These charts are useful when you are determining how much nutritional value your hay actually has. Use these charts when you are building a feeding program for a horse or a herd of horses.
Table 1: Typical nutrient content of hays fed to horses (as fed basis). |
Hay Variety |
Digestible Energy (Mcal/lb) |
Total Digestible Nutrients (%) |
Crude Protein (%) |
Calcium (%) |
Phosphorus (%) |
Alfalfa |
0.8 to 1.1 |
48 to 55 |
15 to 20 |
0.9 to 1.5 |
0.2 to 0.35 |
Red Clover |
0.8 to 1.1 |
46 to 52 |
13 to 16 |
0.8 to 1.5 |
0.2 to 0.35 |
Orchardgrass |
0.7 to 1.0 |
42 to 50 |
7 to 11 |
0.3 to 0.5 |
0.2 to 0.35 |
Timothy |
0.7 to 1.0 |
42 to 50 |
7 to 11 |
0.3 to 0.5 |
0.2 to 0.35 |
Bermudagrass |
0.7 to 1.0 |
42 to 50 |
6 to 11 |
0.25 to 0.4 |
0.15 to 0.3 |
Tall Fescue |
0.6 to 0.9 |
40 to 48 |
5 to 9 |
0.3 to 0.5 |
0.2 to 0.35 |
Sources: National Research Council, 1989; UK Equine Nutrition Program, 1999. |
Table 2: Effect of stage of maturity and hay variety on the amount of hay and grain required by horses at maintenance and lactation. |
Type of Hay |
Amount of hay and grain required by an 1100 lb horse at maintenance per day |
Amount of hay and grain required by an 1100 lb mare in lactation per day |
Pre-Bloom Alfalfa |
14 to 16 lb of hay, no grain |
18 to 20 lb of hay and 6 to 8 lb of grain |
Late Bloom Alfalfa |
22 to 24 lb of hay, no grain |
24 to 28 lb of hay and 6 to 8 lb of grain; OR 18 to 20 lb of hay and 10 to 12 lb of grain |
Early Maturity Timothy Hay |
18 to 20 lb of hay, no grain |
22 to 26 lb of hay and 8 to 10 lb of grain |
Late Maturity Timothy Haya |
16 to 22 lb of hay, 0 to 4 lb of grain |
18 to 20 lb of hay and 12 to 14 lb of grain |
Mid-Maturity Alfalfa-Grass Hay Mix |
16 to 20 lb of hay, no grain |
22 to 24 lb of hay, 6 to 10 lb of grain |
One indication of the relative maturity of timothy is the softness or brittleness of the seedhead. If the seedhead crumbles down to the stem easily when rubbed, then it is very mature. If the seedhead is soft and does not crumble, then it is less mature. |
Disclaimer:
Horses are dangerous animals and care should be taken throughout the entire process of training and riding. All horse related activities encompass risk. The material provided in this book is for information only and Valerie Mellema and affiliated parties are not responsible or liable for any errors, omissions or consequences resulting from the use of this book and the information contained herein. Valerie Mellema and affiliated parties accepts no liability or responsibility for any physical, emotional, or financial consequences or any special, incidental, or consequential damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly through the use of the information in this book. |
