How Much Chaffhaye Should I Feed My Horse?

Horses. 1.5 to 2 lbs of Chaffhaye per hundred weight of animal per day.

Can you free feed alfalfa to horses?

In the case of mature horses, free-choice alfalfa hay will certainly provide enough protein to satisfy requirements. As a practical recommendation, select alfalfa hays which do not contain extremely high levels of protein (greater than 17% crude protein).

Is Chaffhaye a silage?

Chaffhaye is a type of haylage. If people have seen haylage before they have normally seen it made in large pits, silos or tubes, sometimes 1,000 tons at a time.

What is chaff hay?

What is Chaffhaye? Chaffhaye is a premium Non-GMO Alfalfa, sold in 50-pound and 20-pound bags. It captures the key characteristics of alfalfa, while also offering a guaranteed level of nutrition.

How many flakes of alfalfa does a horse need per day?

The daily dry matter intake of an adult horse performing light work should be about 1.8% of its body weight each day. At least 65% of this amount should be forage. In other words, a 1,000 lb horse should be fed 18 pounds of dry matter each day.

Will alfalfa fatten up a horse?

Alfalfa is higher in calories and protein than grass hays, which makes it an excellent choice to help to add weight to a thin horse. If your horse tends to be wasteful with his hay, he may eat more when offered alfalfa hay cubes or pellets.

Is Chaffhaye good for horses?

Chaffhaye Alfalfa is a high-fiber forage and excellent source of protein. As fed from the bag, it contains 9% protein. The higher digestibility of Chaffhaye makes it especially ideal for young or growing animals, gestating mares, lactating mares, senior horses, working horses, as well as show and performance horses.

How do you feed a horse Chaffhaye?

Feeding Guidelines

1. Horses. 1.5 to 2 lbs of Chaffhaye per hundred weight of animal per day.
2. Ruminants. 2.0 to 2.5 lbs of Chaffhaye per hundred weight of animal per day.
3. Deer and Exotics. Feeding free choice is ideal for most operations.
4. Chicken & Poultry. 1/2 to 1 cup per bird per day.
5. When Changing Feed.

How long does Chaffhaye last?

By opening the bag, the forage becomes exposed to oxygen and begins to lose its freshness. As a guide, Chaffhaye will remain fresh for 7 to 10 days, depending on weather conditions.

How much chaff should a horse eat?

For optimum digestive health horses must receive at least 1.5% of their body weight each day in roughage (grass, hay, chaff and other fibre sources) which would equal 7.5kg for a 500kg horse.

Is chaff better than hay?

The benefit of increasing chewing time is that concentrate then enters the digestive tract more slowly and in smaller amounts, this allows the simple carbohydrates to be fully absorbed in the small intestine. Chaff is also easier to digest than hay and so it is great for young and older horses.

Should I feed my horse chaff?

But feeding a chaff is a very useful addition to the diet, not only does it provide forage (which should be the foundation of any horse’s diet) but it also encourages chewing. This is important because unlike humans, horses only produce salvia whilst chewing.

Is 2 flakes of hay enough for horse?

We can bet you’ve never met a horse that lives out in the pasture constantly who overdosed on grass. Forage is horses’ best source of energy, so it’s a MYTH that two small flakes of hay alone can provide enough fiber to keep a 1,000-lb-plus animal going.

How much alfalfa should I feed my 1000 pound horse?

15-20 lbs per day
For a horse who eats little hay, however, you will need to feed his entire ration as pellets. Usually 15-20 lbs per day of alfalfa or timothy pellets for a 1000# horse.

Can you overfeed hay to a horse?

However, keep in mind that the bulk of your horse’s diet should be made up of grass or hay. Underfeeding hay or pasture, and overfeeding grains and concentrates can lead to colic.

Why is alfalfa not good for horses?

Alfalfa is a good source of nutrients for sport horses, but owners might want to avoid offering it when horses are working hard in hot weather, says Duren. Protein metabolism creates more heat than fat or carbohydrate metabolism. This added heat can impair the horse’s ability to dissipate heat.

What’s the best feed to fatten up a horse?

If increased amounts of hay aren’t enough, try offering a higher quality hay such as alfalfa or an immature grass hay. Alfalfa tends to be higher in energy and protein and lower in sugar. Alfalfa can be fed as hay or as cubes/pellets.
Not enough calories

• Rice bran.
• Flax seed.
• Vegetable oil.
• Dried granular fats.

How many pounds of alfalfa should a horse eat per day?

The average horse will eat about 2% of its body weight daily (1.5 to 3.0% range) of dry (as fed) feed. A horse that weighs 1100 lbs. (average 15 hand Quarter Horse) will eat about 22 lbs. of dry feed (hay) each day.

What does foxtail in hay do to horses?

Horses that eat hay containing foxtails can develop significant ulceration of the mouth, tongue, or lips. These ulcers may appear relatively benign, but they are often quite painful. Signs of foxtail ulceration include an odor from the mouth, difficulty chewing, excessive salivation, and frothing of the mouth.

What is the best hay to feed a horse with ulcers?

alfalfa hay
For horses prone to ulcers, select hay that is high in structural carbohydrates and low in non-structural carbohydrates. Opt for hays with higher protein and calcium content. Legume hays are a great option, the most popular being alfalfa hay.

What to feed horses when there is no hay?

Six Hay Alternatives for Horses

• Bagged chopped forage. It can replace all of your horse’s hay, if necessary.
• Hay cubes. Chopped cubed hay (usually alfalfa or timothy or a combination) is another 100-percent replacement.
• Hay pellets.
• “Complete” feed.
• Beet pulp.
• Soybean hulls.