Is Coastal Grass Good For Horses?

Coastal hay is a type of Bermuda hay that has a reputation for increasing the risk of ileocecal impaction in horses. The belief that coastal hay causes impactions has been around for a long time, and in some cases might be true; however, Bermuda hay can make excellent forage for horses.

Is Coastal hay nutritious?

For hay, coastal grass is used, because its common counterpart does not reach the needed height. This hay is typically a good and less expensive alternative to orchard or timothy hay grass hay. It is also lower in nutritional value but has good amounts of vitamins A and D, calcium, and phosphorous.

What is the difference between Tifton and coastal hay?

As far as production, testing in Florida indicates that in general Tifton 85 yields more forage compared to coastal, is more digestible, has a lower sugar content, and is slightly higher in crude protein. Although it has thicker stems, the stems have higher fiber content that is more digestible.

What type of grass hay is best for horses?

Grass Hay for Horses
Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass and timothy are all examples of common grasses used for hay. Benefits: Grass hay is lower in protein and energy than legume hay — but it’s also higher in fiber, which can make it a good choice for many horses.

What’s the difference in Bermuda and coastal Bermuda?

Coastal is more robust than most common Bermuda grasses and is more resistant to foliage diseases, frost and drought. It generally produces more forage than common Bermuda grass, especially at high fertility levels (Table 2).

How much coastal hay should I feed my horse?

Horses should consume 2% of their body weight in hay. For example, a mature 1,000 pound horse should consume 20 pounds of hay per day. Some horses have higher energy requirements and require extra supplementation with grain during these months.

Is Coastal hay high in protein?

Grass hays include timothy, Bermuda/coastal, tifton 85, and orchard hay. These hays are high in fiber with lower protein, energy and calcium levels than legume hay.

How often should coastal hay be cut?

every 4 to 5 weeks
HAY MANAGEMENT
Take first cut when grass is about 18 inches high and cut every 4 to 5 weeks thereafter. 3. Use the calendar and never let more than 6 weeks elapse between cuts.

Is Coastal hay good for Laminitic horses?

If coastal Bermudagrass is managed correctly, there are two other nutritional aspects of the forage to keep in mind. First, it is low in fructans, natural plant sugars known to incite or exacerbate laminitis in certain horses. Horses prone to laminitis will generally improve when fed a low-fructan diet.

How long is coastal hay good for?

Hay doesn’t come stamped with an expiration date, so sometimes it’s hard to know when to use it and when to toss it. Consider these points: If the hay was of good-quality when harvested and stored in a dry place with sufficient airflow, hay is likely suitable for consumption for two to three years.

Which grass hay is not recommended for horses?

Hoffman said there are a few grasses to avoid in hay or forage if you are feeding horses. They include: Perennial ryegrass and rye.

Do horses prefer grass or hay?

While most horses do well and thrive on a grass hay diet, other horses with different needs and medical conditions are better suited to being fed a diet of grass/alfalfa mix, or an exclusively all alfalfa.

What kind of hay can horses not eat?

Oat hay has thick tougher stalks that some horses will not eat. Oat hay tends to be higher in nitrates and also high in sugar (NSC), so this hay is not an option for insulin resistant horses. Here’s a comparison chart so you can see the differences between alfalfa hay, timothy (grass) hay and oat hay.

Does coastal Bermuda make good hay?

Coastal and Tifton 85 are both excellent warm-season grasses and they will provide the high quality hay and pasture required for hoses if properly managed. And this is not a myth—it is a fact!

Is Coastal grass same as Bermuda?

Coastal is a highly productive bermudagrass producing both rhizomes and stolons and is adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions. It has exceptional longevity, readily responds to fertility and irrigation, and possesses better drought tolerance than common.

Is alfalfa or Bermuda better for horses?

Alfalfa hay is leafy, significantly higher in protein, depending on the hay maturity usually lower in fiber, and more easily digested than Bermuda grass hay.

What crop of hay is best for horses?

The compromise for most U.S. horses is a good quality grass-alfalfa mix hay. An inexpensive hay analysis will tell you the level of crude protein, total digestible nutrients, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium in the hay.

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).

How many flakes are in a bale of coastal hay?

Each bale has 16 flakes. The difference is 5.6 vs 7.2 lbs. To ensure that your horses are receiving the appropriate amount of hay, check the bale weight and average number of flakes per bale for each hay load. Feeding by scoops or flakes will work as long as know the weight for the volume of feed that is being fed.

What is the difference between coastal and timothy hay?

Coastal hay is normally just the native grasses that has been cut, dried and baled. Timothy is a grass that is generally fed to horses. Alfalfa is a legume that generally has good feed value. At times alfalfa can actually be to high in protein and feeding to much alfalfa to horse can be bad for them.

What time of day is sugar highest in grass?

afternoon
Sugar content of grasses is higher in the afternoon than in the morning and sugar content is lowest at night, so grazing should be restricted to the safest times of the day to graze, early morning and night times.