# What is the best hay for weight gain?



## greengirl (Mar 24, 2009)

Can any one give me an idea as to what would be the best type of hay for horses to gain weight easily and how cost effective it would be in the long run?


----------



## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

Usually it will be alfalfa if you need gain, otherwise alfalfa is over-kill for horses as they tend to get too fat on it. Although I have seen several older horses that can only subsist on all alfalfa. Usually alfalfa fed as a supplement with a low to medium quality hay is the most economical way to go as with 5 to 10 lbs. per day you easily satisfy any deficienies that cheaper hay may not provide. Economics depend on your feeding strategy. Horses are pretty much continuous grazers, eating almost 18 hours per day based on behaviour studies compared to cattle that graze about 8 hours a day. So if horses are fed ad lib high quality expensive hay they will over-consume nutrients and then you are waisting money. So most economical to feed based on lbs. of nutrients per day by feeding low quality hay rather then the percentages of TDN and other data.


----------



## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

I try to talk horse owners out of feeding alfalfa, unless the horse is a wet mare, a standing stud, or in daily training for the track or rodeo.

A good grass hay in the 12% CP range can be fed with little or no supplement.

A reasonable grass hay in the under 10% CP range is sufficient for a horse that is a backyard pet. During cold weather or an occasional light exercise a little grain may be called for.

If you really want weight gain than alfalfa is your choice. In that case try to get a Dairy Quality Alfalfa, normally it is way too rich for a horse.


----------



## kenny chaos (Jan 5, 2009)

A few ounces of corn oil on a bale of hay will work wonders for a horse.


----------

