September 22, 2001 Grass - Grass - Grass When they ask for grass, what do they want? This is becoming a very common question being asked by people that are selling hay to horse owners. The horse owner responds with, "I don't know". I recently had a client ask for more grass because it was a request of her veterinarian. I asked her to ask the veterinarian what type of grass he would suggest and his response was "I don't know". Her follow up response was "what, don't you know what you are feeding your horse?" For as long as I can remember horses have been fed left over cow hay or hay that they wouldn't feed to cows. Many times the surplus hay from dairy farms was very good. This is because the hay was made to feed to cows but was a surplus. The all grass hay that was available was intended to be fed to cows during late term pregnancy or referred to as dry cow feed. For as long as I can remember horses have been fed left over cow hay or hay that they wouldn't feed to cows. Many times the surplus hay from dairy farms was very good. This is because the hay was made to feed to cows but was a surplus. The all grass hay that was available was intended to be fed to cows during late term pregnancy or referred to as dry cow feed.Where is grass hay produced? Very little acreage in this area is committed to straight grass production. This is because there is usually one good first crop and a much reduced second crop. This results in a big drop in yearly yield or production per acre. I believe that the grass enjoys the spring moisture and grows very well but slows down as the summer heat and reduced rains to the shallow root system decreases production. This is most obvious with your Kentucky Blue Grass lawn grass. Most grass hay that is baled today, as in the recent past, comes from four areas. The first is an acreage that is close to the metro area and is waiting to be developed. The second area would be low lying meadows that will occasionally drown out if planted to row crops. Third would be roadsides or what I refer to as 'Road Kill Hay'. The last area we see grass hay baled from are swamps in very dry years. There is a little grass baled off fields sprinkled with waste water from food processing facilities and other waste water treatment facilities. Occasionally, a pasture may be harvested in the spring to save some of the excessive growth. The most common place to find good grass hay is mixed in alfalfa fields. Farmers will blend in a variety of grasses at the same time they plant a field to alfalfa. The grass will add some of the nutrients that are not as common in alfalfa. Again the question is asked what type of grass should be planted? "Not much is known" is the response that you will get if you ask forage experts as to what type is best for your application. Horse owners are entering into a new age in purchasing forages for their horses. The small dairy farmer that produced the traditional small square bale should be put on the Endangered Species List because they are rapidly going out of business. That means the professional hay producers will more and more be turning to the next biggest user of hay, the horse. Instead of feeding left over cow hay, horse owners will be asked what they want. It is time to step up research to find the best grass hay for horses as well as the most palatable. In addition to the type of grass, work needs to be done as to how much grass should be fed. What makes this so difficult is that there are many different types of grasses available. Timothy is the most common type asked for but no one knows why. Other well known grasses in this area are smooth brome grass, orchardgrass. Kentucky Blue grass, fescue grass, ryegrass, reed canary grass as well as oat hay and wheat hay. The other problem is that some grasses will do better in different areas because of the climatic conditions. Soil conditions, moisture and temperatures all have an affect on this shallow rooted plant. This is in contrast to the deep rooted alfalfa plant that will appear the same in the south or the north. If you know what you want, your professional hay producers will do their best to plant it if it is economical to do so. When you have observed grass hay in the past to be cheaper, that is because the cow man wouldn't feed it. The horse became the secondary market for what ever they could get paid for it. This is changing. Also remember the cost to cut, rake, bale and deliver grass hay or alfalfa is the same. It is fair to say that if grass hay is cheaper there has to be a reason. As you become the primary market, you will be able to formulate the type of forage that you want. As the primary market, you will also be expected to pay the cost of production for that forage. You are not buying a bi-product of the dairy industry anymore. I am hoping research can keep up with your needs and if they do, it should result in a healthier horse.
|
