Is Hay Better For Cows Or Horses?

Hay is simply dried grass, clover, alfalfa and similar forage plants and/or mixtures of these plants and it’s the ideal food for grass grazing animals, which would include both horses and cows. It’s not better or worse for either of them, it’s what they both evolved to eat.

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 cattle 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 is the saying hay is for horses better for cows?

Moon In The Pond Farm
Hay is for horses, better for cows, pigs don’t eat it ’cause they don’t know how.

What type of hay is best for cattle?

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 and horses eat the same hay?

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. The problem comes with other grain and feed.

Do cows eat more hay than horses?

(source) You can expect a 1200-pound cow to eat approximately 24.6 pounds of average quality forage each day. What is this? This means that a horse will eat slightly more than a cow on average, but the exact totals can vary between animals.

Is there a difference between cow hay and 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.

What hay can cows not eat?

Avoid stemmy, coarse alfalfa. Protein and nutrition is mainly in the leaves, so stemmy hay is less nutritious and low in protein. Cattle won’t eat it well; coarse stems are hard to chew.

What hay is not good for horses?

Bahiagrass: This grass hails from the southern coastal plains. It’s typically found in pastures, so the stuff they make into hay is not that great for horses. Overly mature Bahiagrass hay can cause ergot poisoning, so buyer beware.

Can cows survive on just hay?

Ruminants require a diet that is at least 10% forage (pasture or hay) for a functional digestive system. A high-grain diet contains more energy than mature cows need. Although the cow’s need for feed will be satisfied, she will probably gain weight on this diet.

What is the most efficient way to feed cows hay?

Processing or grinding hay is the most efficient method for limit-feeding, but rolling out bales on frozen ground is also an option. Monitor body condition scores and adjust feed accordingly to maintain cows at a body condition of 5/9 and heifers at a body condition of 6/9.

Do cows need hay everyday?

Cows consume 2% of their body weight in forage every day. That means that a 1,200-pound cow needs 24 pounds of hay per day!

What is the cheapest way to feed cattle?

“Corn residue is one of the lowest cost forages on a cost per pound of energy. That’s why mixing a high energy and protein feed like distillers’ grains with a low quality forage like corn stalks is so cost effective. Distillers’ is often a low-cost source of both energy and protein.

How many bales of hay does a cow need a day?

A 1200-pound cow, ready for processing, will require 36 pounds of forage per day based on the formula used here. Thirty-six pounds of hay is close to one small square bale of hay per day, taking into consideration some waste.

How many bales of hay does a cow need a week?

For a cow needing 8,190 pounds of hay per year and a bale weight of 960 pounds, divide 8,190 by 960 for a yearly need of about 8.5 bales per cow. Multiply this by the total number of weaned cattle in your herd. For example, 45 cows multiplied by 8.5 bales per cow results in a total need of 383 bales.

Is alfalfa hay bad for cows?

Alfalfa hay may be used as a protein source for cattle being fed poor quality grass hay or grazing corn stalks. A small amount of alfalfa hay (5-1 0 lb/day) will furnish all the protein needed by these animals.

Do cows prefer hay or grass?

Hay is the mainstay diet for our livestock. Learn the intricacies of hay types, nutritional content and quality before purchasing your next load. During the cold winter months when pastures contain scant forage, hay is the typical diet for cattle, horses, sheep and goats.

Can you feed cows just grass hay?

While some cows can sustain many of their needs on grass alone, they are usually the non-lactating cows (i.e., cows that aren’t producing milk). A lactating dairy cow has a high metabolism, and is very similar to a marathon runner or high performance athlete.

Are horses harder on pasture than cattle?

“Horses have both upper and lower arcades of teeth, so they can easily nip grasses and graze close to the ground, or they can grab taller grass with no trouble,” explained Crandell. “Cattle, on the other hand, do not have upper incisors, which hampers their ability to tear grass at ground level.

How many bales of hay does a cow need for winter?

Feeding a one-day supply of hay each day minimizes waste but increases labor costs. When feeding large round bales without a ring or rack, a good way to estimate how many bales to have available each day is to figure one cow per foot of outside diameter of the bale.