer periods such as 9 hours, also increased the microbial contamination in the hay.

Is it OK to feed horses wet hay?

Soaking hay for horses can be invaluable when feeding a hay that is a little dusty as a result of soil contamination or where it was stored in the barn. Horses that have allergies and are sensitive to the natural dust and particles in hay can benefit significantly from wetting or soaking hay.

Is dry hay good for horses?

Feeding dry hay. This choice is fine for most horses. Feeding hay from the ground, whether in a stall or in the pasture, allows the horse to carry its head and neck in the most natural way while feeding.

Can hay be too dry for horses?

The key to properly cured hay lies predominantly in moisture content. For best results, hay should not be baled until there is less than 20% moisture. Hay baled too wet might mold, heat, and pose a fire risk. Conversely, hay baled too dry might lose its nutritional value through broken or fallen leaves.

Can hay cubes replace hay?

Forage cubes can be fed just like hay, at a 1:1 ratio of the like hay type the horse currently consumes. For example, you would replace five pounds of alfalfa hay with five pounds of alfalfa cubes and adjust the amount if needed to maintain the animal’s proper weight.

What happens if you feed a horse too much hay?

But it’s easy to go overboard when feeding them with the wrong hard feeds or hay that is too high in sugar or protein. Overfeeding leads to problems like obesity, laminitis, and colic. Healthy horses need a very simple diet of good pasture or hay.

How much hay should a 1000 pound horse eat a day?

fifteen to twenty pounds
The average thousand-pound horse who relies on hay for all their forage typically eats fifteen to twenty pounds of hay per day. Most hay is dispensed in flakes; however, the amount of hay in a flake can vary greatly, depending on the size of the flake and the kind of hay.

Can hay cubes be soaked overnight?

In the winter, when it’s cold, I can soak the pellets overnight outside, or in an unheated garage. The pellets can still be okay after 12 hours, if it’s cold enough. However, my preference, when possible, whether hot or cold weather, is to feed them after 5 hours of soaking.

How many hay cubes equal a bale?

Reduced storage requirements – Cubes are denser than hay and therefore require less storage space. Approximately 3 bags of cubes fit in the same area as an average-sized, small-square bale of hay.