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What is the difference2007-11-24 21:21:40

Between legume hay and grass hay. Nutritionally? Why would you feed each of them? What are some differences? Drawback/things you don't like about each? Nutritional difference? Is one dustier than the other? What are the most common of each type?

Thanks, i am doing a presentation and need some help!!

Answers:

Nutritionally legumes have more protein, but grass also has the nutrients horses need and is safer to feed in large amounts. Horses are grazers so they require the ability to eat little amounts all the time, which makes grass hay very handy. Legumes can range from 16%-24% protein so testing the hay should be done on each load of hay so you know how much to feed each time. Horses can have severe problems with being fed too much alfalfa and not all horse owners want to admit that. They think, well alfalfa has more protein so that must be better for my horse, when in reality too much protein can cause a LOT more problems. I prefer having grass hay so they can always munch on it and keep their gut moving and adding a flake or so of alfalfa once a day. Having grass hay in front of them at all times also helps prevent boredom vices such as weaving, stall pacing, cribbing, stall kicking, and etc. Having grass hay in front of horses in cold climates also helps keep them warm. The act of fermenting in the large cecum of the hindgut provides them with extra body heat to keep them warm. Just adding grain in the winter doesn't assist the body heat to keep them warm, they need hay too keep everything flowing and producing the heat. Growing horses, lactating mares, or mares in their last trimester can benefit from the alfalfa as long as they don't get too much. Any kind of hay can be dusty, it's all in the way it's put up, too late or too early, where it's been baled from such as road ditches or pastures and how it's handled after being baled such as letting it sit out in the rain or storing it too long. The main thing to keep in consideration of either types of hay is too make sure they're all weedfree as much as possible, and that there's no mold, and that there's no poisionus plants. Hope some of this helps!

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From a feeding perspective, a legume hay is generally higher in protein than grass hay.