Is Cow Hay The Same As 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 have horse hay?

Cattle are ruminants and are able to breakdown fiber very efficiently, whereas horses are monogastrics with a functional large intestine (hindgut fermenters) and are less efficient at fiber digestion. Therefore, cattle can perform well on lower quality hay that horses cannot digest well.

What is the best hay for cows 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.

What can replace hay for horses?

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.

What kind of hay is best for a horse?

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.

What is hay for horses made of?

Hay can be broken down into two main categories: grass (e.g. Timothy, Fescue) and legume (e.g. Alfalfa, Clover). Grass hay is exactly what it sounds like – a short leafy plant – while legumes are members of the pea family. Not all hay is made equally, and each horse has its own preferences.

What kind of hay is in a bale?

There are two main types of hay available to feed horses and cattle. Whether they are in Round Bales or Square bales. Lucerne Hay and Grass Hay being the most popular.

Can horses eat the same hay as cows?

Most horses graze in cow pastures and are fed hay or silage from those pastures. Horses find this grass very palatable, but it is actually far too high in energy (fructan) and contains too little effective fibre for them. This may make a horse sick, often leading to complaints such as laminitis or tying up.

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 to feed cows when there is no hay?

Additional Alternative Feeds
Alternative feedstuffs used to decrease the dependency on alfalfa or grass hay include harvested corn stalks, millet hay, wheat straw, sorghum-sudan, cottonseed hulls, soybean hulls, wheat middlings, and corn gluten feed.

What is the best hay to feed cows?

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.

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 happens if horses eat cow feed?

Affected horses usually exhibit restlessness, colic, sweating, and death, with postmortem examination showing severe damage to the heart muscle. Because of this risk, never feed cattle feed containing ionophores to horses.

Can a horse survive on just hay?

Many pleasure and trail horses don’t need grain: good-quality hay or pasture is sufficient. If hay isn’t enough, grain can be added, but the bulk of a horse’s calories should always come from roughage. Horses are meant to eat roughage, and their digestive system is designed to use the nutrition in grassy stalks.

Can you mix cows and horses?

Horses and cattle might have to be separated if cattle are fed a concentrated form of energy such as a grain mix. Many cattle feeds contain additives that are harmful, even lethal, to horses, so it is never wise to offer cattle feed to horses. Fencing requirements vary between the species.

Is grass hay or alfalfa better for cows?

As mentioned earlier, some alfalfa hay will pass through the rumen of a beef cow in about one-half the time required by grass hay (36 versus 70 hours). Therefore, animals fed alfalfa hay tend to gain faster, produce more milk, and maintain themselves in better condition than those fed other forages.

Can you mix cows and horses in the same pasture?

When it comes to grazing, horses and cows can technically graze together on the same grass. They can even be given the same high-quality hay, although cattle require less nutritious hay than horses since their digestive systems use multiple cycles.

Is timothy or alfalfa better for horses?

Alfalfa hay is typically higher in protein and essential nutrients than timothy hay, making Alfalfa a better option for more active animals that need a high-protein diet. Alfalfa also has more calories per pound than timothy, so it’s generally the preferred choice of sport horse owners.

What grass makes the best hay for cattle?

Alfalfa– It is probably the best high quality feed for livestock and as a cash crop but it requires deep, well drained soils and high fertility for high yields.