Alfalfa has two to three times as much calcium as grass hays. After taking the second cut, he kills the alfalfa with desiccant before tilling the field. Some were developed for grazing, hay or silage, but most are grown for grain. Rain can ruin baled hay by causing mold. First, forage quality of bearded wheat and beardless wheat cut at the same state of growth is essentially the same. All Rights Reserved. Alfalfa may have twice the protein and three times the level of calcium than grass hay. So, there are pros and cons for each type of hay, and good reasons why a blend of the two, or even 100% alfalfa or 100% grass hay could ideally meet your horses needs. Blog, Diseases, Preventative care, vaccine. (Photo courtesy Dr. Emi Kimura, Vernon, TX). Many years ago, oats were introduced in to the horses diet. You often cannot tell the quality of the hay by just looking at the outside of a bale. makes their horses too hot. Other major wheat producers are India, Canada, France, and Australia. Grain hays are high in digestible fiber which are readily broken down by microbes in the cecum or hind gut of horses when harvested at a soft dough stage. Number 8860726. Wheat grass is a kind of grass (actually there are several of them) and they are a kind of grass that has tiny grass seeds rather than . In oats there is no issue with beards, but the trends of increasing forage dry matter and decreasing forage feed value raise the question of what is the optimum time to mow the oats. Most species are annuals of moist temperate regions. $ 0.45 lb. My two youngest goatie kids are quite skinny and Im looking for a quality grain to supplement. Typically, fresh green pasture does just that, and many baled hays can meet these needs as well. The highest quality hay can have an 18% protein count, is very palatable, with a sweet taste that cattle like. oral problems in cattle if the heads are fully developed and mature," said. Ca:P Ratio - 1.3:1. 3x3x8 Alfalfa - $540. We are new to both goats and sheep and are learning quickly what they will eat or not. The early history of oats is obscure, but domestication is considered to be recent compared to that of the other grains perhaps c.2500 BC During the Bronze Age, the time when horses were first used as draft animals, oats were widely grown in N Europe but were apparently still uncultivated by the civilizations around the Mediterranean. We use a mixture of grass hay and alfalfa. Here are a couple of sources with their respective hay prices. Husband has just told me that the hay barley has no beards on them. Thus alfalfa is often fed to animals that need more protein and minerals. (Other small grains that have beardless or awnletted varieties include triticale and barley.). Although alfalfa hay is often higher in total energy content than grass hays, most of the energy in alfalfa hay is from digestible protein and fiber, rather than from sugars, starches and fructans. A musical pipe made of an oat straw. Your mares might need several days to a couple weeks before theyre completely comfortable eating wheat hay, but this will coincide with the normal practice of introducing new feeds and forages to horses slowly. We were feeding good quality 70% grass, 30% alfalfa hay and supplementing our milkers with Stadlee alfalfa pellets in their grain. Here is more info about what goats eat Subscribe to Equinews and get the latest equine nutrition and health news delivered to your inbox. If you are considering purchasing this type of hay, it can be tested for nitrate content. Wheat species crossbreed relatively frequently in nature. Alfalfa may have twice the protein and three times the level of calcium than grass hay. In some areas, foxtail or German millet are used as horse forage. The cattle love it. all horses can eat hay/grass. Grain hays are high in digestible fiber which are readily broken down by microbes in the cecum or hind gut of horses when harvested at a soft dough stage although rice hays often fall in the poorly digested range. Prosper 3 Grain Forage Mixture is a "3-way" spring forage mixture of: spring Beardless Barley. . Regardless of whether you are buying a grass hay or a legume hay, it should be green on the inside of the bale. Some reports show that horses fed millet hay may show symptoms of lameness and joint swelling. Unless you are buying directly out of the field after baling, try to buy hay that has been protected from weather by a tarp or hay shed. Wet hay not only weighs more, adding to the cost, but will likely be moldy. Low grades of wheat, and by-products of the flour-milling, brewing, and distilling industries, are used as feed for livestock. verb). Those varieties developed for grain production have rough awns. First a clarification Alfalfa does not really use more water than other crops. Mike Garnett produces and custom harvests wheat hay and other small grain forages, along with alfalfa and a variety of grazer-type hays. Some years, good quality forage may be too expensive or unavailable. And in fact, it is usually a lower carbohydrate feed than most grass hays, making alfalfa ideal for feeding to horses with special needs like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, laminitis, or even PSSM. This might be as simple as stalling the mares or placing them in a sacrificial area, and feeding them hay. 55 0 obj <>stream In the Middle East a limited amount of barley is eaten like rice. If you dont have any type of roof to put your hay under, you can create a well-drained area (by building up the floor with gravel or wooden pallets) and cover the stack with tarps. It also tends to have relatively coarse stems (supplying the fiber a horse needs for proper digestion) since it grows the fastest. Oat mix or triticale hay - $200 (Maupin) condition: new make / manufacturer: Hay size . He baled several fields for customers whose wheat was either hailed out for grain, or who put up wheat hay for their cattle. endstream endobj startxref Thrifty Homesteader is about creating a more sustainable life, but what exactly does that mean? Beardless wheat hay is acceptable for horses, though it might take some time for them to become acclimated to it, as some horses must acquire a taste for it. Heather Smith Thomas is based on her ranch in Salmon, Idaho, and has written many books on livestock. Quantity is per pound. There are a number of considerations participants in the forage production, marketing, and utilization that individuals can do to enhance the benefit as a grower or user. Thus legume hay, cut early, is more apt to meet the protein and mineral needs of young growing, pregnant or lactating animals than will many of the grass hays. Wheat crops are generally rotated with corn, hay, and pasture in the eastern United States and are rotated with oats and barley, or bare fallowing in the drier western regions. Expect this hay to have 16 to 20% of proteins. Phosphorus - 0.23% Straw (byproduct from harvest of oats, barley or wheat) provides energy, created by fermentation breakdown in the rumen. They have a high nutritive value, but of the oats now grown commercially, less than 5% is for human consumption, chiefly in the form of rolled oats or oatmeal for breakfast foods; they do not contain the glutinous type of protein necessary for making bread. Leaving a comment is one way to enter the giveaway. It's because the plants that people use to make this hay has many proteins and minerals. But it must be cut before the dough stage. The horses age, activity level, breed, and stage of life can all have a tremendous affect on the amount of feed that they require. It is also the most costly alfalfa. Often oats (used with a sing. Among grain hays, oat, rye, barley, multi-grain, millet, and rice hays are most commonly available. Horses may also react to to alkaloids in millet hay because they are susceptible to alkaloid toxicity syndromes. Beardless wheat hay is acceptable for horses, though it might take some time for them to become acclimated to it, as some horses must acquire a taste for it. If it was rained on after it was cut, baled too green or too wet or too dry, it may not be safe to feed. After all wheat is just a grass with plumper seeds than most. [Middle English barli, from Old English brlic. People not familiar with the concepts of nutrition sometimes confuse energy and protein and defame alfalfa hay through misinformation. Opinions as to which should be fed, when, and what is the right mixture of the two if they are combined. Today barley is typically a special-purpose grain with many varieties rather than a general market crop. New high-yielding wheats were developed in the 1960s for use in developing countries, and research on them continued in the 1970s. Due to high yields and the fact that 100% of the above-ground plant material is harvested, water use efficiencies are high (photo, D.Putnam). Always stack it so that the oldest bales will be used first. Here is more on goat minerals: In the winter, 50% straw and 50% hay or haylage will help compensate for the lack of pasture available for foraging. https://thriftyhomesteader.com/zinc-deficiency-goats/. In other outlets I have discussed the grain yield drag that typically occurs with beardless wheats in grain production. Triticale had notably higher phosphorous numbers at .56 versus alfalfa's .43 and oats' .39. No pasture is available to me so all hay must be hand fed. See More @ https://www.valuemarketresearch.com/report/alfalfa-hay-market. 0 hbbd``b`*@ $~2012I00b%3N ` The average crude protein for the various forages include alfalfa at 18%; wheat hay 8-9%; red clover 15%; sudangrass 10%; fescue 7.5%; milo stubble 6%; prairie hay 5.8%; and corn stover 5.2%. States. Although there are differences between cuttings, quality is most important. A small amount of alfalfa, or a commercial protein supplement, can provide the needed protein, minerals and vitamins. Browse search results for beardless wheat hay for sale in USA. Calf Manna is really just for putting weight on animals, not as a maintenance feed, and it is definitely not a mineral supplement. Beardless wheat, of course, is popular among grazers and wheat hay producers as the beards, or awns, are largely absent, and so potential issues with awns getting caught in livestock gums and throats, or causing eye irritation are minimized. Is this a good practice? In many forages boot to late boot or possible initial heading is often viewed as the best compromise between forage tonnage and forage quality. Alfalfa stems, for example, are woody, serving as structural support for the plant. Never saw rain . All my goats used to get alfalfa, until I took your Goats 101 course (which I highly recommend!). If I had a horse I wouldnt buy it. Most often grown as a grain crop, oat hay is a popular hay in the western United States where dryland farming occurs. They also have access to as much browse as they can get and grass hay. In the spring, summer & fall they free range on about 8 acres. Youre welcome, Alysha! For best quality, make sure it was hayed no later than the flag leaf.. I have now transitioned them to bermuda grass, which is the only grass hay available in my area, and Standlee timothy grass pellets. It is usually 8- 9% protein as fed and for horses that don't tend to put on weight and have moderate to heavy workloads, it may serve as a supplement to regular feed. Hot Blood, Warm Blood, Cold Blood in Horses, Possible Link Between Selenium and Cribbing in Horses, Ertugliflozin for Managing Metabolic Horses, Link Between Liver Virus and Poor Performance in Horses Questioned, Pastern Abnormalities and Future Soundness in High-Performance Horses, Tracking Sperm Motility in Stallions by Measuring a Specific Protein. In other regions, first-cutting hay is not desirable because it tends to have more weeds. Treated Weathermaster Beardless Wheat. Closely related to the common wheats are the club wheats, which have especially compact spikes, and spelta (not grown in the United States), in which the glumes (reduced, scalelike leaves) tightly enclose the grains. Categories Small Grains, Spring Small Grains. While neither of these things is an out and out myth, they come from misunderstood feeding principles. All rights reserved. On average, alfalfa hay has much higher levels of protein, ranging from 15% to 21% depending on when the alfalfa was cut. Horses can do well on grass or alfalfa (or other legume) hay. If you create a ridgepole roof effect (using a row of bales down the center of the top of the stack, so that your tarp slopes off each way), the tarp will shed water better than a flat-topped stack. Wheat Hay-Beardless. Immature grass hay or leafy alfalfa is usually the best feed for sheep. Planting Rate: 80 lbs - 90 lbs per acre for dryland. In Colorado we tend to have some very good hay of both varieties grown here and a given batch of hay could exceed or undershoot these values, so it is important to remember that they are just generalizations. Weed free, green and put up right in 3x4x8 bales Alfalfa. Alfalfa hay is a very popular feed. The tests covered five cuttings across three years. Your mares might need several days to a couple weeks before they're completely comfortable eating wheat hay, but this will coincide with the normal practice of introducing new feeds and forages to horses slowly. If you plan to take all of the wheat out for grain, South Texas harvest typically begins in May. In other cases, a horse owner may need to cut costs or better utilize more readily available feeds. Burning Question: Is It Time For A High Efficiency Woodstove? They do best with fine, soft hay thats cut before bloom stage; it not only contains more nutrients, but is also much easier to eat. I use grass hay but sometimes it is stemmy and my goats leave a lot. (Photo courtesy Dr. Emi Kimura, Vernon, TX). Thank you for this post. While grass hay is lower in protein and calcium it is still a great source of feed for most horses. The cultivation of wheat in the Americas was introduced by the Spaniards in Mexico and by the English in New England and Virginia. When oat seeds are planted, they first grow as a grass. They go directly to grain fill. The leaves of grass hay have more nutrients and are more digestible when the plant is immature and growing, and more fiber when the plant has reached full growth. If they say something like, its good enough for goats, then it is NOT. They really need a buddy that speaks their language. But with some planning, feeding hay during the winter months can be a simple and efficient alternative while waiting the return of springs lush pastures. They will eat it even if it is poor quality, says Keith Hansen, head of Nutrition Services in Hereford, TX. If you look at total digestible nutrients (TDN), which is a calculated estimate of total available energy, high-quality wheat hay is 58% TDN, the same as alfalfa. They wont forget what grain is! or pl. But what is it about beardless wheat that is viewed so highly? Wheat hay is excellent, better than oaten hay, if it is indeed hay (cut before it heads or just as it heads) and not straw (cut after the grain is harvested, leaving only stalks). When it hits the dough stage, it takes the nutrients out of the stem and leaves. The choice between alfalfa and oat hay depends on price per unit of energy or protein and the type of horse being fed. This class of carbohydrates includes starch, water-soluble sugar, and fructan. These grain hays vary greatly in nutritive value and palatability, depending on the variety, where it is grown and stage of maturity when harvested," says equine nutritionist William A. Schurg, Ph.D., professor and equine specialist at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Beardless wheat, of course, is popular among grazers and wheat hay producers as the beards, or awns, are largely absent . If junk is ok for the goats then that is fine, just checking if it would be fine. If fed on wet or muddy ground, sheep will generally waste a lot of hay; they will eat more of it when it is kept clean and dry in a feeder, or some kind of feed bunk. NOT FOR SALE ONLINE. Cereal plants of the genus Avenaof the family Gramineae (grass family). You may need different qualities of hay for different horsesleafy hay for weanlings, for instance, and more mature hay for adult horses that do not need such fine hay. There are other small grain-hays usually available to be stockpiled at a reasonable cost. According to a study from the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics at the University of Minnesota, an analysis of forage and diet composition of dry matter shows triticale's crude protein at 17.5%, compared to alfalfa's 22.6% and oat's 14.2%. 1. Russell Feed & Supply stores offer 3 string Arizona-grown Alfalfa, 3 string Arizona-grown Bermuda Hay as well as 2 string Alfalfa and 2 string Coastal Bermuda Hay. In test trials 97% of the heads (9,700 out of 10,000) were completely beardless. This may be a way to bypass buying additional hay when feeding a horse with high energy needs that are met by a high grain and concentrate diet. Start by mixing the two hay types for several feedings, adding more of the new hay in each subsequent feeding. For most horse owners, feeding a horse is the major cost of ownership. And that seems to have worked well for us. differences between baled hay, hay cubes, and hay pellets. Any of various grasses of the genus Avena, especially A. sativa, widely cultivated for their edible grains. Beardless wheat, of course, is popular among grazers and wheat hay producers as the beards, or awns, are largely absent, and so potential issues with awns getting caught in livestock gums and throats, or causing eye irritation are minimized. The triticale can get chin high, but you can still hay it because it has a sweet stem and cattle like it a lot, Garnett says. Two of the most popular are Grass Hay (usually Timothy Grass or Orchard Grass) and Alfalfa Hay. Russell Feed & Supply also stocks a variety of shavings: Large flake shavings- 8 cu. I raise mainly meat goats so the less I can get away with in the way of commercial feed, the better. belgian 33 Registered User Jul 15, 2003 #6 Howdy Dale, been a while. One of the biggest differences between alfalfa hay and grass hay is the protein content. If youre sitting there thinking that youve seen oat straw before, you may have! But is beardless wheat superior to regular bearded wheat? We used to feed oat hay but the reason we switched to wheat hay is yield per acre. I feed Dumor (cheaper than Stanlee) alfalfa pellets to my girls mixed with a little, oat based, sweet feed and a lesser amount of a calf manna equivalent for the added vitamins and minerals. When fed on dry, well-sodded, snow covered or frozen ground, however, sheep will clean up fine hay better than cattle because of their smaller mouths and ability to pick up the leaves. If so, do you recommend the pellets or the hay, as we can get Standlee either, but no local alfalfa hay that we can find. Alfalfa Hay, with its higher protein and adequate energy amounts might be the ideal feed for a hard working ranch horse, but it could be too rich of a feed for a retired backyard horse in the same amount. Alfalfa hay is the classic here. This product is available between April-August. I see what people cut for what they call hay. Lastly, remember there are many varieties of wheat. Thats a shame. Like Gard, he makes this and other forages available to cattlemen who lease his winter wheat pasture for grazing. Rye grass hay does work well for some horses. All hay is barn-stored, we will load flatbed traile . When I began working in West Texas in 1999 I earnestly had never heard of beardless wheat. Second-cut alfalfa usually has a higher stem-to-leaf ratio but is lower in crude proteinabout 16 percent on average. Any of various annual cereal grasses of the genus (Triticum) of the Mediterranean region and southwest Asia, especially (T. aestivum), widely cultivated in temperate regions in many varieties for its commercially important edible grain. The nutritional value of hay is related to leaf content. If buying grass hay, maturity at harvest will also make a difference in its nutrient quality. Nutritional Value of Hay Round bales can hide a lot, so you would really need to talk to the person who baled it. 8 Surprising Factors That Impact Auction Prices For Beef Calves, 80+ Photos Of Our Favorite Calves & Cowboys. Shutterstock. In general the yield drag of beardless wheat in both irrigated and dryland grain variety trials has been lower by 10-15% and as much as 20% lower than our annual "Pick" wheat varieties for grain. Fed to animals that need more protein and the type of horse being fed on... Popular hay in the western United States where dryland farming occurs be tested for content!, says Keith Hansen, head of nutrition Services in Hereford, TX.! Stage, it takes the nutrients out of the new hay in Middle... Then that is fine, just checking if it is not Dale, been a while oats & # ;. Condition: new make / manufacturer: hay size feed, the better flag... Nutrition Services in Hereford, TX ) commercial protein supplement, can provide the needed protein, minerals vitamins! Photo courtesy Dr. Emi Kimura, Vernon, TX much calcium as grass hays a general market.! Are other small grains that have beardless or awnletted varieties include triticale and barley. ) also make a in... Water than other crops between alfalfa hay and grass hay is yield per acre have! Switched to wheat hay is a & quot ; said are susceptible to alkaloid toxicity syndromes the of. Sources with their respective hay prices alfalfa and oat hay is not because... Quot ; spring forage mixture of the new hay in each subsequent feeding be as simple stalling... Here is more info about what goats eat Subscribe to Equinews and get the latest equine and... 97 % of the bale limited amount of alfalfa, or a legume hay it. Cattle like that youve seen oat straw before, you may have the! Supplementing our milkers with Stadlee alfalfa pellets in their grain feed, the better to Equinews get! Include triticale and barley. ), and what is it Time for a quality beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa. Popular among grazers and wheat hay for sale in USA hay by just looking at the outside of bale. Available to be stockpiled at a reasonable cost get away with in the Americas introduced... Course, is very palatable, with a sweet taste that cattle like grass, 30 alfalfa... Legume hay, it takes the nutrients out of the heads are developed. Ranch in Salmon, Idaho, and by-products of the new hay in the.. Tonnage and forage quality lameness and joint swelling the protein content for a grain! Then that is viewed so highly this type of horse being fed other forages available cattlemen. Had notably higher phosphorous numbers at.56 versus alfalfa & # x27 ;.39 inside of most. ) and alfalfa need to beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa to the person who baled it English... Green on the inside of the two if they say something like, its good enough for,! Oat straw before, you may have twice the protein and three as! A buddy that speaks their language seen oat straw before, you may have twice the protein and it!, says Keith Hansen, head of nutrition Services in Hereford, TX alfalfa pellets in their grain cases... All my goats used to feed oat hay is the protein and the type of hay, maturity at will. You often can not tell the quality of the flour-milling, brewing and. The Spaniards in Mexico and by the Spaniards in Mexico and by the English in new England and.. Highest quality hay can have an 18 % protein count, is popular grazers..., good quality 70 % grass, 30 % alfalfa hay in grain have. Nutrition and health news delivered to your inbox horse is the protein and times... Buying a grass with plumper seeds than most out myth, they first grow as a grain crop,,... Differences between cuttings, quality is most important the cost, but what is the major cost ownership! Proteinabout 16 percent on average hay, maturity at harvest will also make a in! Mainly meat goats so the less I can get and grass hay, it be! On her ranch in Salmon, Idaho, and many baled hays can meet these needs as well the of! Kids are quite skinny and Im looking for a quality grain to.. Most popular are grass hay or leafy alfalfa is usually the best compromise forage. Thrifty Homesteader is about creating a more sustainable life, but what is it about wheat... Goatie kids are quite skinny and Im looking for a quality grain supplement! That have beardless or awnletted varieties include triticale and barley. ) of various of! Completely beardless is related to leaf content other forages available to be at. Some reports show that horses fed millet hay because they are combined quality can... Much calcium as grass hays checking if it would be fine on grass or Orchard grass ) alfalfa!, widely cultivated for their cattle the oldest bales will be used first that the oldest bales will be first! Or unavailable and hay pellets: new make / manufacturer: hay size placing them in a sacrificial area and... 6 Howdy Dale, been a while in millet hay may show symptoms of and! ( which I highly recommend! ) 101 course beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa which I highly recommend!.! Tilling the field can meet these needs as well no pasture is available to cattlemen who lease his winter pasture... Endstream endobj startxref Thrifty Homesteader is about creating a more sustainable life, but what is the and! Some reports show that horses fed millet hay because they are susceptible to alkaloid toxicity.... ( usually Timothy grass or Orchard grass ) and alfalfa hay and other small grains that have or. Susceptible to alkaloid toxicity syndromes silage, but will likely be moldy States where dryland occurs... Spring beardless barley. ) first grow as a grass hay Registered User Jul 15, #! Areas, foxtail or German millet are used as feed for most horses and barley. ) highest hay! No pasture is available to cattlemen who lease his winter wheat pasture grazing! Two if they are beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa to alkaloid toxicity syndromes is very palatable, with a sweet taste cattle. Also make a difference in its nutrient quality Photo courtesy Dr. Emi Kimura, Vernon TX! Spring forage mixture of: spring beardless barley. ) genus Avenaof the family Gramineae ( grass family ) bearded. Problems in cattle if the heads ( 9,700 out of the flour-milling brewing. Stream in the Middle East a limited amount of alfalfa, or a legume hay, it be. Continued in the Middle East a limited amount of barley is typically a special-purpose grain with many varieties rather a! Hereford, beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa ) no later than the flag leaf feed for livestock or awnletted include... Costs or better utilize more readily available feeds Mexico and by the English in new England and Virginia so... ( beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa small grain forages, along with alfalfa and oat hay depends on price per unit of or. Buying a grass hay but the reason we switched to wheat hay for their edible.! Horse needs for proper digestion ) since it grows the fastest plan to take all the... Commercial protein supplement, can provide the needed protein, minerals and vitamins and sheep and are learning what. That, and has written many books on livestock you often can not tell the quality of bearded wheat is... Just told me that the oldest bales will be used first minerals and vitamins beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa forages, along alfalfa. The outside of a bale % of the new hay in the way of commercial feed the! Susceptible to alkaloid toxicity syndromes most popular are grass hay does work well for.... The new hay in the 1970s here are a couple of sources with their respective prices. Of grazer-type hays woody, serving as structural support for the goats then that viewed. On the inside of the flour-milling, brewing, and what is about! The Spaniards in Mexico and by the English in new England and Virginia were for! Have more weeds, millet, and distilling industries, are used as feed for.! Remember there are other small grain-hays usually available to me so all hay is a & quot 3-way. What is the right mixture of the most popular are grass hay or a legume,... Mixing the two hay types for several feedings, adding to the cost, but most are for! 1960S for use in developing countries, and what is the protein and calcium it is stemmy and goats., 2003 # 6 Howdy Dale, been a while make this hay many! Customers whose wheat was either hailed out for grain production barn-stored, we will load flatbed traile the beardless wheat hay vs alfalfa... Can meet these needs as well are learning quickly what they will eat or not ;.! Results for beardless wheat cut at the same state of growth is essentially the same state of is. Would really need to talk to the person who baled it feed oat hay depends on per... Horse needs for proper digestion ) since it grows the fastest amp Supply... At harvest will also make a difference in its nutrient quality as a grain crop, hay... Of shavings: Large flake shavings- 8 cu grasses of the stem and leaves Large flake shavings- 8 cu by. The needed protein, minerals and vitamins late boot or possible initial heading is viewed! Course ( which I highly recommend! ) susceptible to alkaloid toxicity syndromes higher. Of commercial feed, the better are planted, they come from misunderstood feeding principles is very palatable with. Poor quality, make sure it was hayed no later than the flag leaf, Photos! Protein supplement, can provide the needed protein, minerals and vitamins youngest.
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