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 Expert
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| Hey there all! I feed my horses Orchard/Alf mix 24/7. Prices went up to 25.00 a bale here. I had always heard that bermuda would cause colic by it balling up and causing an impaction. I could see this if that was 100% of what they were being fed. But I was hoping I could fill up my slow feed hay nets with Bermuda and stick to the alf/Orchard 2x a day. What do you think? THanks! |
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Nut Case Expert
Posts: 9305
Location: Tulsa, Ok | We have fed a lot of bermuda over the years and never had an impaction colic. |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Just make sure the Bermuda you buy is leggy and has plenty of diameter to the stems and leaves, you'll be fine. If you feel worried, give them a pound or two of beet pulp pellets to help keep things moving. |
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 Namesless in BHW
Posts: 10368
Location: At the race track with Ah Dee Ohs | We feed bermuda and have for quite some time...have never had a problem. |
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 Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
 
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | SC Wrangler - 2013-12-04 1:01 PM We have fed a lot of bermuda over the years and never had an impaction colic.
Same here. My vet advised against it but I mix it with native grass hay. |
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 Expert
Posts: 4625
Location: Desert Land | I lost my favorite broodmare in October due to Ileal impaction from feeding bermuda. She was being free fed bermuda and alfalfa 2x daily. At San Luis Rey the vet told me that a high percentage (She actually gave me a #, but I don't remember what it was) of ileal impactions they saw at the clinic is due to bermuda and the first thing she asked when I got the mare out of the trailer was if she was being fed bermuda.
Never again for me will I feed bermuda. I had never had any problems before that, but after $2,000+ in vet bills and losing my mare, it's not a risk I'm willing to take. |
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Expert
Posts: 4625
Location: Desert Land | classicpotatochip - 2013-12-04 11:02 AM Just make sure the Bermuda you buy is leggy and has plenty of diameter to the stems and leaves, you'll be fine. If you feel worried, give them a pound or two of beet pulp pellets to help keep things moving.
All of my horses get soaked beet pulp daily with their senior and supplements as well and still had an ileal impaction. |
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Expert
Posts: 3147
| I've fed bermuda hay since the 60's, have had up to thirty head at one time and can't remember an impaction colic. I've had a few due to other things-gas, displaced bowel, etc. |
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Expert
Posts: 5293
| Thanks, Probably not worth the risk, and I think out here in SO Cal we have the type that is real thin and not much to it. I might try a little alfalfa in the hay nets. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 191
Location: CALIFORNIA | I'm in So. Cal. and I have always fed bermuda in the evenings with their supplements/grain and alfalfa in the mornings. Knock on wood I have never had an impaction colic and I have quite a few horses. My vet has told me that as long as the horses have fresh, clean water and they are drinking adequately then it shouldn't be a problem. But that is just my experience. |
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 "Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
Location: Iowa, LA | I've fed straight Bermuda for almost 30 years and had ONE colic in all that time. It was a mild colic that did not require surgery. My trimmer and I were discussing colic one day and we both feel that a lot of colic is caused from inactivity. Horses are being confined and not moving as they were made to. I've had several runners/walkers tell me they have "impaction" issues when they don't get their daily exercise. To me, it makes perfect sense. Maybe I've just been really lucky, but my horses have always had more turnout than confinement. |
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  Sweet Tea
Posts: 3496
Location: Home of the World Famous "Silver Bullet" | FLITASTIC - 2013-12-04 1:45 PM Hey there all! I feed my horses Orchard/Alf mix 24/7. Prices went up to 25.00 a bale here. I had always heard that bermuda would cause colic by it balling up and causing an impaction. I could see this if that was 100% of what they were being fed. But I was hoping I could fill up my slow feed hay nets with Bermuda and stick to the alf/Orchard 2x a day. What do you think? THanks!
feed long course hay and you should be ok. the real pretty fine short hay is what will get you in trouble. |
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My Heelers are Heroes
Posts: 4685
| annemarea - 2013-12-04 5:12 PM I've fed straight Bermuda for almost 30 years and had ONE colic in all that time. It was a mild colic that did not require surgery. My trimmer and I were discussing colic one day and we both feel that a lot of colic is caused from inactivity. Horses are being confined and not moving as they were made to. I've had several runners/walkers tell me they have "impaction" issues when they don't get their daily exercise. To me, it makes perfect sense. Maybe I've just been really lucky, but my horses have always had more turnout than confinement.
I just read this very thing. In the cold bad weather horses are stalled more than normal with little to no exercise. Plus water is cold coming out of the hydrant so they don't want to drink it. |
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 Famous for Not Complaining
Posts: 8848
Location: Broxton, Ga | barn mom - 2013-12-03 7:45 PM FLITASTIC - 2013-12-04 1:45 PM Hey there all! I feed my horses Orchard/Alf mix 24/7. Prices went up to 25.00 a bale here. I had always heard that bermuda would cause colic by it balling up and causing an impaction. I could see this if that was 100% of what they were being fed. But I was hoping I could fill up my slow feed hay nets with Bermuda and stick to the alf/Orchard 2x a day. What do you think? THanks! feed long course hay and you should be ok. the real pretty fine short hay is what will get you in trouble.
Agree........ |
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | My horses do not handle alfalfa well even when introduced slowly to it. As a 2 year old, my buckskin stallion got impaction colic and we were ready to euthanize. I only feed Bermuda hay. My horses are fine on it. I also feed safe choice and Adeptus products. I feed the Invigor and Augment. They also get electrolytes. I'm not against alfalfa, but it is not in my feeding program. |
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 Special Somebody
Posts: 3951
Location: Finally horseback again.... | Wes Williams at Lone Star Park advises that bermuda not be fed with oats. He said it forms glue in the intestines.
I have free choice fed it for years to most all of our horses without issue simply because that is what we grow here. But never with straight oats.
I feed my old horse straight alfalfa but its getting scary feeding that due to all the incidents of blister beatles lately.
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 The Bird Lady
Posts: 6440
Location: The end of the Earth, SE AR | Here in Arkansas, bermuda hay is the only hay you will find. If you don't feed Bermuda then you will feed alfalfa which is hard to find and run the risk of blister beetles. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: Texas Big Country | One thought, If you feed bermuda (we do), make sure that you dont have a layer of the "fines", small particles, left over in the bottom of your feeder. Always dump them out. If you are late feeding one day, or some other scenario where the horse decides to tank up on the "fines', that will for sure compact in the gut. Never feed just the "fines" for a treat or to save hay. |
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 Works Hard For The Money
Posts: 4469
Location: Memphis, TN | rollingrfarm - 2013-12-05 8:09 AM
Here in Arkansas, bermuda hay is the only hay you will find. If you don't feed Bermuda then you will feed alfalfa which is hard to find and run the risk of blister beetles.
Exactly. Here in our area Bermuda is all you can find. If you buy "mixed grass" it's complete junk and what most would call cow hay. I feed Vaughn but I've also fed Tifton 44. My guys get whole oats and alfalfa pellets every night with their Bermuda and I have never had a problem. I don't stall mine though so they can move around as they please and I always have two water troughs full. Mine get wet beet pulp in the middle of the day to help with moisture intake. I think a big thing too is horses raised on it have less issues than a mature horse who has never had it and starts eating it. |
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 Hugs to You
Posts: 7551
Location: In The Land of Cotton | Look for Tift 85 bermuda hay. It is the more "coarse" of the bermudas. I have fed it for over 20 years. Works great. |
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