2011 Southeast Hay Convention
3/22/11
Forage Quality II: Quality of Horse Hay
Quality: Horse or Owner????
Forage Quality II: Quality of
Horse Hay
C. Norman McGlohon
Program Development Coordinator
ANR NE District
Where do buyers of horse hay get
their information? Owner
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•  Limiting factor:
–  Perception
–  Knowledge
–  Experience
Intelligence is normally not a limiting factor.
State of Mind
What are the owners looking for?
•  Anthropomorphism = to ascribe or give
human attributes
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•  If you take a horse out of it’s natural
environment and treat it like a human, then
it creates stress, illness, unsettledness …..
Mr. Norman McGlohon, ANR Program
Development Coordinator
Friends
Veterinarian
Farrier
Trainer
Boarding Stable Operators
TV Shows
Popular Press Articles published outside the SE.
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Color Odor
Texture
Variety
Weeds
Price
Alfalfa vs Grass
Fescue vs Bermuda
2011 Southeast Hay Convention
3/22/11
Forage Quality II: Quality of Horse Hay
HAY
What Mistakes Do They Make?
CRUDE
NDF %
PROT. %
CRUDE
FIBER %
DIGEST.
ENERGY
MCAL/LB
DIGEST
ENERGY
KCAL/LB
Approximate
digestible
energy
values of hays
for horses
 20
< 30
< 23
1.2
1200
Alfalfa
•  They smell it, taste it, touch it and don’t
know what is in it.
Alfalfa
16-18
30-47
24-28
1.1
1100
Alfalfa
< 15
 47
 28
1.0
1000
Bermudagrass
 12
< 65
< 30
0.9
900
Bermudagrass
8-12
66-72
31-35
0.8
800
Bermudagrass
< 7
 72
 35
0.7
700
Fescue
 12
< 65
< 26
0.95
950
Fescue
7-12
66-70
27-30
0.83
830
Fescue
< 7
 70
 30
0.75
750
Orchardgrass
 12
< 60
< 26
0.99
990
Orchardgrass
7-12
60-65
26-30
0.85
850
Orchardgrass
< 7
 65
 30
0.75
750
What is the horse looking for?
•  Quality: Based on their activity or maturity
class
•  Quantity: Based on their size and age.
Is it good enough?
Quantity
CLASS OF HORSE
•  http://nrc88.nas.edu/nrh/
•  Animal Requirements
•  Dietary Supply
Mr. Norman McGlohon, ANR Program
Development Coordinator
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DAILY FEED INTAKE
RELATIVE FORAGE
(% OF BODY WEIGHT)
QUALITY (RFQ)
Maintenance
1.5-2.0%
75 or greater
Gestating mare
1.5-2.0%
80 or greater
Lactation
2.0-3.0%
90 or greater
Growing (weanlings)
2.25- 3.25%
100 or greater
Work (performing)
1.75- 3.25%
100 or greater
Stallions (non breeding)
1.5-2.0%
75 or greater
Stallions breeding
1.75-2.5%
80 or greater
2011 Southeast Hay Convention
Forage Quality II: Quality of Horse Hay
Other Issues A Producer Can
Address
One point to remember:
•  Seasonal Sales
•  Stage of maturity at harvest
–  They don’t think about buying it ‘till they need
it
–  They have limited storage.
–  Delivery
–  Colic
–  Behavior
–  Palatability –  Quality
–  Price
•  Bale Size
Mr. Norman McGlohon, ANR Program
Development Coordinator
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3/22/11