Feeding our horses is typically the largest expense in horse ownership, but feeding them according to their nutrient demands could offer some cost savings. Selecting a good quality hay for our horses often becomes a battle of which product is the greenest color and smells the “best”. However, these are merely clues and actually tell [&#8230;]

<a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/marionco/files/2018/11/horse-forage.jpg"><img decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" class="alignright wp-image-3096 size-medium lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="Horse eating hay" width="300" height="200" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/marionco/files/2018/11/horse-forage-300x200.jpg"></a>Feeding our horses is typically the largest expense in horse ownership, but feeding them according to their nutrient demands could offer some cost savings. Selecting a good quality hay for our horses often becomes a battle of which product is the greenest color and smells the “best”. However, these are merely clues and actually tell very little about the nutritional quality of the forage.
<h6>Hay quality</h6>
The idea of “forage fed and grain finished” should be the forefront of decision making when evaluating the equine diet. Forage and pasture can provide a significant portion of the nutrition required for most classes of horses, however, under many circumstances some of this forage inevitably must come in the form of hay. If pasture management is prioritized and stocking rates are adequate, horses can consume 1.5-2.0% of their body weight with full time grazing; which satisfies many classes of nutritional requirements (notably digestible energy and crude protein) for various horses such as those at maintenance, in light to moderate exercise, and even early-mid gestation.
The choice of hay has to take into account the horse diet requirements (see Table 2), which is different for each horse category, and all other components of the diet (i.e. pasture, concentrate, minerals, etc.). The only way to assure hay quality is through laboratory testing. Visual and olfactory cues can help determine if the hay is clean of weeds and free of mold, but will not give much further information. Good quality horse hay should be mold and dust-free and should not contain extraneous materials such as weeds and poisonous plants. Hay quality is variable from specie to specie as well as cutting to cutting, seldom will you receive an exactly uniform product each purchase.
Key nutritional measures of harvested forage include; crude protein, digestible energy, crude fiber, non-structural carbohydrates, and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF). The Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) is a parameter that can be used to compare different forage analyses. It includes not only information on the nutritional value but also an estimate of intake based on digestibility, thus provides a good index to compare potential animal performance between forages.
There are many factors that affect the composition of forages used for hay, these include the type of forage (legume vs. grass), warm-season vs. cool season grasses, and the stage of maturity at harvest. In general, a hay considered “high quality” would be high in protein (&gt;14%), have a low NDF/ADF ratio and be low in lignin. These forages will be less mature, more digestible and highly palatable, and horses with high nutrient requirements would benefit from these hay types.<a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/marionco/files/2018/11/Forage-Chart-1.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-3094 size-full lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="Chart comparing hay types" width="1359" height="847" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/marionco/files/2018/11/Forage-Chart-1.jpg"></a>
On the other hand, low-quality forages and hay can be an option for horses that need to lose weight or have low maintenance requirements. The idea that the only quality hay available are those that are not grown in Florida such as alfalfa, orchard grass, or timothy is a misconception. While these hay types generally have high nutritional value, they may not always be worth the higher price tag that comes along with them if you can meet nutritional goals with hay types harvested more locally, such as bermudagrasses or perennial peanut in the warm-season, or oat hay in the cool-season. In fact, bermudagrass hay can have high protein as well (see range on Table 1). Using the “scale of greenness” to gauge hay quality can be quite misleading, many times a lab analysis will reveal forage quality of less aesthetic hays to equal or greater value than similar types that appear better because they possess a darker shade of green.
<h6>Can good quality horse hay be grown in Florida?</h6>
To further explore this concept, 32 hay samples which represented a range of hay types on the market were obtained from local feed stores, from imported legumes and grass hays to hay types produced in state. The goal was to quantify the key nutritional components provided by each hay in a comparative manner to allow horse owners to better evaluate their purchases on a nutritional requirement basis and an economic basis.
<img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3095 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="Chart of Nutritional Composition of Pasture Grasses" width="1381" height="987" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/marionco/files/2018/11/Forage-Chart-2.jpg">
&nbsp;

Feeding our horses is typically the largest expense in horse ownership, but feeding them according to their nutrient demands could offer some cost savings. Selecting a good quality hay for our horses often becomes a battle of which product is the greenest color and smells the “best”. However, these are merely clues and actually tell very little about the nutritional quality of the forage.
Hay quality
The idea of “forage fed and grain finished” should be the forefront of decision making when evaluating the equine diet. Forage and pasture can provide a significant portion of the nutrition required for most classes of horses, however, under many circumstances some of this forage inevitably must come in the form of hay. If pasture management is prioritized and stocking rates are adequate, horses can consume 1.5-2.0% of their body weight with full time grazing; which satisfies many classes of nutritional requirements (notably digestible energy and crude protein) for various horses such as those at maintenance, in light to moderate exercise, and even early-mid gestation.
The choice of hay has to take into account the horse diet requirements (see Table 2), which is different for each horse category, and all other components of the diet (i.e. pasture, concentrate, minerals, etc.). The only way to assure hay quality is through laboratory testing. Visual and olfactory cues can help determine if the hay is clean of weeds and free of mold, but will not give much further information. Good quality horse hay should be mold and dust-free and should not contain extraneous materials such as weeds and poisonous plants. Hay quality is variable from specie to specie as well as cutting to cutting, seldom will you receive an exactly uniform product each purchase.
Key nutritional measures of harvested forage include; crude protein, digestible energy, crude fiber, non-structural carbohydrates, and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF). The Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) is a parameter that can be used to compare different forage analyses. It includes not only information on the nutritional value but also an estimate of intake based on digestibility, thus provides a good index to compare potential animal performance between forages.
There are many factors that affect the composition of forages used for hay, these include the type of forage (legume vs. grass), warm-season vs. cool season grasses, and the stage of maturity at harvest. In general, a hay considered “high quality” would be high in protein (>14%), have a low NDF/ADF ratio and be low in lignin. These forages will be less mature, more digestible and highly palatable, and horses with high nutrient requirements would benefit from these hay types.
On the other hand, low-quality forages and hay can be an option for horses that need to lose weight or have low maintenance requirements. The idea that the only quality hay available are those that are not grown in Florida such as alfalfa, orchard grass, or timothy is a misconception. While these hay types generally have high nutritional value, they may not always be worth the higher price tag that comes along with them if you can meet nutritional goals with hay types harvested more locally, such as bermudagrasses or perennial peanut in the warm-season, or oat hay in the cool-season. In fact, bermudagrass hay can have high protein as well (see range on Table 1). Using the “scale of greenness” to gauge hay quality can be quite misleading, many times a lab analysis will reveal forage quality of less aesthetic hays to equal or greater value than similar types that appear better because they possess a darker shade of green.
Can good quality horse hay be grown in Florida?
To further explore this concept, 32 hay samples which represented a range of hay types on the market were obtained from local feed stores, from imported legumes and grass hays to hay types produced in state. The goal was to quantify the key nutritional components provided by each hay in a comparative manner to allow horse owners to better evaluate their purchases on a nutritional requirement basis and an economic basis.

Feeding our horses is typically the largest expense in horse ownership, but feeding them according to their nutrient demands could offer some cost savings. Selecting a good quality hay for our horses often becomes a battle of which product is the greenest color and smells the “best”. However, these are merely clues and actually tell […]

How to Select Horse Hay

J. Dubeux, Jr. and A. Blount, University of Florida/IFAS – North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC), 3925 Highway 71, Marianna, FL P. Munoz, University of Florida/IFAS – Agronomy Department, Gainesville, FL. Florida has approximately 119,000 dairy cows and a well-developed horse industry that generates $6.5 billion annually. Producing local alfalfa hay is an opportunity [&#8230;]

<figure id="attachment_16460" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16460" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/nwdistrictmedia/phag/2015/11/Bill-Conrad-Alfalfa.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-16460 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="Jackson County alfalfa producer Bill Conrad. Photo credit: Doug Mayo" width="700" height="405" data-src="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/nwdistrictmedia/phag/2015/11/Bill-Conrad-Alfalfa.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16460" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 1. Jackson County alfalfa grower Bill Conrad. Photo credit: Doug Mayo</figcaption></figure>
<a href="mailto:dubeux@ufl.edu">J. Dubeux</a>, Jr. and <a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2"></a><a href="mailto:paspalum@ufl.edu"> A. Bloun</a>t, University of Florida/IFAS – North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC), 3925 Highway 71, Marianna, FL
P. Munoz, University of Florida/IFAS – Agronomy Department, Gainesville, FL.
<a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2"></a>
Florida has approximately 119,000 dairy cows and a well-developed horse industry that generates $6.5 billion annually. Producing local alfalfa hay is an opportunity for growers in the southeastern U.S. Reduced transportation costs compared with alfalfa shipped from other areas of the country provides local growers a potential advantage to supply the Florida market.
Alfalfa is a forage legume with high crude protein and digestibility. Alfalfa also has N-fixation capacity reducing the need for N fertilization. Alfalfa fills the gap of forage production in the early Spring and late Fall, providing high quality forage during that time of the year when warm-season forages are not actively growing.
Alfalfa requires high nutrient inputs and soil fertility, and the warm weather and high humidity during summer in Florida and in the Southern Coastal Plains increases disease pressure on the this crop. In many areas of the southeast, soil fertility is inadequate and cultivars used are not adapted to local conditions. In order to establish a successful alfalfa stand, the pH needs to be maintained between 6.5 and 7.0. Additionally, current alfalfa commercial varieties do not tolerate flooding, meaning that a well-drained site needs to be selected to establish an alfalfa stand. Combinations of these factors reduce the potential for alfalfa production in Florida as compared to other parts of the country.
One way to overcome these challenges is to breed alfalfa varieties adapted to local conditions. Fall dormancy, for example, is a critical trait that describes the alfalfa growth during the fall due to decreasing temperatures and day length. Fall dormancy scores range from 1 to 11, with lower numbers representing cultivars that exhibit less growth in the fall. Warmer regions should target non-dormant alfalfa varieties with fall dormancy &gt; 8. Currently, several non-dormant alfalfa varieties are being tested in North and Central Florida as part of the alfalfa breeding program of the University of Florida.
For Florida production, high-yield disease/pest resistant improved varieties with a fall dormancy &gt;8 are preferred. There are many varieties in the market for northern states, however, not many of them have been tested under Florida conditions. In North Florida, hay producers are expanding the alfalfa area (Figure 1). In North-Central Florida, alfalfa is also managed for hay on dairy farms or even under grazing conditions for purebred cattle producers (Figure 2).
<figure id="attachment_16461" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16461" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/nwdistrictmedia/phag/2015/11/Dubuex-Figure-2.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-16461 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="Figure 2. Livestock grazing bulldog 805 alfalfa in High Springs, FL. Photo credit: Dan Marvel." width="700" height="394" data-src="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/nwdistrictmedia/phag/2015/11/Dubuex-Figure-2.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16461" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 2. Livestock grazing bulldog 805 alfalfa in High Springs, FL. Photo credit: Dan Marvel.</figcaption></figure>
In Marianna FL, six alfalfa varieties were tested (Ameristand 855T RR, Ameristand 901 TS, Ameristand 915 TS RR, Bulldog 805, FL 77, and FL 99) under two harvesting intensities (two and four inches) for two years. Because no irrigation was provided, alfalfa stands were harvested only five times during the year. FL99 was ranked among the top-yielding varieties followed by FL77 and Bulldog 805. Ameristand varieties in general yielded less (Table 1).<a href="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/nwdistrictmedia/phag/2015/11/Dubeux-Table-1.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-16462 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="Dubeux Table 1" width="700" height="257" data-src="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/nwdistrictmedia/phag/2015/11/Dubeux-Table-1.png"></a>Because FL99 and FL77 are discontinued varieties, there are no seeds currently available on the market. Bulldog 805 is the only commercially available alfalfa variety currently recommended for Florida (Blount et al., 2015). These three varieties (FL99, FL77, and Bulldog 805) presented the best stand after two years of harvest in Marianna (Figure 3).
<figure id="attachment_16463" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16463" style="width: 1430px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/nwdistrictmedia/phag/2015/11/Dubeux-Figure-3.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-16463 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="Figure 3. Alfalfa varieties after two years of harvests at UF/IFAS – NFREC, Marianna, FL. Photo credit: Jose Dubeux" width="1430" height="914" data-src="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/nwdistrictmedia/phag/2015/11/Dubeux-Figure-3.png"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16463" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 3. Alfalfa varieties after two years of harvests at UF/IFAS – NFREC, Marianna, FL. Photo credit: Jose Dubeux</figcaption></figure>
Harvesting at a two-inch stubble height resulted in greater alfalfa productivity than did harvesting at a four-inch stubble height. (Table 2). Harvesting intensity affects tillering and regrowth after harvest by not only modifying residual leaf area and carbohydrates in the roots, but also by creating a light environment that favors plant regrowth. Overall, however, alfalfa productivity declined after the first spring cutting in 2014. <a href="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/nwdistrictmedia/phag/2015/11/Dubeux-Table-2.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-16464 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="Dubeux Table 2" width="927" height="233" data-src="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/nwdistrictmedia/phag/2015/11/Dubeux-Table-2.png"></a>Under irrigation, alfalfa yield potential in North Florida is much greater. In an on-farm extension project, the forage team from NFREC has been measuring the yields in a commercial alfalfa field in Jackson County, Florida. The best yielding varieties averaged almost 1,800 lbs./acre per cutting, with a cumulative yield in a 12-month period of 14,390 lbs./acre. Harvest occurred every 30 days. The productivity in the second year, however, declined as well. It is important to mention that maintaining high alfalfa productivity requires fertilization after every cutting, to replace the extracted nutrients.<a href="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/nwdistrictmedia/phag/2015/11/Debeux-Table-3.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-16465 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="Dubeux Table 3" width="925" height="318" data-src="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/nwdistrictmedia/phag/2015/11/Debeux-Table-3.png"></a>Alfalfa production is an option for North Florida. Alfalfa varieties FL99, FL77, and Bulldog 805 are among the best options, however, only Bulldog 805 is currently commercially available for producers. Although alfalfa productivity declined after the spring cutting of the second season, the shorter longevity of alfalfa stands observed in Florida, as compared to Midwest production regions, might be compensated for by the additional price paid in Florida for alfalfa hay.
<h3>Literature Cited</h3>
<a href="http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2015/08/14/2015-cool-season-forage-variety-recommendations-for-florida/">Blount, A.R.S., P. Munoz, J. Dubeux, J. Vendramini, A. Babar, K. Kenworthy, and K. Quesenberry. 2015. 2015 cool-season forage variety recommendations for Florida.</a> 
&nbsp;

Figure 1.  Jackson County alfalfa grower Bill Conrad. Photo credit: Doug Mayo
J. Dubeux, Jr. and  A. Blount, University of Florida/IFAS – North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC), 3925 Highway 71, Marianna, FL
P. Munoz, University of Florida/IFAS – Agronomy Department, Gainesville, FL.

Florida has approximately 119,000 dairy cows and a well-developed horse industry that generates $6.5 billion annually.  Producing local alfalfa hay is an opportunity for growers in the southeastern U.S. Reduced transportation costs compared with alfalfa shipped from other areas of the country provides local growers a potential advantage to supply the Florida market.
Alfalfa is a forage legume with high crude protein and digestibility. Alfalfa also has N-fixation capacity reducing the need for N fertilization. Alfalfa fills the gap of forage production in the early Spring and late Fall, providing high quality forage during that time of the year when warm-season forages are not actively growing.
Alfalfa requires high nutrient inputs and soil fertility, and the warm weather and high humidity during summer in Florida and in the Southern Coastal Plains increases disease pressure on the this crop.  In many areas of the southeast, soil fertility is inadequate and cultivars used are not adapted to local conditions. In order to establish a successful alfalfa stand, the pH needs to be maintained between 6.5 and 7.0.  Additionally, current alfalfa commercial varieties do not tolerate flooding, meaning that a well-drained site needs to be selected to establish an alfalfa stand.  Combinations of these factors reduce the potential for alfalfa production in Florida as compared to other parts of the country.
One way to overcome these challenges is to breed alfalfa varieties adapted to local conditions. Fall dormancy, for example, is a critical trait that describes the alfalfa growth during the fall due to decreasing temperatures and day length. Fall dormancy scores range from 1 to 11, with lower numbers representing cultivars that exhibit less growth in the fall. Warmer regions should target non-dormant alfalfa varieties with fall dormancy > 8. Currently, several non-dormant alfalfa varieties are being tested in North and Central Florida as part of the alfalfa breeding program of the University of Florida.
For Florida production, high-yield disease/pest resistant improved varieties with a fall dormancy >8 are preferred. There are many varieties in the market for northern states, however, not many of them have been tested under Florida conditions. In North Florida, hay producers are expanding the alfalfa area (Figure 1). In North-Central Florida, alfalfa is also managed for hay on dairy farms or even under grazing conditions for purebred cattle producers (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Livestock grazing bulldog 805 alfalfa in High Springs, FL. Photo credit: Dan Marvel.
In Marianna FL, six alfalfa varieties were tested (Ameristand 855T RR, Ameristand 901 TS, Ameristand 915 TS RR, Bulldog 805, FL 77, and FL 99) under two harvesting intensities (two and four inches) for two years. Because no irrigation was provided, alfalfa stands were harvested only five times during the year.  FL99 was ranked among the top-yielding varieties followed by FL77 and Bulldog 805. Ameristand varieties in general yielded less (Table 1).Because FL99 and FL77 are discontinued varieties, there are no seeds currently available on the market. Bulldog 805 is the only commercially available alfalfa variety currently recommended for Florida (Blount et al., 2015). These three varieties (FL99, FL77, and Bulldog 805) presented the best stand after two years of harvest in Marianna (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Alfalfa varieties after two years of harvests at UF/IFAS – NFREC, Marianna, FL.
Photo credit: Jose Dubeux
Harvesting at a two-inch stubble height resulted in greater alfalfa productivity than did harvesting at a four-inch stubble height. (Table 2). Harvesting intensity affects tillering and regrowth after harvest by not only modifying residual leaf area and carbohydrates in the roots, but also by creating a light environment that favors plant regrowth.  Overall, however, alfalfa productivity declined after the first spring cutting in 2014. Under irrigation, alfalfa yield potential in North Florida is much greater. In an on-farm extension project, the forage team from NFREC has been measuring the yields in a commercial alfalfa field in Jackson County, Florida. The best yielding varieties averaged almost 1,800 lbs./acre per cutting, with a cumulative yield in a 12-month period of 14,390 lbs./acre. Harvest occurred every 30 days. The productivity in the second year, however, declined as well. It is important to mention that maintaining high alfalfa productivity requires fertilization after every cutting, to replace the extracted nutrients.Alfalfa production is an option for North Florida. Alfalfa varieties FL99, FL77, and Bulldog 805 are among the best options, however, only Bulldog 805 is currently commercially available for producers. Although alfalfa productivity declined after the spring cutting of the second season, the shorter longevity of alfalfa stands observed in Florida, as compared to Midwest production regions, might be compensated for by the additional price paid in Florida for alfalfa hay.
Literature Cited
Blount, A.R.S., P. Munoz, J. Dubeux, J. Vendramini, A. Babar, K. Kenworthy, and K. Quesenberry. 2015. 2015 cool-season forage variety recommendations for Florida.

J. Dubeux, Jr. and A. Blount, University of Florida/IFAS – North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC), 3925 Highway 71, Marianna, FL P. Munoz, University of Florida/IFAS – Agronomy Department, Gainesville, FL. Florida has approximately 119,000 dairy cows and a well-developed horse industry that generates $6.5 billion annually. Producing local alfalfa hay is an opportunity […]

Opportunities and Challenges of Alfalfa Production in North Florida

Grassy or tree legume that provides leaves and stems for grazing or use in silage.

Legumbre herb&aacute;cea o arb&oacute;rea que proporciona hojas y tallos para pastoreo o uso en ensilaje.

Feed Legumes

Legumbres para alimentar

A valuable leguminous crop for forage or hay used in livestock feeding.

Alfalfa

Narrower Topics

Alfalfa Pest Management

How to Select Horse Hay

Opportunities and Challenges of Alfalfa Production in North Florida