Is Bermuda Or Timothy Hay Better For Horses?

For all of these reasons, timothy hay is an excellent choice for horse owners who are looking for nutritious and healthy hay for their animals. Bermudagrass hay is typically the cheapest grass hay for horses, so it’s a good option for horse owners on a budget.

What kind of hay is best for horses?

Legume Hay for Horses
Alfalfa, white clover, red clover and birdsfoot trefoil are common types of legumes, with alfalfa being the most popular choice. Benefits: Legumes are higher in protein and calcium than grass hay, and may also provide more energy and a higher level of total digestible nutrients, such as vitamin A.

Is Bermuda hay good for horses?

Bermuda hay is a nutritious option that you can use for feeding your horses. For horses in training and back yard horses, Bermuda hay, in combination with alfalfa, will promote their optimal health.

What type of grass hay is best for horses?

There are two primary types of horse hay: legume and grass. Alfalfa is the best variety of legume hay, and Orchard grass is the grass hay I recommend; however, Timothy, bermudagrass, bahiagrass, and Kentucky bluegrass are also excellent choices.

What is the preferred grass hay of most horse owners?

Although the most popular legume used among horse owners is alfalfa, other legumes such as red or crimson clover, lespedeza, birdsfoot trefoil, and peanut hay are often fed, and these provide horses with high-quality nutrients. Evaluating hay requires a thorough visual appraisal.

What is the most popular hay for horses?

Timothy hay is one of the most popular hays fed to horses. It can be quite expensive, depending on whether it has to be shipped long distances. Timothy must be harvested in the pre- or early-bloom stage to ensure a high nutrient content.

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.

Is Bermuda grass toxic to horses?

The soluble carbohydrates and protein of bermudagrass herbage are low and unlikely to cause nutritional problems in horses. There are no alkaloids or other harmful mycotoxins normally present in bermudagrass in Kentucky.

Is timothy hay high in sugar?

Most cool-season grasses, like orchardgrass and fescue, can have high sugar content. Timothy and crested wheatgrass tend to be medium in sugar content, as are most warm season (native) grasses.

What hay is best for older horses?

Alfalfa hay and good quality grass hays are preferable to stemmy and mature hays that have tougher fiber to ferment. The small intestine loses some function – Older horses find it harder to digest protein in the small intestine.

What hay is lowest in sugar?

What is this? In addition Timothy hay is higher in fiber and lower in sugar and calories than most other types of horse hay, making it a great choice for overweight horses. Timothy hay is also higher in calcium, which is essential for horse health.

Why is timothy hay the best?

Its low protein, high fiber, and high energy content make it easily digestible. Due to its low protein levels, Timothy hay can be fed regularly to satisfy appetite without excess calories and protein, and in some cases provides enough protein for less active and stabled horses.

How do you choose a hay for a horse?

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1. It’s what’s inside that counts.
2. Choose hay that is as fine-stemmed, green and leafy as possible, and is soft to the touch.
3. Avoid hay that is overcured, excessively sun-bleached, or smells moldy, musty, dusty or fermented.

What is the cheapest hay for horses?

Bermudagrass, which is a common grass variety, will be cheaper than alfalfa, which is a variety of legume hay.

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.

Should horses have hay at all times?

Because we like to think our horses follow the same schedule that we do, many people think that horses need less hay at night because they’re asleep (and therefore, not eating). However, that’s a myth. Horses need access to forage at all times of the day.

How many bales of hay should a horse have a day?

A horse can eat anywhere from 15-25 pounds of hay a day, which generally equates to a half of a 45/50-pound square bale of hay per day (~15-30 bales per month).

What hay is best for a horse with laminitis?

Hay – The Core Feed For A Laminitis Diet
Safer-type forages include Timothy, Teff, and Rhodes grass hays. Avoid hays containing high amounts of fructan such as ryegrass, oaten, wheaten, or barley hays. If you are unsure of the NSC level of the hay or chaff, you will need to soak it in water to leach the sugars out.

Does Bermuda hay have a lot of sugar?

Bermuda grass is also low in sugar and calories, which can be beneficial for horses that are obese or easy keepers. In addition, this type of hay is resistant to mold and other fungi, making it less likely to cause digestive problems in horses.

Is timothy hay fattening for horses?

Timothy hay is also low in sugar and calories, making it an ideal forage for horses that are prone to weight gain. In addition, the long fibers in timothy hay help to keep horses’ digestive systems healthy and reduce the risk of colic.

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.