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Can horses eat the same hay as cows?
We can feed the same hay we buy for the cattle to the horses. It’s not moldy or coarse or stemmy.
Can cows eat horse quality hay?
While dry cow hay is fine for cattle in the feedlot, it is not fine for horses. So what is good horse hay? It is soft, dry, clean, and should have a good stem to leaf ration. The color of good horse hay is bright and it is free of weeds and mold.
What is the difference between horse hay and cow hay?
“Cow hay” is generally viewed as lower quality hay that is ideal for most beef cattle. “Dairy hay” is an extremely high protein, high energy hay suitable to support milk production in dairy animals. “Horse hay” is extremely clean, no dust or mold, hay that contains moderate levels of both protein and energy.
Do horses eat more hay than cows?
Forage Intake: Horse versus Cattle Cattle are much less picky than horses about what they eat, and they eat a lot! Cattle eat consistently for approximately 12 hours, and can eat up to 130 pounds of grass and forage per day. A typical 1,000 pound horses will eat approximately 20-25 pounds of grass per day.
Is rained on hay bad for horses?
The majority of the damage from untimely rains is the loss of soluble nutrients from the hay (the sugars). Even before rain damage, we lose some sugar during plant respiration that occurs from the time forage is cut until it reaches about 50\% moisture content. Rainfall also leaches the soluble sugars from hay.
Do cows need hay?
Hay is the most commonly used winter feed for beef cattle, but it’s also the most expensive. Each cow requires a daily intake of 40 pounds of round-baled hay, which amounts to $1.61 if pricing hay at $80 per ton. So, unless you can get hay for $40 a ton or less, your most economical choice is corn.”
Do cows eat more than horses?
Forage Intake: Horse versus Cattle Cattle are much less picky than horses about what they eat, and they eat a lot! Cattle eat consistently for approximately 12 hours, and can eat up to 130 pounds of grass and forage per day. Horses on the other hand, are very picky and roam more when they eat.
Do horses eat more grass than cows?
Why cows are better than horses?
Although cows are slower they tend to have much better stamina and can work much longer at tasks than horses. While cows are excellent at pulling vehicles like carts and ploughs, the body shape of horses enables them to carry loads on their backs and this is an ability that humans have found very useful.
Can a cow be a companion for a horse?
Sheep and cows, especially small breed cows such as Dexters, can be excellent horse buddies. They can share a pasture so they graze contentedly side by side all day. As fellow herbivores, they share some of the same behavioral characteristics with horses and also want a “herd”.
How many bales of Hay does a horse eat per month?
If you are feeding only hay, then an average-sized horse on a moderate workload will need to eat at least 25 pounds of hay a day. For a four-month winter, then, you will need about 6,000 pounds of hay. Assuming that you’re getting round bales that are around 750 pounds, that means you need 8 for the winter.
How do you feed hay to horses?
Horses eat large quantities of hay and grass as their main source of food. In fact, horses should eat about 15-20 pounds or 1-2\% of their body weight in hay every day, so make sure that your horse always has plenty of hay to chew on. Make sure that the hay you feed your horse is free of mold and dust.
How do you feed a horse?
Provide your horse with nonstructural carbohydrates in moderation. Supplement your horse’s diet with feed to provide protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Although your horse will get most of its calories from hay and grass, you should feed your horse some fortified feed each day to help meet any nutritional gaps.
Is alfalfa a wise choice for horse feed?
Alfalfa is still an excellent food for horses; however, it should not simply be added to the diet willy-nilly, but in consultation with a good equine nutritionist to ensure your horse can benefit from all the age-old goodness of this leafy legume.