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Member
Posts: 12
| Guys, could I get some input on what hay you are feeding, how much you are feeding, and why you believe it to be the best option compared to the others? I moved not too long ago and now have more options. Previously, I have only fed bermuda hay. I'm just trying to get the best bang for my buck, so to speak. I moved the horses during the winter and due to short notice, purchased some bermuda round bales for the season...mainly because I am most familiar with the hay. This has been my first experience with round bales. It has made life easier at feeding time without having to throw them flakes, but they have wasted a good bit of it. I didn't buy a hay ring. I am sure that would have helped. I just expected my horses would find a way to turn a hay ring into a weapon of mass destruction...anyway...what are the pros/cons of bermuda compared to the others? I expect that I will buy square as well as round bales for this coming winter. |
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 The BHW Book Worm
Posts: 1768
  
| Ha yes a hay ring would have made your hay last much longer. We don't live in hay country pretty much our only choices are brome alfalfa and prairie hay. Good quality brome is gold but if it's not you better just use it as bedding. I am lucky enough to have an awesome hay guy that I buy brome from. Quality brome can have as much protein as alfalfa but without the buggy danger and sinsativities that come with it. I feed flakes free choice most the time that is about 7 three pound flakes a day.
Edited by Thistle2011 2015-02-23 8:07 AM
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | We moved from Southern CA (only square bales) to Oklahoma. We do feed bermuda round bales. I have hay rings and a large 1400 pound bale last 2 horses a month. I go through 3 bales of hay per month. I also feed Nutrena Pro Force Fuel to my 2 year old and riding horses, and timothy pellets/Safe Choice original to my broodmares |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | We're feeding square bales of coastal with bit of alfalfa to our injured one (also square) as most of them are stalled for the weather. Once the weather turns nicer and they are out more, we'll switch to some round bales of coastal. We also use a hay ring. Make sure you get a horse safe one. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| I have coastal square bales delivered---hignly fertilized, irrigated hay. I have fed one round bale in my life and just was not happy with it and it was quality hay also. (I have had horses for way more than 50 years) |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| We set out Crab Grass round bales and then feed square bales of alfalfa, we are in Oklahoma currently. In Colorado we fed timothy/alfalfa mix. I don't set another round bale out until about 3 days from the time the first one is visibly not a round bale anymore. Yes, I'm mean and make them clean as much of it up as possible. We will feed Bermuda if we can't find good crab. I can usually buy it cheaper than the Bermuda. My horses seem to clean it up better than Bermuda too. |
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| We've always fed prairie hay. If put up right, it's just as good as brome or alfalfa. All of our horses do so well on it and we have all ages. It's sweet smelling, dust free, and like candy...they love it! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| We feed a grass/ alfalfa mix. They get round bales all winter and forked hay in the other months. We bale our own hay and it's always pretty great, I'm picky too, the hay I don't approve of goes to the cows! |
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