Hay Replacers - Products of the Month, August 2012

31 July 2012

With the weather set to remain unsettled, horse keeping will remain challenging! Although some haylage has been made, it is likely to be very nutritious as it is made from younger grass at the end of May and into June. Ideally, safe forage for horses is made in July and August when fibre levels are higher in the more mature grasses. So, many of us are looking for hay replacers, even though there is plenty of grass about!

Soaked PuraBeet is an economical and useful bulk feed especially for horses in work, as it comes with a lot of water to help with hydration. You can safely feed a lot more than you thought – an average 500 kg horse can have up to 2.5 kg of PuraBeet which will soak up to fill nearly two large buckets. It soaks faster in warm weather, so you may find it is ready to feed after only 2 or 3 hours. Always use it up within 24 hours of putting it on to soak.

Lucie^®Nuts soak up to make a nutritious as well as bulky fed and it is ideal for horses needing to build or maintain muscle. A 500 kg horse can have up to 5 kg of lucerne a day. This could be two bucketsful of soaked Lucie^®Nuts and a Lucie^®Brix on the side!

On days when your horse cannot get out for his usual grazing, bring the paddock to his stable with a tasty MeadowBrix or 3 to gnaw on! Or anything up to 5 of these a day for an average 500 kg horse.

For more ideas on alternatives to hay, give our feed line a call on 01728 604 008 or fill out our Ask a Question form – we are full of ideas!