Orchard Grass is a highly palatable grass with a high nutrient content. While the lower relative nutrition level of grass hay makes it a good filler, it does have relatively more carbohydrates. Grass hay. Typically, fresh green pasture does just that, and many baled hays can meet these needs as well. 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. 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. Equi-analytical laboratories analyze feeds for hay producers as well as horse professionals around the country, and their 10 year averages are a good baseline for nutrition values. Like all forages fed to horses, timothy hay should be free of mold, dust, and weeds. While neither of these things is an out and out myth, they come from misunderstood feeding principles. And it is here that we enter into contentious territory. Grass: Most commonly timothy, orchard, Kentucky bluegrass, bromegrass, and tall fescue. The most popular choices for grasses to be utilized as horse hay are Timothy Grass • Orchard Grass Hay is very similar to Timothy Grass Hay. It’s also a much maligned feed. Contains perennial rye grass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Timothy, orchard grass, and white clover. In Colorado we tend to have some very good hay of both varieties grown here and a given batch of hay could exceed or undershoot these values, so it is important to remember that they are just generalizations. Timothy, Orchard, Alfalfa, Fescue. Here, orchard grass performs well under grazing. Makes great hay. My horse has to work for a living, so we will see what the future holds using Teff. Have your hay tested and pay close attention to the levels of NSC (nonstructural carbohydrates, or sugars), CF (crude fiber) and DE (digestible energy, or calories). Alfalfa actually has slightly lower ESC, starch, and sugar than Timothy Hay. What kind to buy? Recommended For: Growing (slow to moderate growth), mature and overweight horses, horses with HYPP, performance horses, mares early … But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap. Much easier to spray for weeds when there is o-grass vs timothy. makes their horses too “hot”. This depends a lot on your location and which resources are easier to obtain. It has a consistent and balanced High quality forage is critical for proper digestive function in horses. Grows only on moist, heavy soils in cooler regions Highly palatable to stock but is uncompetitive with other plants, so needs light grazing. Timothy Grass is the traditional favorite among horse owners. Most hay here is a timothy/orchard mix. Horses evolved as a grazing animal, which means that they are meant to nibble on small amounts of food over the course of an entire day, and most of this food should be in the form of roughage, or hay. Many people feel like it. From a nutritional angle, orchardgrass can be a worthwhile component in almost any horse-feeding … Teff, a new type of grass hay, is touted to be an ideal choice for many horses (see sidebar at right). Photo Courtesy Public Domain Photos via Flickr. Orchard grass and timothy have similar nutrient profiles, so you might be able to find an orchard grass hay with lower sugar levels that provides fewer calories than what you are currently feeding. Alfalfa Hay (also known as Legume Hay) averages 21.2% protein and 11% NSC (simple starches). When we graze timothy (I've never grazed a strait stand of timothy its always been in with something else) even under good management it tends to get grazed out and has to be reseeded. ©2020 Standlee Premium Products, LLC® All Rights Reserved. Therefore, the nutrient rich and highl… Horses evolved as a grazing animal, which means that they are meant to nibble on small amounts of food over the course of an entire day, and most of this food should be in the form of roughage, or hay. Opinions as to which should be fed, when, and what is the right mixture of the two if they are combined. Sometimes it seems that horse people have as many opinions and feelings about feeding Grass versus feeding Alfalfa as there are horses in the world. Orchard Grass is the emerging super star of the horse hay world. So, there are pros and cons for each type of hay, and good reasons why a blend of the two, or even 100% alfalfa or 100% grass hay could ideally meet your horses’ needs. 12 Days of Standlee Christmas - Prizes every day December 12th - 23rd - ENTER NOW, Dr. Stephen Duren, Performance Horse Nutrition and Standlee Premium Western Forage® Nutritional Consultant. This can become important when considering the ideal Calcium:Phosphorus ratio for horses, which should be about 2:1. It is known for being rich in nutrients and high forage quality. Seemingly, the only potential draw-back with Timothy Grass is availability. Timothy Grass contains a moderate amount of protein, usually testing at approximately 8% protein. Orchard Grass is the emerging super star of the horse hay world. Alfalfa actually has slightly lower ESC, starch, and sugar than Timothy Hay. Hay for the Laminitic Horse. Hay hay and more hay. Two primary factors that influence forage quality are nutrient concentration and nutrient digestibility. The higher calorie content of Orchard Grass is a result of higher fiber digestibility compared to Timothy Grass. Orchardgrass horse hay is easier to harvest than Bermudagrass and Timothy hays, and it, therefore, tends to be cheaper. There are many different kinds of roughage that a horse owner can use to feed horses. Many believe that the nutritional quality of first-cutting timothy hay is inferior to the second cutting. • Alfalfa Hay can mix with Timothy up to a 50:50 ratio. We're not around right now. Horse owners have found that Timothy hay promotes a shiny coat, good digestion, bowel regularity, and a healthy weight. This is because Alfalfa Hay meets most protein and nutrition needs with a smaller quantity than most Grass Hays do. Timothy hay is the most digestible of all hays and is one of the most popular hay feeds for horses. Orchard cut late can be tough. If in doubt or dealing with a very sensitive horse, get the hay tested before feeding it. The higher calorie content of Orchard Grass is a result of higher fiber digestibility compared to Timothy Grass. Mobile equine veterinary practice serving the West Denver Metro and Foothills area. Timothy Timothy grass. Others worry about the Calcium to Phosphorus ratio being too high. In both of these examples, it may be difficult to meet the horse's daily nutrient demands consistently, and behavioral problems associated with boredom can occur. Some of the more common grass hays include timothy, brome, orchard grass and bluegrass. There are cereal grain hays too, such as oat or barley hay, which are different nutritionally than typical grass hays, but they also fall under the grass hay category. Alfalfa hay, sometimes called lucerne hay, is the most popular legume hay fed to horses in the U.S., while timothy and orchard are popular grass hay choices. Most of the highly digestible nutrients in forages are present in the leafy part of the forage. If you have additional questions, or want to discuss a feeding program tailored to your horse, contact your veterinarian. The compromise for many U.S. horses is a good quality grass-alfalfa mix hay. As we come into spring here's what I have and why I have leftovers. As a plant matures the stems thicken and the amount of leaves decrease. Orchard grass is similar in starch levels to Timothy hay but can be significantly higher in ethanol soluble carbohydrate, measuring up to 20 percent. Besides, grass is the correct feed for horses over alfalfa, but some may argue that point. Orchard grass and timothy have similar nutrient profiles, so you might be able to find an orchard grass hay with lower sugar levels that provides fewer calories than what you are currently feeding. Since it's more of a bunch grass it takes grazing well as long as it's managed well. It is endophyte free … Orchard Grass. Feeding horses is never an easy topic to simplify since every horse is different. O-grass is more persistant, has much better regrowth, and is heartier than timothy. The two most common are Timothy and Orchard grass. If someone tells you Alfalfa is a problem in Insulin Resistant horses, they do not have the facts. Alfalfa hay is a very popular feed. Alfalfa Hay is also higher in Calcium, with about 3 times as much as Grass Hay. Timothy isn't real tolerant of heat and dry conditions so orchard is probably easier to find for you. It grows without fuss. Alfalfa hay, sometimes called lucerne hay, is the most popular legume hay fed to horses in the U.S., while timothy and orchard are popular grass hay choices. This quality pasture seed mix has a good profile. Grasses accumulate NSC throughout the day, ... orchard grass, and timothy under adverse conditions. Like most grasses and legumes, early-cut timothy hay provides more energy and protein than late-cut hay. Orchard grass 14.5 855 17 25 17 Wheat ... maintained entirely on cereal or good quality grass hay. Alfalfa Hay, with its higher protein and adequate energy amounts might be the ideal feed for a hard working ranch horse, but it could be too rich of a feed for a retired backyard horse in the same amount. Earlier, I had talked about the percentage of protein in Alfalfa at 21.2%. Timothy grass is great also, but it’s a cool weather grass and very expensive here. Timothy hay is considered a medium sugar hay. Much of this tradition is due to the fact that Timothy was one of the first It is relatively high in fiber, especially when cut at a later or more mature stage. Timothy hay also measures at the low end of the normal range for starch, measuring between 1.5 percent and 4 percent. ESC is generally 4.2-8.2% and starch is around 0.8-3.2%. Copyright All Rights Reserved Mobile Veterinary Services, LLC © 2018. Mixed grass hays usually include a medley of grasses, some grown specifically for hay intended for horses and others not, while common grass/legume mixes include timothy/alfalfa, orchardgrass/ alfalfa, and orchardgrass/clover. Roughage is one of the most important parts of a horses’ diet, and a good source of roughage can provide almost all of a horses nutritional needs, outside of water. If your animal doesn’t care for Timothy hay, you might try Orchard Grass or Bermuda Grass as an alternative. Grass: Most commonly timothy, orchard, Kentucky bluegrass, bromegrass, and tall fescue. ratio of calcium to phosphorus and Timothy Grass has a low to moderate calorie content. Grass Hay for Horses Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass and timothy are all examples of common grasses used for hay. and requires a significant amount of water to grow. This is counter intuitive for most horse people, but is certainly something to keep in mind in regards to your horse. Timothy and other grass hays tend to be lower in energy and protein and higher in sugars than alfalfa and other legumes, but the only way to know the nutrient value of hay is to test it. C3 grasses include timothy, orchard grass, tall fescue, brome, and rye grass. Hay falls into several categories: grass, legume, mixed (grass and legume) and cereal grain straw (such as oat hay). Legume hays, like Alfalfa , have a higher protein content than grass hays, and should be feed to active, working, lactating, young or convalescing animals that have higher nutritional needs. in the form of hay is the primary source of forage. With three cuttings instead of two cuttings, Orchard Grass produces consistent soft texture hay Timothy is typically harvested two times per season, the first cutting in early summer and the second cutting in late summer or early fall. This means that if you fed strictly what your horse needed for nutrients, your horse could still not feel full, since the amount of alfalfa that would reach these nutrient needs is not going to be the amount to properly fill the horse up or make them feel full. a high quality grass forage option to utilize. For timothy, the early-cut stage would be considered the early head stage. Timothy is a cool-season, perennial bunch-grass that thrives in high altitudes, but is not very drought-tolerant due to its shallow root system. Teff, a new type of grass hay, is touted to be an ideal choice for many horses (see sidebar at right). The term mixed hay can be an ambiguous one, which makes clarification essential. I think the biggest con about grass hay is its lack of nutrients. Does My Performance Horse Need Hock Injections? Like any other preserved forage, the quality of orchardgrass hay depends on multiple factors, primary of which are cultivation and harvesting techniques. We just stayed with the good quality local grass hay. Compared to Timothy Grass, Orchard Grass grows better in moderate drought conditions and provides Timothy Hay Vs Orchard Grass For Horses. Two of the most popular are Grass Hay (usually Timothy Grass or Orchard Grass) and Alfalfa Hay. Both of these are heavily influenced by the stage of maturity of the forage plant. In about 1720, American farmer Timothy Hanson began to promote this grass as a hay crop in North America, and it has kept his name ever since. Small nut trees in the Home Fruit and Nut Garden. Orchard grass is a cool-season grass hay. In some parts of the country fescue, reed canary grass, ryegrass and Sudan grass are common. Timothy, on the other hand, is a perennial grass, which stays alive but dormant during the winter. Return to our list of hay … Nutritional values of grass hays vary greatly depending on harvest conditions. For example, if you have late-maturity grass hay, no matter if it is timothy, burmudagrass, orchardgrass, or bromegrass, it will be deficient in protein. This means that grass hay, not alfalfa hay, is a more dangerous food for an obese horse, or a horse with laminitis concerns. The best hay for horses depends entirely on the horse. Timothy Grass is also a rich source of fiber. Timothy is a beloved favorite of horses and their owners for its palatability and the great hay it produces. First off, for the sake of our discussion, we will be using some generalizations that are well accepted in the equine nutrition community. Your climate in NH may favor timothy grown for hay. With this in mind, check out our previous blog posting here and here regarding how to feed your horse, and always measure the amount of feed that is right for your specific situation. The impression that alfalfa makes a horse hot is usually the result of an improper amount of alfalfa being fed. ESC is generally 4.2-8.2% and starch is around 0.8-3.2%. https://www.economicalequestrian.com/2019/09/02/types-of-hay-for-horses And in fact, it is usually a lower carbohydrate feed than most grass hays, making alfalfa ideal for feeding to horses with special needs like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, laminitis, or even PSSM. Because it matures early in the growing season when the weather is wet, it can be susceptible to mold. Many horse owners believe dark green hay is of higher quality, but the darker green colour can indicate higher protein and nutrient levels, as well as high nitrate levels. Some of the more common grass hays include timothy, brome, orchard grass and bluegrass. Timothy Grass Hay is a premium feed used for thoroughbred horses, pleasure riding horses, and ranch horses. We tried orchard grass here and it was so rich it gave over half of the horses the poopies. However timothy has a shallow root system and will be damaged much more than the root system of late maturing orchardgrass. The Calcium in Alfalfa is higher, but the Phosphorus is about the same as grass hay, which could lead to an imbalance in the diet of a given horse. Become a Partner. Orchard grass hay has a slightly sweeter smell and a finer texture than Timothy. Standlee Premium Western Forage produces both Timothy Grass and Orchard Grass forage products. Not very drought tolerant. While it is important to source low WSC hay for the horse with chronic diarrhea, some very sensitive horses will get chronic diarrhea even on a low sugar hay, or one with WSC less than 10 percent on a dry matter basis. • Orchard Grass Hay is very similar to Timothy Grass Hay. Is there a particular type of grass hay that is better than others for maintenance diet for a laminitic horse? This warm-season grass measures at the low end of the normal range for ethanol soluble carbohydrates, measuring between 4.7 percent and 10.9 percent. High quality You might choose to mix in a legume hay for extra protein, or you might pick a less nutrient-rich grass hay for a super easy-keeper. These two factors along with its traditional popularity limit the supply of Timothy I would go with orchardgrass if you're going to plant grass in it. Blog, Diseases, Preventative care, vaccine. Hay falls into several categories: grass, legume, mixed (grass and legume) and cereal grain straw (such as oat hay). While grass hay is lower in protein and calcium it is still a great source of feed for most horses. It starts growing fairly quickly making it excellent for establishing and replenishing a pasture. The high nutrient intake delivered by Orchard Grass hay translates into potentially less grain the horse would nee… Timothy grass hay is very popular, but there are many other options available. that horses readily consume with minimal or no waste. energy and protein requirements. Stuff that will kill timothy will only thin the o-grass stand. grasses cultivated for horse hay. If someone tells you Alfalfa is a problem in Insulin Resistant horses, they do not have the facts. Some common forage species fed as hay to horses include the following: Timothy Hay The Hay Wars: The Truth About Grass Hay vs. Alfalfa Hay, http://www.mvsequine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/mvslogo1.gif, https://www.mvsequine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/horsegrazinginfieldviaPublicDomainPhotosFlickr-500x198.jpg. Orchardgrass has been cultivated for pasture and hay since colonial times and has been an important forage in horse husbandry since then. Orchard Grass forage is typically slightly higher in protein and calories compared to Timothy and can be moderate to high in sugar content. The nutrition content is going to vary more depending on weather, soil and cutting/curing practices than on what type the grass is. Timothy grass hay is commonly fed to horses, as well as cattle. Timothy grass usually yields just two cuttings per year depending on their function and activity. There are cereal grain hays too, such as oat or barley hay, which are different nutritionally than typical grass hays, but they also fall under the grass hay … Less digestible components are present in the stem. • Alfalfa Hay can mix with Timothy up to a 50:50 ratio. In some parts of the country fescue, reed canary grass, ryegrass and Sudan grass … Timothy hay is an excellent source of roughage for equine diets. Orchardgrass hay is known for being easy to cut in almost any season. The hay is a late-maturing high fiber bunchgrass with a relatively low protein content. Orchard Grass is higher in protein (10-12%), higher in calorie content and contains the same balanced levels of calcium and phosphorus As a result, if you fed your horse enough alfalfa to make them feel full, then you would likely be feeding them too much energy in their diet, and they could certainly act “too hot”. Cool season grasses, Most nuts also have a high fat content although most of the fat is polyunsaturated. Nutritional values of grass hays vary greatly depending on harvest conditions. as Timothy grass. Horsemen often have to decide if they should purchase the first or second cutting of timothy hay for their horses. The horses’ age, activity level, breed, and stage of life can all have a tremendous affect on the amount of feed that they require. There are many, many myths out there, but here is the Truth about Grass Hay versus Alfalfa Hay. Many horse people like to feed various ... Orchard, brome and timothy hay have no grain, per se. For horses that are stalled, or for horses that do not have abundant pasture, stored forage The high nutrient intake delivered by Orchard Grass hay translates into potentially less grain the horse would need to eat to satisfy and Orchard Grass making them the big two forage grasses. Grass Hays are generally lower in overall nutrition than alfalfa hay, but this makes grass hay ideal to meet the needs of filling a horse up and making them feel full, while still meeting their nutrient needs. Orchard grass is a cool-season grass hay. Grass Hay averages 10.8% protein and 12.9% NSC. While the immature foxtail plant has no ill effect on horses, the seed heads are troublesome. Forage (hay/pasture) makes up 60-100% of the diet for horses, Therefore, feeding Timothy Grass has a well-established comfort level with horse people. a solid three hay cuttings per year. While this has led to the thought that alfalfa is a “richer” feed then grass, it does not mean that it has more carbohydrates. Neither does Bermudagrass hay or Teff hay. The nutrient needs for your horse can be met in a number of ways. I'd also encourage you to consider endophyte free tall or meadow fescue. Orchard Grass is a highly palatable grass with a high nutrient content. They get alfalafa as a treat but no horse in our barn is fed 100% alfalfa after the vet said that was bad for them. Almonds, cashews, filberts (hazelnuts), pine nuts and pistachios are some of the well-known smaller nut trees. Communities Served (exceptions apply) – Arvada, Aspen Park, Broomfield, South Boulder, Conifer, Evergreen, Gilpin County, Golden, Idaho Springs, Lakewood, Morrison, Pine, Shaffer’s Crossing, Wheat Ridge. Another popular grass hay is orchard grass hay. 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