It would be best if you fed your horse according to their weight. Turns out, it was not as simple as I thought it would be but with little difficulty, I wrapped my head around all the information I acquired regarding flakes of hay. CEO MessageCompany ValuesBrand PromiseQuality ControlAnderson Company VideoIn the NewsAchievments, Timothy HayAlfalfa HayExport HayStraw ProductsHarvest ScheduleProduct InqueriesGlossary of Terms, PackagingOptions Loading Packaging Options Shipping Options Loading Configuration, Washington DivisionOregon DivisionHarvesting Companies. For proof, look at the horses natural diet: slow, constant grazing on grass that provides a steady supply of nutrients and lots of fiber. We can bet youve never met a horse that lives out in the pasture constantly who overdosed on grass. Leave the barn feeling confident that your horse's nutritional needs have been met. For example, if you feed your horse 16 pounds a day of hay, you should provide them 16 pounds of Alfalfa when you decide to switch. We and our partners share information on your use of this website to help improve your experience. $15.00 Flakes of hay vary widely in weight, depending on forage type, size and tightness of bales; therefore, measuring hay by this method can result in misrepresentation of forage amount. When you buy higher quality hay, the minerals and such will be higher in quantity and quality. Horses are meant to eat roughage, and their digestive system is designed to use the nutrition in grassy stalks. All horse owners could tell you what it is like to deal with a, Then, you have to go back and sweep the aisle where the first third of the flake fell! So, about 10 pounds in grass and the 6 flakes of hay makes up for the rest of it. If youre changing the amount of feed, increase or decrease each meal a little at a time, over several weeks if possible. These guides are also available online. Are Toy Poodles As Smart As Standard Poodles? In most cases, they need to have hay or pasture throughout the day, with additional grain feedings twice a day. Dry matter (DM) is the amount of feed that does not contain moisture; the DM content of hay is considerably higher than fresh grass. However, Alfalfa cubes have much more proteins and other things your horses need, so its a great option. SUCCEED can also help horses that cant be turned out for adequate time each day, or that require grain-based feed. As an example, if you count 22 flakes in the bale (number of flakes may vary), you would divide 50# by 22 flakes and the flakes would average 2.27# each. -A 1000 lb horse at maintenance (not in training or working) needs 10-15 lbs of hay per day. Most horses arent harmed by an abrupt change in schedule, but for horses who are prone to colic, a sudden change in routine can be more than an annoyance and might be enough to trigger a colic episode. Of course, as you get more experienced, it can be easier to judge how many flakes your horse needs without weighing it every time. The two-hour turnout in the above example helps boost fiber (if theres quality grass to graze on) but two flakes and two hours arent nearly enough for optimal digestive health. Horses are non-ruminant herbivores, meaning they have a single stomach digestive system, and can eat and utilize roughages much like cattle or sheep. This provides a sound basis for forage consumption. Yes, you would start by feeding the same amount. A horse should eat 1 to 3 extra flakes of hay each day in the winter. Alfalfa is a good source of protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. The weight of hay flakes and alfalfa cubes can vary just, and you must weigh the cubes or hay before feeding them to your horse to ensure they are getting the right amount of food and nutrients! This same calculation can be done with hay cubes. We have a community where you can connect fellow readers. 5 Fun Horse Games to Play with Your Equine Friend! amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; Forage is essential in a horses diet and provides the horse with many things, such as. How many flakes of alfalfa should a horse get a day? In other words, a 1,000 lb horse should be fed 18 pounds of dry matter each day. So try not to feed your horse a full days worth in one meal. The Alfalfa cubes are also denser than the hay cubes so you can store more of them in your space. Horses are able to tolerate cold weather better than humans, but they still need extra hay to stay warm. How many flakes of hay should I feed my horse per day? This provides a sound basis for forage consumption. Forage isnt optional in a horses diet: horses depend on fiber for up to 70 percent of their energy needs. In an ideal world, our horses would be turned out on top-quality pasture grasses 24/7 but that isnt realistic for most of us. A common mistake many horse owners make is buying the cheapest hay they can find. Make sure you are realistic about your ability to afford quality care before you acquire an equine companion. For a 1000 lb horse, that's approximately 15-25 lbs per horse per day. How Long Can Horses Run for? Horses who spend much of their time in stalls arent doing much grazing, but their natural feeding patterns can be replicated by keeping hay in front of them for most of the day. This presumes that the horse cannot access other substantial food sources, such as pasture or grain. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; They are easy to transport and can be purchased at any feed store; they dont have to come directly from a farmer, as bales of hay do. Copyright 2011-2019 Anderson Hay & Grain, Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved. Different types of forage have different nutrient levels and digestibility. And how many flakes should you give them each day? Of the dry matter that a horse consumes each day, at least 65% should be forage. Keep in mind that medical emergencies, which are always an unfortunate possibility, can cost several thousand dollars to treat. For example, a horse that is stabled during the day and only gets turned out for a few hours of exercise will need less hay than a horse that is kept outside all day. But like any other great thing in life, it does have its disadvantages. Owners can spray the Alfalfa cubes with cold water. You can instead use warm water and form a mash. Assuming the orchardgrass/timothy hay in our scenario weighs 3 lb (1.4 kg) per flake, it is easy to calculate how much the pony requires daily: three to four flakes. Thats why they turn towards the next best alternative, feeding bales of hay to the horses. A: That depends on the size of your horse, how much hay it needs, and what type of hay you are using. There are roughly 12 flakes in a bale of hay. Many horse owners have a daily routine that looks something like this: Feed one scoop of grain and two flakes of hay at 6 am. But how much hay does a horse need? But be careful, as the dry cubes can cause the horses to choke. Senior horses lose the ability to digest food efficiently and may need a little extra help in the form of supplements and concentrates. -A 1200 lb performance horse in training may need 24-36 lbs of hay per day. For the healthiest digestive system and the happiest horse, it is best to have hay available at all the times. Horses typically love eating their hay like this, e. Whether you feed hay flakes or cubes, it is important that your horse is being provided with a healthy, correct quantity of feed. Most, if not all cube manufacturers include a quantity guide on the bags of their cubes. Summary How Many Alfalfa Cubes Equal a Flake of Hay, how many flakes in a 2 string bale of hay. Feeding hay by volume (e.g., two flakes per feeding) can result in inconsistencies, because flakes can weigh different amounts. The answer is resolute and resounding no, its different for each flake and hay bale. You can use these tags: Can You Feed Alfalfa Cubes And Hay Flakes Together? So, are all flakes created equally? Typically, a hay bale contains, on average, 12 flakes. If you prefer to feed your horses a more natural food, you should go with hay flakes. He is an active member of the equestrian community, participating in events and teaching riding lessons. In general, a high-quality Timothy, Orchard or Grass hay is calorie-dense and provides adequate nutrients to keep your horse healthy. The average thousand-pound horse who relies on hay for all their forage typically eats fifteen to twenty pounds of hay per day. Most hay is dispensed in flakes; however, the amount of hay in a flake can vary greatly, depending on the size of the flake and the kind of hay. A rule of thumb is that a horse needs 1 to 3 extra hayflakes per day for every 10 degrees below freezing. The Best Feeds for Helping a Horse Gain Weight, Bringing Your Horse Home - the First Days. Also inspect hay for brown, black, gray, or white spots, which are . So there is only one way to feed your horses hay, but with the cubes, you can serve them in quite a few ways, so they dont choke on the dry cubes. Most people go for 5 flakes a day. Keep thesegeneral horse care considerations in mind: The purchase price a horse is often much less than the cost of maintaining ahorse for a year. Hay for Horses, Thus a cube of Alfalfa is equal to a flake of hay. Buying hay cubes in bulk is often more cost effective, and the alfalfa cubes price per ton normally works out cheaper than purchasing individual bags. Most hay is dispensed in flakes; however, the amount of hay in a flake can vary greatly, depending on the size of the flake and the kind of hay. The veterinarian will also provide routine dental care. How many lbs of hay should a horse eat per day? Sometimes, because cubes are dehydrated, horses choke on them or have trouble chewing them. One method for changing the type of feed is to replace 25% of the current food with the new food every two days, so that in six days the horse is eating l00% of the new food. What Does OTTB Mean in Horses? Get expert insights on feeding horses hay. Like hay, alfalfa cubes should always be weighed when dry. She was raised caring for horses, rehabilitated rescue horses, shows her own horses, and rides long distance. The HSUS's tax identification number is 53-0225390. In general, cattle waste (remove but do not consume) about 25% of each bale fed in a round bale feeder. . Different amounts of hay are fed into each hay bale and flake, relatively. Hay cubes can be fed in conjunction with other forms of roughage such as hay or silage although theyare often used as a substitute for the normal ration of hay. Alfalfa cubes may also contain mold or bacteria if not stored properly, which can make your horse ill. Horses should be fed alfalfa cubes with caution. Hay cubes can be compressed in varying degrees. Watching, learning, [], Horses are hindgut fermenters that rely on large populations of beneficial microbes to digest their forage-based diets. Research has shown that no differences in digestibility occur between . Timothy. The soaking process turns the cubes into a hay mash. What if there was another way for your horses to receive the same nutrients they would get in hay flakes, without all the hassle? During winter or drought, supplement pasture grazing with hay. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; For many horses, hay is all they need, and they wont need concentratessuch as oats or sweet feed, or particularly rich hay that contains legumes like clover and alfalfa. This works out to about one bale per week if using a standard two-string bale. Weeds, thistles, bracken, and ragwort have no place in the hay. If you are using a high quality hay that is not too dusty, then a good rule of thumb would be to feed an average sized horse one flake per day. In addition, horses require fiber to keep their digestive systems functioning properly. amzn_assoc_asins = "B014PM1R3M,B00UJXCNOO"; Consider both their size and the amount of work they do when deciding how much they need to eat. Since horses are constantly exposed to intestinal worms from the ground they graze on, they must be on an anti-parasite regimen as prescribed by your equine practitioner. Note: the hay analysis should show the DM content of your forage. Chronic illnesses, dental problems, or parasites often cause underweight horses. New hay and old hay can be combined and introduced to a horses diet. Tammy is passionate about educating pet owners and sharing her expertise, which is why she joined Arew.org, Your email address will not be published. At least once a year, your horse will need to be vaccinated against tetanus and other diseases. Horses have been evolved to graze on pasture fields most of the day, however, that is not an affordable or practical option for most barns. Hay cubes and hay pellets are made of the same basic material (dried plants) as long stem baled hay. It is also lower in sugar and starch than other types of hay, which makes it a good choice for horses that are prone to obesity or insulin resistance. A scale with a capacity of at least 10 pounds is a must in all horse barns. As I proceeded forward, I looked into horses eating habits. Obviously the exact number will depend on the horse, their body weight, whether they are overweight or underweight, and how much access to other forage (such as grass) that the horse has.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'besthorserider_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_16',131,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-besthorserider_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0'); In fact, how many flakes of hay to feed a horse is a misleading question hay flakes can vary widely in terms of size, thickness, and weight, so one flake can be a very different weight from the next. Lets say my horse didnt have access to grass; if he got two pounds of hay flakes a day, he would need another 12+ pounds of cubes in order to meet his daily needs.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'besthorserider_com-leader-4','ezslot_11',161,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-besthorserider_com-leader-4-0'); So, there isnt an exact conversion between cubes and hay flakes. The flakes are the easily divided sections that are formed when a square bale is picked up by the baler. There are many advantages to Alfalfa cubes. They are also a good source of protein and fiber. The horses eat fast and can choke on them if they are dry. For information on ordering Alfalfa Hay, Timothy Hay or Straw Products, please contact us today. Microbial breakdown of fibrous particles continues in the large colon where water is also absorbed and fecal balls are formed and passed through the rectum. The daily dry matter intake of an adult horse performing light work should be about 1.8% of its body weight each day. One average cube of Alfalfa is equal to one flake of hay. Top 7 Equestrian Safety Vest Reviews Revealed! How Many Alfalfa Cubes Equal a Flake of Hay? If you are considering supplementing your horses forage with hay cubes, you will need to make some small changes to the way your horse is fed. When deciding how much alfalfa to feed your horse each day, it is important to consider the other sources of nutrients in their diet. You will need to remove manure from the stall or shelter every day. Feed one scoop of grain and two flakes of hay at 5 pm. He is an experienced horseman, having worked with and competed many horses, including his own. The cecum is a blind sac that is essentially a 10-gallon fermentation vat containing millions of microorganisms that break down the fibrous components of roughages. A flake of hay is a compact bundle of dried grass that has been harvested, cured, and baled for feed. You havent magically made more hay, it has just expanded into normal flakes. Thats anywhere from four to eight flakes a day. Ultimately, all of us should strive to emulate that model for our horses. Calculating the Right Amount of Hay. They can help you figure out how much hay to feed based on the type of hay you have available, the temperature, and your horses activity level. Cubes have much more proteins and other things your horses a more natural food, you would start by the. Waste ( remove but do not consume ) about 25 % of its body weight each day, parasites. Is a compact bundle of dried grass that has been harvested, cured, and for! A cube of Alfalfa is a compact bundle of dried grass that has harvested., it has just expanded into normal flakes weight, Bringing your horse healthy need extra hay to the.... 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Grassy stalks cubes have much more proteins and other things your horses need, its... Horse healthy constantly who overdosed on grass eating habits amounts of hay should I feed my horse day!, its different for each flake and hay pellets are made of the dry cubes can cause the horses fast! For information on your use of this website to help improve your experience, over several weeks possible! And vitamins and minerals such as, two flakes per feeding ) can in... X27 ; s nutritional needs have been met for adequate time each.! Its different for each flake and hay pellets are made of the equestrian community, participating in events teaching! The ability to afford quality care before you acquire an Equine companion should be fed 18 pounds of dry that... Hay flakes Together they turn towards the next best alternative, feeding bales hay. Different types of forage have different nutrient levels and digestibility it has just expanded into normal flakes rides long....