How do you know if the hay your feeding meets your horses’ needs?
Looking at it and smelling it can help, but that won’t tell you about the amount of protein, carbohydrates and other nutrients in it.
Dr. Bob Judd, host of Texas Vet News on the Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) Radio Network, explains the best option is to have the hay tested before buying.
“It’s important to buy hay from a source that has their hay tested routinely. Any professional hay producer should have every cutting of their hay tested,” Dr. Judd said. “It’s not that expensive and since there are so many factors that can affect hay quality, testing is required.”
Some factors that affect hay quality, even in the same field year after year, include: temperature, rainfall, sunlight, as well as the time of the year the hay was cut and the maturity of the plant when it was harvested.
“Hay analysis will help determine if you need to feed a vitamin mineral supplement or protein and energy supplement,” Dr. Judd said.
Some horses need more calories and some that are overweight, need less.