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Reducing Hay Waste

Krishona MartinsonUniversity of Minnesota

Outline

• Introduction• Buy quality hay• Proper storage• Small square bale waste• Large round bale waste• Conclusion

Introduction

• Forage represents a significant portion of the diet for all classes of post-weaned horses.

• May constitute the entire energy portion of a diet for some classes of horses, specifically adult, idle horses.

• Dried forage (hay) is likely the most expensive dietary component of maintaining a horse.

• Waste can occur during both storage and feeding.

Buy Quality Hay

• Moisture content• What’s in the hay (species)• Maturity • Touch and Smell• Color• Buy dense (well formed) bales• Presence of mold and weeds

Proper Storage

•Make sure the roof is water tight•Animal proof the area•Use older hay first •Stack hay on pallets•Store inside (if possible)•Tarp or cover bales shored outside

Proper Storage

Small Square Bale Waste

• In a box stall, waste from feeding small square bales off the ground was 7.3% compared to 1.3% waste when hay was fed in a feeder.

Large Round Bale Waste

• Some horse owners believe that feeding round bales results in excessive hay waste and overeating.

• Some horse owners feed round bales without utilizing a feeder.

• The objectives of this research were to determine if round bale feeder design affects hay waste, horse intake and economics.

Large Round Bale Waste

• 50 4’ x 5’ first crop, orchardgrass round bales.

• Each round bale was weighed and identified.

• Each bale was cored six times, and samples were analyzed for forage nutrient composition.

• Round bales were stored inside until fed.

Large Round Bale Waste

• 25 mature Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred geldings and open mares.

• Horses were weighed at the initiation, between each feeder, and at the conclusion of the trial.

• Horses were grouped into five homogeneous herds of five horses each based on weight, age, gender and breed.

• A single feeder was placed on the ground in an outdoor dirt paddock.

Large Round Bale Waste

• Hay that fell onto the ground surrounding the feeder was considered waste and was collected daily.

• After 4 days, herds were rotated to a new paddock containing a different feeder with a new round bale of hay.

Pen 1Pens 2 and 3

Pen 4

Pen 5

Large Round Bale Waste

• Nine different round bale feeders and a no feeder control were evaluated.

• Round bale feeders included the:– hayhut (Hayhuts LLS, Deleon Spring, FL)– covered cradle (SM Iron Inc., Sanborn, MN)– hay sleigh (Smith Iron Works Inc., St. Francis, MN)– waste less (JSI Innovations LLC, St. Croix Falls, WI)– cinch net (Cinch Chix LLC, North Branch, MN)– ring (R & C Livestock, MN)– cone (Weldy Enterprises, Wakarusa, IN; model R7C)– tombstone (Dura-Built, Eagan, MN)– tombstone saver (HiQual, Victoria, BC Canada)

Large Round Bale Waste

Large Round Bale Waste

Feeder TypeWaste Cost Return on Investment

----------%--------- -----------$----------- ---------months--------Waste Less 5a 1,450 8e

Net 6ab 147 0.8a

Hayhut 9bc 650 4c

Covered Cradle 11c 3,200 20f

Saver 13cd 650 4cd Tombstone 19d 250 2b

Cone 19d 1,195 9e

Ring 19d 300 2b

Hay Sleigh 33e 425 5d

No Feeder 57f -- --

Waste Less Hay Feeder

Waste Less Hay Feeder

• Side feeding bars were lowered (touching the bale) every 12 hours.

• Cosmetic rub marks along side of face.

• Only feeding spots for 4 horses.

• Rub rear-ends and dented in front of feeder.

• Must manually move side bars.

Cinch Net

Cinch Net

• Horses defecated on top of hay remaining in net.

• Remaining hay in chinch net was wet and unpalatable.

• Difficult to remove net.

• No shod horses.

Hayhut

Covered Cradle

Covered Cradle

Tombstone Saver

Tombstone

Cone Feeder

Solid Poly Ring Feeder

Hay Sleigh

No Feeder Control

Large Round Bale Waste

• Feeder design does affect hay waste and economics as a result of horse feeding.

• All feeders resulted in less waste compared to the no feeder control.

• Horse owners can not afford to not buy and use a feeder.

• All feeders paid for themselves within 2 years of purchase.

Conclusion

To reduce feeding waste:• Buy quality hay• Store hay properly• Use a feeder

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Upcoming Webcasts

• EMS and PoniesOctober 18, 2011 | 7PM EDT

• Winter Care and Feeding For Your HorseNovember 29, 2011 | 7PM ET

• Feeding and Care of Donkeys and MulesDecember 13, 2011 | 7PM ET

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