Fiber from Timothy hay can be fermented in the gut and used as an energy source throughout the day. It can be quite expensive, depending on whether it has to be shipped long distances. Horse owners time and again consider timothy the gold standard in grasses for horses, primarily when it is cured and harvested as hay. A highly nutritious food, this premium-quality hay … The nutritional quality of timothy hay is not related to a particular cutting, but … It can grow up to around 1.5m (about five foot tall), and is quite rough and stalky. Timothy, Fescue) and legume (e.g. Timothy hay is excellent for impaction and colic prone horses and is fed to horses by surgical clinics after impaction surgery in conjunction with alfalfa. Normal horses can tolerate NSC levels of 20% or higher. Alfalfa, Clover). It’s a good grass hay for horses that tend to be sensitive and colicky, but there’s always the exception. It usually has a higher amount of protein than other grass hays but has a better balance of nutrients such as calcium and fiber. Horse owners have found that Timothy hay promotes a shiny coat, good digestion, bowel regularity, and a healthy weight. It can come in three varieties, depending on which cut of the season you buy. Timothy Grass is als… Sign up today to get the latest news, updates, and information from Kentucky Equine Research. In recent years, demand for this palatable forage has grown, especially on the export market, making it … Timothy is a cool-season, perennial bunch-grass that thrives in high altitudes, but is not very drought-tolerant due to its shallow root system. The hay is a late-maturing high fiber bunchgrass with a relatively low protein content. Timothy hay is excellent for impaction and colic prone horses and is fed to horses by surgical clinics after impaction surgery in conjunction with alfalfa. All Rights Reserved. Horses challenged by metabolic syndrome should be offered hays that are low in non-structural carbohydrates or NSC. Timothy hay is often recommended for horses in intensive training programs. Hay can be broken down into two main categories: grass (e.g. Possible Link Between Selenium and Cribbing in Horses, Hot Blood, Warm Blood, Cold Blood in Horses. Timothy is typically harvested two times per season, the first cutting in early summer and the second cutting in late summer or early fall. Again, this is a good thing as horses on restricted diets are unlikely to eat this hay as fast as more palatable hays like alfalfa, so they … All horses need fiber in their diet and some of it must be the form of long hay. Therefore, feeding Timothy Grass has a well-established comfort level with horse people. Horse owners have found that Timothy hay promotes a shiny coat, good digestion, bowel regularity, and a healthy weight. Timothy must be harvested in the pre- or early-bloom stage to ensure a high nutrient content. Peters Timothy Hay is a soft, fragrant grass hay with a sweet flavour that is naturally appealing to small animals. Copyright 2011-2019 Anderson Hay & Grain, Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved. Subscribe to Equinews and get the latest equine nutrition and health news delivered to your inbox. Why is Timothy Hay so good for horses? Contains 70% Timothy Hay and 30% Rye Grass. Ask a Kentucky Equine Research (KER) nutrition advisor today. Timothy hay is also excellent for foundered and obese horses and it has been said to help mares foal 40% easier. Like all forages fed to horses, timothy hay should be free of mold, dust, and weeds. It has a consistent and balanced ratio of calcium to phosphorus and Timothy Grass has a low to moderate calorie content. Timothy is a cool season grass, and many horse owners feed timothy as it’s easy for horses to digest. First identified in North America in the early to mid-1700s, timothy occurred naturally in England and likely elsewhere well before then, and the plant was often referred to as cat’s tail or meadow cat’s tail. Though timothy is sometimes planted in pure stands, it is often established as part of a mixture, frequently with a legume. As a pasture grass, timothy produces abundant leaves, particularly in midsummer, so it is useful when other plant species lose growth momentum. Through consultation with an equine nutritionist, horse owners can determine how best to include timothy into the diets of horses. Timothy hay is appropriate for all classes of horses, including young, growing horses. Timothy hay is appropriate for all classes of horses, including young, growing horses. That’s because unlike other large animals horses have a relatively small stomach and small intestine, compared to a bigger, large … Ruth Bishop, Equine Consultant to Newhay – A quality hay forage is a vital part of any horse’s diet. Peters Timothy Hay is an ideal food for rabbits and guinea pigs due to its high fibre, low protein and low calcium content. It also protects good digestion and keeps prevents conditions like gastric ulcers and colic. The hay is a late-maturing high fiber bunchgrass with a relatively low protein content. Timothy grass hay is commonly fed to horses, as well as cattle. It is known for being rich in nutrients and high forage quality. ESC is generally 4.2-8.2% and starch is around 0.8-3.2%. Need feeding advice? First cut is the roughest and highest in fibre, and slightly lower in nutritional value. Sign up for free now! Horse owners consider timothy the gold standard in grasses for horses, primarily when it is harvested and cured as hay. High quality Timothy Grass contains a moderate amount of protein, usually testing at approximately 8% protein. Timothy Grass Hay is a premium feed used for thoroughbred horses, pleasure riding horses, and ranch horses. For racehorses, fiber is a good cornerstone for any feeding program. Again, this is a good thing as horses on restricted diets are unlikely to eat this hay as fast as more palatable hays like alfalfa, so they … Various cultivars have been recognized by botanists, and if a specific cultivar is moved too far from its comfort zone, in terms of temperature and growing conditions, plants may not realize their full production potential. Timothy now grows on most continents. Soft and Fragrant with abundant natural flavour, Timothy hay has become the first choice for small animals around the world due to its high fibre and low calcium content. Each timothy bale of hay for horses are freshly wrapped for convenience and protection whilst in transit. Fibre is essential for the digestive health of rabbits and guinea pigs, providing roughage for a healthy gastrointestinal system. Timothy hay is excellent for foundered and obese horses and it has been said to help mares foal 40% easier. Horses in this study ate 1.5% to 1.8% of their bodyweight in teff hay, with the lower intakes being on the more mature hay. Timothy Hay For Horses. For timothy, the early-cut stage would be considered the early head stage. Timothy hay is a common favorite among horses and owners. For timothy, the early-cut stage would be considered the early head stage. Horses in this study ate 1.5% to 1.8% of their bodyweight in teff hay, with the lower intakes being on the more mature hay. High quality Horse hay. Timothy hay is often recommended for horses … While often pigeonholed as “horse hay” since then, timothy is a naturally sweet, nutritious grass that finds appeal not only in equestrian circles, but also in the dairy industry and the pet trade. It is relatively high in fiber, especially when cut at a later or more mature stage. This means that good quality shedded grass hay remains a risk. Through consultation with an equine … Timothy hay is the most digestible of all hays and is one of the most popular hay feeds for horses. Typically timothy grass has a finer texture than other grasses. Peters Timothy & Rye is grown in Australia from Canadian seed. Like all forages fed to horses, timothy hay should be free of mold, dust, and weeds. Feeding on Timothy hay can help satisfy your horse's natural urge to chew and graze when they are confined to stalls for long periods of time. Timothy hay is the most digestible of all hays and is one of the most popular hay feeds for horses. Like most grasses and legumes, early-cut timothy hay provides more energy and protein than late-cut hay. Storage of hay once cured at 10 - 14% moisture does not degrade the fructan or NSC content once the plant is dead. Harvested on our own 300 acre farm. Benefits: Grass hay is lower in protein and energy than legume hay — but it’s also higher in fiber, which can make it a good choice for many horses. Timothy hay is worth more to the horse owner when it is harvested at an immature stage of growth. Hay is harvested and stored in our barns up on pallets. Timothy does not tolerate close grazing well, however, and growth might slow in late summer and autumn. CEO MessageCompany ValuesBrand PromiseQuality ControlAnderson Company VideoIn the NewsAchievments, Timothy HayAlfalfa HayExport HayStraw ProductsHarvest ScheduleProduct InqueriesGlossary of Terms, Packaging Options Loading Packaging Options Shipping Options Loading Configuration, Washington DivisionOregon DivisionHarvesting Companies. Owned and operated by the same family for 5 generations. It will have higher levels of crude protein and lower amounts of both NDF and ADF. The most common sugar and starch measurements available from a laboratory are water-soluble carbohydrates, ethanol-soluble carbohydrates, and starch. Timothy hay is highly recommended for horses confined to a stable because it offers more chewing time. Whether it’s used for high performance stock at the race track or for the family pony, this premium, long fiber hay is unsurpassed in the diet of all horses. Much of this tradition is due to the fact that Timothy was one of the first grasses cultivated for horse hay. PIONEERING DEPENDABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AGRICULTURE WORLDWIDE. Not all hay is made equally, and each horse has its own preferences. • Orchard Grass Hay is very similar to Timothy Grass Hay. Timothy hay suppliers have found that this particular hay promotes bowel regularity, proper digestion, shiny coat and a healthy weight. It is also excellent for colic prone, protein-sensitive, and obese horses. This premium, long fiber hay is a favorite for horses as it aides in their digestion. While other feeds such as Alfalfa hay can meet energy requirements of horses in high levels of products, low nutritional concentrations of Timothy hay are ideal for many life stages. Timothy Grass is the traditional favorite among horse owners. © Copyright 2020 Kentucky Equine Research. Like most grasses and legumes, early-cut timothy hay provides more energy and protein than late-cut hay. Hay producers have found that timothy sometimes grows better when planted with a legume, and this could be due to the ability of legume plants to transform atmospheric nitrogen into fixed nitrogen, which then can be used by plants. Mould in damp hay can reduce the sugar content, but this type of hay is not suitable for horses, although cattle can tolerate lightly moulded hay. If someone tells you Alfalfa is a problem in Insulin Resistant horses, they do not have the facts. Grass hay is exactly what it sounds like – a short leafy plant – while legumes are members of the pea family. Timothy hay’s nutritional values vary depending on the cutting. The best timothy hay is excellent for protein-sensitive, colic prone and obese horses. Timothy hay is a perennial grass that is high in fiber and nutrients. If a horse really is sensitive to NSC content, the "safest" hays would be coastal Bermuda or timothy cut early in the day, after a warm night and recent rainfall. Different Types of Hay There are quite a few different types of hay that people feed to horses, but hay generally falls into one of two categories – legumes and grasses. By reviewing these reports, horse owners have an idea if the hay is appropriate for their horses, assuming the sellers have the starch and sugar analyzed. 4x4 round bales of Timothy Orchard Grass mixture that weigh 500lbs. It is also excellent for colic prone, protein-sensitive, and obese horses. This timothy hay has good protein levels and is particularly suitable for horses, ponies and donkeys prone to laminitis. Most racehorses require more energy than Timothy hay provides, so diet is supplemented with a percentage of Alfalfa mix. Grass Hay for Horses Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass and timothy are all examples of common grasses used for hay. When … Timothy hay is one of the most popular hays fed to horses. The hay is a late-maturing high fiber bunchgrass with a relatively low protein content. Ask a Kentucky Equine Research (KER) nutrition advisor today! Alfalfa actually has slightly lower ESC, starch, and sugar than Timothy Hay. Timothy is a type of grass hay. For bespoke balancing to this hay click the balancing product tab above. • Alfalfa Hay can mix with Timothy up to a 50:50 ratio. Timothy hay is a high-fibre and late-maturing bunchgrass with low protein content. It has high fiber and relatively low protein content and is the most digestible of all hays. 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