What is the best hay to feed horses Australia?

Lucerne Hay and Grass Hay being the most popular. Lucerne Hay is a favourite hay for horses and contains ample protein (between 15% – 18%). For some horses, this may be more than they require. Lucerne is an excellent option (due to high protein levels) for Foals, Mares with foals at foot, and growing horses.

What kind of hay is best for horses?

Alfalfa
There are two primary types of horse hay: legume and grass. Alfalfa is the best variety of legume hay, and Orchard grass is the grass hay I recommend; however, Timothy, bermudagrass, bahiagrass, and Kentucky bluegrass are also excellent choices.

Is oaten hay good for horses?

Pros. When made well, horses usually love oaten hay. Being a ‘grass’, oaten hay is lower in protein so it can be used as the base forage in a horse’s diet without providing too much protein. Oaten hay contains lots of great fibre.

Is oaten or wheaten hay better for horses?

Wheaten chaff is quite high in fibre and can be used as a low energy roughage. It is a very palatable feed source and can be an excellent source of roughage for horses. Oaten chaff is high in fibre, it is often considered softer, sweeter, flatter and more palatable than wheaten chaff.

What do you feed horses Australia?

Australian horses are fed forage in the form of hay, chaff, pellets, and cubes. Lucerne (alfalfa) is the most common hay fed to horses, followed by grass (meadow) and oaten hay. Lucerne hay is grown in all Australian states and is widely available, whereas grass hay is harvested in southern areas.

What do you feed a 500kg horse?

As a general rule a 500 kg horse needs 20,000 calories a day in order to maintain his weight. There are approximately 7-8 MJ (or 2,000 calories) in a kg of good quality hay so 10 kilos of hay each night will give all the calories the horse needs just for maintenance before considering grass or hard feed.

What hay is bad for horses?

Some hay types are particularly prone to high nitrate levels and should be avoided if there are options. These include: Sorghum, Sudan, Johnsongrass and Pearl Millet. High levels of simple carbohydrate (sugars, starch) are an issue for horses with insulin resistance and can occur in virtually any type of hay.

Is timothy or orchard grass better for horses?

Orchard Grass is higher in protein (10-12%), higher in calorie content and contains the same balanced levels of calcium and phosphorus as Timothy grass. This helps ensure your horses always have a high quality grass forage option to utilize.

Is oaten hay high in sugar?

Oaten / Wheaten hay known for being the ‘candy’ of hays. It is high in sugar + starch and is NOT recommended as a safe feed insulin resistant/laminitic prone horses.

Is oaten hay OK for laminitis?

Hay – The base of a laminitis diet Avoid hays containing high amounts of fructan such as ryegrass, oaten, wheaten or barley hays. Hay should be offered prior to turning the horse out in order to fill its stomach and limit the amount of pasture ingested while grazing.

What feed is best for horses?

Provide plenty of roughage. Many pleasure and trail horses don’t need grain: good-quality hay or pasture is sufficient. If hay isn’t enough, grain can be added, but the bulk of a horse’s calories should always come from roughage.

What kind of hay do horses eat in Australia?

Lucerne (alfalfa) is the most common hay fed to horses, followed by grass (meadow) and oaten hay. Lucerne hay is grown in all Australian states and is widely available, whereas grass hay is harvested in southern areas.

Which is better for a horse legume or grass hay?

Benefits: Grass hay is lower in protein and energy than legume hay — but it’s also higher in fiber, which can make it a good choice for many horses. Since it’s less nutrient-dense than legume hay, horses have to eat more grass hay to fill their bellies, which makes grass hay a good tool for keeping a stall-bound horse from getting bored.

Which is the best grass for horses in Australia?

Rhodes Grass. Rhodes is the most popular horse pasture in Australia for a reason. In fact, for quite a few reasons. In terms of keeping your horses healthy, the make-up of Rhodes grass is perfect.

What should I look for when buying hay for my horse?

The first priority in choosing hay is to evaluate it for quality. High-quality hay should be green and sweet smelling, with no traces of mold or excess dust. Once you’ve established that it’s of good quality, it’s time to consider your choices.