1.
Stock up on 2nd cutting hay for the winter
1 point - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
2.
50/50 alfalfa and orchard grass
This is a good mix of hay, especially if the alfalfa is mid-bloom and the orchard grass is an early bloom. A 1200 lb horse would require 24.2 pounds per day vs 31.68 pounds of a timothy late bloom hay.
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
3.
Alfalfa facts
Many people avoid alfalfa because of its high calorie count. But if you buy a good, mid-bloom alfalfa you need to feed less, making it a good value for the dollar. You need to supplement selenium, zinc and vitamin e when feeding alfalfa exclusively.
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
4.
Make sure your hay was baled when dry
Baling a hay that has not had a chance to cure in the sunshine, results in mold.
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
5.
Hay should be green
A yellowed hay indicates the hay is aged and has lost valuable nutrients
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
6.
The most nutritious and easiest to digest hays have a high proportion of leaf to stem
This is easy to see in alfalfa where leaves are small and are clustered. In grass hays the leaf blade is thinner and flatter than the stems.
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
7.
Hays that have more stem than leaf are not as nutritious
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
8.
Alfalfa stems get more wood-like as the plant matures
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
9.
Young plants are more nutritious than older plants
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
10.
The age of the plant when it was cut influences the quality of the hay and the nutritional value
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
11.
Discard any hay with evidence of dead mice, rabbits, etc in order to avoid botulism
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
12.
Avoid hays with a heavy weed percentage
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
13.
Avoid hays infested with insects
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
14.
Alfalfa is a good hay to choose when you need more calories for your horse
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
15.
Check first cutting hay for weeds and mold
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
16.
Deal directly with a local farmer
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
17.
Only buy hay that has been complete cured
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
18.
Do not buy more than you can use up in a few months time
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
19.
Try to keep your horse's supply of hay relatively unchanging
0 points - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
20.
Make sure any round bales you purchase were covered during storage
-1 point - added 14 years ago by dspsfarm -
Similar Top lists
| Category | Ranked | Added by | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Ways to Avoid Being Bitten By a Dog | Other | 21 items | dspsfarm |
| 20 Tips to Picking Your Next Puppy | Other | 20 items | dspsfarm |
| Best Things to Bring to a Job Interview | Other | 20 items | BrendaKaye |
| Twenty Things to Do in Preparation for a Backyard Bonfire Party | Other | 20 items | kris |
| Top 20 Things to Keep in an Emergency Cupboard | Other | 20 items | xeniam |
ShareRanks is about ranking things that are top, most, greatest, or even worst in all categories.
Use arrows to rank one item in versus another.
Use arrows to rank one item in versus another.
Top 10 20 Tips to Buying Good Hay are especially marked