Can hay be too green for horses?

Green and sweet-smelling: it's usually of good quality. The color indicates that it was baled at an optimal time. Light yellow on the outside of bale: it's sun bleached, which decreases palatability somewhat to horses.

Can you feed horses green hay?

Green. Without question, the most desirable color of hay is bright green. Greenness indicates the hay was not subjected to any adverse conditions during curing or storage, thereby suggesting the forage is nutritious and free of molds.

Is green hay better for horses?

Most horse owners want dark green hay. Many sources state that higher quality hay tends to be dark green. This is true, but it is only part of the truth. A dark green colour can indicate higher protein and nutrient levels, but it can also indicate high nitrate levels.

How green should hay be?

“The most desirable color is bright green. Green hay suggests the hay was not subjected to any adverse conditions during curing or storage, and most likely the hay is nutritious and free of molds,” Judd said.

What is the color of good quality hay?

Good quality hay should be bright green in color with little fading. A bleached, yellow, brown or black color may indicate aged hay, mold or poor storage conditions. Storage condition and age have a significant effect on vitamin content of hays.

Can a horse eat too much hay?

Is green hay high in sugar?

Ryegrass and grain hays tend toward high sugar, plus starch in the grain hays. Contrary to popular belief, there is no type of grass hay guaranteed to be low sugar and starch. Seed heads are the easiest way to identify a grass hay. Timothy's fuzzy, long seed heads look like a green or beige caterpillar.

How can you tell if hay is bad?

Signs that your horse hay may be bad include a lack of color or dried-out appearance, a moldy smell, excessive dust, visible mold, or excessive heat towards the center of the hay bale. Because hay provides your horse with so many essential nutrients, you must provide your horse with the best quality hay available.

Why is some hay green and some brown?

Hay that was cured quickly and stored properly is usually a bright green color while hay that was cured slowly or damaged by rain after partial drying may be pale yellow or brown because of bleaching and/or leaching.

What is considered horse quality hay?

Horse hay should be bright green, leafy and fine textured, with a fresh, pleasant aroma. Musty hay or other indications of mold or heating, and dust, weeds and other foreign material in hay can be unhealthy for an animal. Color is an indicator of quality and nutrient content; good hay is a bright green.

Is the inside of a hay bale green?

Sometimes, hay stored outdoors will look like this on the outside but still be green inside the bale. A dried, bleached or coarse bale is still edible and provides some nutritional value as long as it is dry and not moldy, dusty, or rotting.

What kind of hay is bad for horses?

Clover and grass hay (different types of clovers like red, white, etc.) Prone to fungus. Protein and fiber-rich. However, they are prone to fungus, and red clover can cause excess salivation in horses.

Is timothy or orchard grass better for horses?

The higher calorie content of Orchard Grass is a result of higher fiber digestibility compared to Timothy Grass. The high nutrient intake delivered by Orchard Grass hay translates into potentially less grain the horse would need to eat to satisfy energy and protein requirements.

What is green hay called?

Alfalfa, clover, and peanut are legume hays, while timothy, oat, bermuda, and orchard are examples of grass hays. If you're sitting there thinking that you've seen oat straw before, you may have! Oats can be grown for hay or oats and straw. Hay is basically a grass that is cut green, then dried and baled.

What is the best hay to feed horses?

Best Hay Types for Horses

• 1.) Alfalfa. Alfalfa hay is high-protein legume hay from the 'pea' family. ...
• 2.) Clover. Clover hay is the other legume hay suitable for horses but not as popular with horse owners. ...
• 3.) Timothy Grass. ...
• 4.) Orchardgrass. ...
• 5.) Fescue. ...
• 6.) Reed Canary Grass. ...
• 7.) Bluegrass. ...
• 8.) Bromegrass.

Can horses eat 2 year old hay?

If the hay was of good-quality when harvested and stored in a dry place with sufficient airflow, hay is likely suitable for consumption for two to three years. Keep in mind that hay, even premium forage, loses much of its vitamin content in the first few months of storage.

How long should hay be left before feeding to horses?

“Some traditional horsemen believe that fresh-baled hay should 'sweat' for two to four weeks before feeding. This allows the hay to cure, which might be important if the hay too wet when it was baled.

What does a good hay analysis look like?

Optimum horse hay moisture ranges from 10 to 15 percent. ADF values under 45 percent are generally good for horses. NDF values under 65 percent are generally good for horses. The adult horse at maintenance should have a Ca to P ratio between 3:1 and 1:1.

Is Bluegrass hay good for horses?

Kentucky Bluegrass is low-growing and, therefore, low-yielding. Because of this, it is not ideal for hay but is excellent for horse pastures. It is highly nutritious, very palatable, and tolerant of close, frequent grazing. Kentucky Bluegrass also forms a tight sod, providing good pasture footing.

Do horses need good quality hay?

A good-quality grass hay may meet most of the adult horse's basic nutritional needs. Mature horses require 10 to 12 percent CP (crude protein) in their diets. Many native or prairie grass hays contain just 6 to 8 percent.

Is sun bleached hay OK for horses?

If your hay is sun-bleached, usually the only sides that become discolored are the sides that are in direct sunlight. While the hay that's been sun-bleached may lose some nutrients, the inside of the hay should still be OK.

What Colour should timothy hay be?

Soft Timothy Hay should have these qualities:

Color: Described as hunter or deep green. Soft Timothy Hay should be noticeably darker green than Coarse or Medium Timothy Hay. Stems/Stalks: The stems of Soft hay should be very thin, less than 1/32nd of an inch, if any at all.

Can horses eat hay that has been rained on?

Rained-on hay can be a suitable forage, especially for horses prone to laminitis. Forage quality tends to be retained if: The rain occurs soon after cutting when the forage has had little time to dry.

What does moldy horse hay look like?

Look for Mold

Moldy hay generally presents as darker areas which are grey or black. If you find mold, refuse the bale – mold indicates that the hay was baled when it was too wet. Feeding moldy hay to horses can result in serious problems, such as colic.

Will horses eat bad hay?

Horses will eat moldy hay, especially if they have no alternative forage, but consuming moldy hay is dangerous and can cause digestive and respiratory diseases. Moldy hay can be fatal for horses; however, eating a small amount shouldn't cause serious problems.

What can you do with bad hay?

The best way to use moldy hay is to spread out the bales and let the animals pick through, with a second source of clean hay for them to select from as well. Mold often reduces palatability and animals will avoid especially bad chunks.