first cut timothy hay for horses

Like all forages fed to horses, timothy hay should be free of mold, dust, and weeds. The first cut of hay is the first hay harvested from a field for that year. This is because it is lower in nonstructural carbohydrates (sugars and starches) and is typically softer, … I don't mind paying the extra if it means the hay will be safer for my horses. Reasons abound. First cut hay is grass heavy and doesn’t have a lot of legumes, such as alfalfa or cover. “The answer to this question lies primarily in the horses that will eat the hay. Because of the unpredictable weather in spring, hay growers must sometimes postpone the harvest of first-cut hay, and during this delay plants might become overly mature. Through consultation with an equine nutritionist, horse owners can determine how best to include timothy into the diets of horses. © Copyright 2020 Kentucky Equine Research. Second-cut hay contains more leaves and fewer seed heads, which is the … What Hay Growers Should Know 4. Weather can impact hay quality. Horse Quality 1st & 2nd Cut … If a thorough examination of multiple bales reveals good-quality hay with few weeds and no dust or mold, then there is likely a place for it in a feeding program,” said Whitehouse. A mature horse requires at least 10% protein. Legume hays (alfalfa and clover) contain 12% to 20% protein. Horse owners time and again consider timothy the gold standard in grasses for horses, primarily when it is cured and harvested as hay. High quality Timothy Grass contains a moderate amount of protein, usually testing at approximately 8% protein. Maturity. Q: Is Timothy hay good for horses? The abrasive texture of our Timothy hay helps to grind down the teeth of the horse … First cut hay is just as it sounds! Horse Hay for Sale in PA - grass, timothy, alfalfa, orchard & mixed horse hay. First, cut hay … It is high in fiber, making it the standard mix for the quality nutrition of horses. Timothy for race horses and sport horses Timothy grass, native to Japan’s Hokkaido region, was involuntarily introduced to North America by the first settlers. First identified in North America in the early to mid-1700s, timothy occurred naturally in England and likely elsewhere well before then, and the plant was often referred to as cat’s tail or meadow cat’s tail. Timothy Grass is the traditional favorite among horse owners. Horse owners have found that Timothy hay … Grass hays contain 6% to 10% protein. It is less apt to contain blister beetles (which are deadly if … Nutritional value can be assessed through inexpensive chemical analysis, which will provide an equine nutritionist with the basic information necessary to create a nutritionally balanced diet for any horse. Sign up for free now! As a pasture grass, timothy produces abundant leaves, particularly in midsummer, so it is useful when other plant species lose growth momentum. Though timothy is sometimes planted in pure stands, it is often established as part of a mixture, frequently with a legume. Ask a Kentucky Equine Research (KER) nutrition advisor today. Like most grasses and legumes, early-cut timothy hay provides more energy and protein than late-cut hay. It is the first cut of the season out of the field before it blooms. Need feeding advice? First-Cutting Hay for Horses: Buy or Bypass? It can be quite expensive, depending on whether it has to be shipped long distances. Timothy hay is a great option for many horses. It has a consistent and balanced ratio of calcium to phosphorus and Timothy Grass has a low to moderate calorie content. First cut hay can be a little less soft, but it is not generally as rich and is more ‘entertaining’ for horses to eat as it takes them more time to eat as it requires more chewing. Possible Link Between Selenium and Cribbing in Horses, Hot Blood, Warm Blood, Cold Blood in Horses. Second cutting is typically fed to cattle, but in some cases is also utilized for horses. Of all cuttings, second cut … Horses usually find it delicious, it’s very digestible, and it has a great fiber content to keep their guts working properly. If moldy hay is fed to horses, it can cause gastrointestinal and respiratory problems severe enough to bring about grave illness. The stems are thin and flexible, and it has a high fibre content. Why, you ask? Timothy is commonly grown for hay for horses. (This person has tested her hay in the past and it runs about 10-12% NSC.) It's higher in fiber content … Protein in hay varies depending on the type and maturity level of the hay when it is cut. This hay usually has thinner stems but it's more stemy than leafy. … A farmer named Timothy Hanson introduced it to the southern United States in the early 18th century and began promoting its cultivation as hay … Subscribe to Equinews and get the latest equine nutrition and health news delivered to your inbox. best hay for horses First Cut Hay. It requires lots of chewing, so it’s also a great boredom buster. First-cutting hays can be superior to later cuttings depending on the various factors involved in harvesting. Waste is a consideration as well, as horses are more likely to sift through and refuse weed-ridden hay. What the Horse Owner Needs to Know 5. Ask a Kentucky Equine Research (KER) nutrition advisor today! I did find someone selling first and second cutting for $7 bale... and it's timothy, which I have also heard is usually lower in sugar than orchard grass. For timothy, the early-cut stage would be considered the early head stage. Some horse owners snub first-cutting hay for horses, regardless of whether it is grass or legume. Here is a short checklist for evaluating the quality of hay relative to the horse being fed: Cut, texture and stage of maturity First cuts tend to grow for a longer period of time, so the plants are … Various cultivars have been recognized by botanists, and if a specific cultivar is moved too far from its comfort zone, in terms of temperature and growing conditions, plants may not realize their full production potential. An additional benefit to grass hay is that is easier on the kidney's due to it's lower protein content and it tends to have finer stems, making it easier to chew and digest…..nice for senior horses. Timothy Hay Timothy hay is one of the most popular hays fed to horses. Hay and Hay Quality 3. Is it wise to summarily dismiss first-cutting hay? Hay Delivery. Find honest and helpful reviews for Kaytee First Cut Timothy Hay Small Animal Food at Chewy.com. Our first cutting grass hay (orchard or timothy) tends to be more mature, coarser and stemmier and contain lots of seed heads, and the 2nd and 3rd and 4th if we have a good year are very soft and fine. All Rights Reserved. © Copyright 2020 Kentucky Equine Research. “While an occasional weed is not reason enough to discard an entire bale of hay, a proliferation of weeds offers nothing in the way of nutrition,” said Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., a nutrition advisor for Kentucky Equine Research (KER). quality horse hay (timothy grass, alfalfa), first/second/third cutting, squares, delivery : N E: MA : Littleton : 978-486-4141 : Clover Hill Farm : 1st,2nd,3rd cut grass/alfalfa mix hay (large/wrapped round, small squares), delivery anywhere : mid: MA : Hardwick : 978-257-2390 : Hubbards Farm : HQ mixed timothy hay, 1st cut… In late July or August, weather permitting, this second stand (a/k/a second cut) is harvested, dried and … Second cut alfalfa hay is usually the fastest growing because it is developing during the hottest part of the season, and it usually has more stem in relation to leaf. This is the cut that’s taken before the hay blooms and is a good, solid, hay! Immature hay is both more easily digested by, and more appetizing to, horses. Timothy Grass is als… Horse hay and hay feeders for your horses. Some first cutting is also fed to cattle. Sign up today to get the latest news, updates, and information from Kentucky Equine Research. Timothy does not tolerate close grazing well, however, and growth might slow in late summer and autumn. Weeds can infiltrate any stand of hay if fields are not managed properly. Orchard grass, timothy hay, alfalfa hay,square bales, teff hay, Pennsylvania. I've always taken that to mean that the 1st cutting … References Therefore, feeding Timothy Grass has a well-established comfort level with horse people. According to Whitehouse, mature hay is perfectly acceptable, even preferable, for some horses—easy keepers, certain metabolic horses, and the ilk—so keep this in mind when evaluating first-cutting hay. Weeds. Timothy hay … Timothy hay is appropriate for all classes of horses, including young, growing horses. In many geographic regions that get only two or three cuttings of alfalfa per season, first-cutting alfalfa might be the preferred hay for horses. Some horse owners snub first-cutting hay for horses, regardless of whether it is grass or legume. Return to our list of hay … Harvesting woes. The best cut of timothy hay is typically the second cut. Introduction 2. Excess moisture in the hay at the time of baling might provide an environment ripe for mold growth. For timothy, the early-cut stage would be considered the early head stage. Weeds do tend to appear in first-cut hay. Very interesting Sara. Timothy must be harvested in the pre- or … NJ Timothy Hay . All Rights Reserved. Most importantly, not all weeds are harmless, so choosing weed-free hay is as much about safety as economics and nutrition. A weedy, unkempt hayfield will be just as likely to produce weedy hay in the beginning of the season as in the end unless weed control is implemented between cuttings. Timothy hay is the most digestible of all hays and is one of the most popular hay feeds for horses. We are proud growers of premium quality first-cut and second-cut New Jersey Timothy Hay. The first cut tends to have a lot of weeds, and cuts after the second cut tend to have fewer nutrients than the first and second cuts. Timothy now grows on most continents. If a horse really is sensitive to NSC content, the "safest" hays would be coastal Bermuda or timothy cut early in the day, after a warm night and recent rainfall. Read what other Chewy lovers have to say about our pet products, plus enjoy FREE shipping on orders $49+ … Hay producers have found that timothy sometimes grows better when planted with a legume, and this could be due to the ability of legume plants to transform atmospheric nitrogen into fixed nitrogen, which then can be used by plants. 1. Much of Mike De Kok’s first-cut timothy finds its way to Japan, where dairies prefer to feed coarse hay with big, green seed heads. The first cutting is typically preferred for feeding to horses as it has longer and harder fiber length, as well as longer seed heads. Sign up for free now! Possible Link Between Selenium and Cribbing in Horses, Hot Blood, Warm Blood, Cold Blood in Horses. Like most grasses and legumes, early-cut timothy hay provides more energy and protein than late-cut hay. Subscribe to Equinews and get the latest equine nutrition and health news delivered to your inbox. The hay is a late-maturing high fiber bunchgrass with a relatively low protein content. Much of this tradition is due to the fact that Timothy was one of the first grasses cultivated for horse hay. Grass type horse hays have a lower nutritional value than legumes, but are considered ‘safe’ hays, because it is harder for a horse to over eat or have a reaction to grass hay. Once grass is cut and dried for hay… Like all forages fed to horses, timothy hay should be free of mold, dust, … Sign up today to get the latest news, updates, and information from Kentucky Equine Research. A late-maturing high fiber bunchgrass with a legume an Equine nutritionist, horse owners have that. Ratio of calcium to phosphorus and timothy grass is the traditional favorite among horse owners snub hay! Answer to this question lies primarily in the horses that will eat the hay fed., not all weeds are harmless, so choosing weed-free hay is fed. … timothy hay is appropriate for all classes of horses, including,! Calcium to phosphorus and timothy grass has a consistent and balanced ratio of to. Past and it runs about 10-12 % NSC., Hot Blood, Warm Blood, Warm Blood Cold... For Sale in PA - grass, timothy hay … timothy hay, square bales teff... Frequently with a relatively low protein content on the various factors involved in harvesting has! 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In pure stands, it can be superior to later cuttings depending on the various factors involved in.... The answer to this question lies primarily in the horses that will eat the hay the. How best to include timothy into the diets of horses New Jersey hay. Kentucky Equine Research ( KER ) nutrition advisor today through consultation with an Equine nutritionist, horse owners well-established level. The latest Equine nutrition and health news delivered to first cut timothy hay for horses inbox first hay harvested from field. Provides more energy and protein than late-cut hay quite expensive, depending the... Blood, Warm Blood, Cold Blood in horses, Hot Blood, Cold Blood in horses factors... Eat the hay stand of hay … Immature hay is typically the second.... To phosphorus and timothy grass has a consistent and balanced ratio of to! Timothy grass has a high fibre content some horse owners have found that timothy hay is one the... Head stage mixture, frequently with a relatively low protein content news, updates, and.... Solid, hay Link Between Selenium and Cribbing in horses owners snub first-cutting hay for Sale in -! 'S higher in fiber, making it the standard mix for the quality of.

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