A couple of Q's about soaking hay...

Spyda

Spyda

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A couple of questions about soaking hay to reduce nutrient value, i.e. energy.

I am soaking hay in a dustbin for about 20 hours. Is this too long? I stress, it is left in a very cool location and my horse is happy to munch on it whilst she's in during the day. I remove anything left over or dropped onto the floor so nothing is left that's 'gone over'.

I was wondering just how much less fattening the hay is, fed after a long soaking like this. I assume minerals leach out but just how much of the original energy level is reduced? Does anyone actually know how much of a difference it makes?

Edited to add link: http://www.farrierspages.com/hay_soaking.htm
An interesting link which suggests cold water soaking isn't all that reliable. Now I'm really confused! LOL.
 
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trendybraincell said:
Thats a very long time to soak! Does your horse have lami or suffered from it in the past?
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Yes, unfortunately. Current research suggests soaking for 16hrs is okay so I didn't figure the additional 4 hours would make too much difference overall. The hay still smells fresh and is evidently palatable. The same hay, drained but left in a pile outside of her stable for a further 30 hours smelt distinctly 'off'. My mare has access to the soaked hay for approximately 6 hours, after which time anything left over it's still smelling fresh. I remove anything left over daily.
 
There was some info a while ago about testing the times for soaking, 12 hours was needed for the best reduction in sugars, it can be done for longer but not much difference as there is not much left to come out.
I soak for up to 20 hours, depending on when I remember to do it, always over 12 for a laminitic. I rinse very well and have no problems with it going off, I am careful when it gets very hot to prevent it getting warm in the water but find overnight there is no problem.
If you are feeding some supplements and salt plus turning out each day I would think the horse will get all it needs unless you have a deficiency in the land you are on.
 
An hour or so is needed to disolve the sugars, then maybe hose it to wash off anything, then maybe put it on top of a griddle or something so that the water drains off. For instance set it up first when doing the chores in the morning/evening then before you go set it out of the water, then fetch it later to go into stable or field. This will reduce the sugars an average of at least 10-15% maybe more. If it's hot water then the sugar will disolve quicker. Have a look at Katy Watts website, there is some great free articles on here: http://www.safergrass.org/

There is also a hay soaking study.. she's a plant scientist, but has horses, so has helped a lot of horse owners with equine cushings, insulin resistance etc.

When I went out to the Whole Horse Symposium/Equine Sciences Academy conference she was out there as she's on the ESA Advisory panel, and great to hear her. Unfortunantly she's done a lot of research, but struggles to find the money/orgs to publish it when the results don't typically favour the feed/hay companies..

One of my clients has also asked if you can soak it in the same water, and I've looked at a few yahoo groups I'm on and you don't want to be doing that as it'll become very sugarary water... I think she or someone else referred to it as hay beer after it had hung around for a while.

I'd also feed them enough so they were never without hay, and if it's soaked the sugar should be of a decently reduced level to do this without horse getting into trouble.. Restrict it and he could go into starvation mode or stress which is not going to be healthy.

Best wishes
Hannah
 
Thanks Be Positive :) The mare is turned out at night in a 1 acre field with very little grass, but still enough for her dung to be green in colour! She's also fed once a day, linseed meal, lo cal balancer, straw chaff plus mag ox, limestone flour and copper, plus has a salt lick. I offer her soaked hay during the day whilst she's in to keep the fibre passing through.

Thanks too Hannah! I definitely wouldn't want to reuse the left over water. Eugh! Mind you, I can see it might be tempting to do so. Luckily, I have a large drain right beside my soaking bin so really I have it easy compared to many others.
 
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Ooops forgot to add, I think more than an hour/couple of hours you start to disolve the nutrients in the hay.. however it may be that you've had it tested and someone may be able to tell you what disolves first if in water for longer, and if that it one nutrient that is needed, or already on the low side you may want to supplement.. god I wish I'd taken something like science/biology at uni now instead of Tourism Management.. I would have been far more practical! (no offence anyone who's studying Tourism Management!)

Best wishes
Hannah
 
Spyda said:
Thanks Be Positive :) The mare is turned out at night in a 1 acre field with very little grass, but still enough for her dung to be green in colour! She's also fed once a day, linseed meal, lo cal balancer, straw chaff plus mag ox, limestone fou and copper, plus has a salt lick. I offer her the soaked hay during the day whilst she's in to keep the fibre passing through.
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Looks like you have everything covered, if she lacks energy in her work some more oil or extra chaff may be all you need. One acre will probably continue with enough growth to keep her going for a fair while at this time of year.
 
barehoofhannah said:
Ooops forgot to add, I think more than an hour/couple of hours you start to disolve the nutrients in the hay.. however it may be that you've had it tested and someone may be able to tell you what disolves first if in water for longer, and if that it one nutrient that is needed, or already on the low side you may want to supplement.. god I wish I'd taken something like science/biology at uni now instead of Tourism Management.. I would have been far more practical! (no offence anyone who's studying Tourism Management!)

Best wishes
Hannah
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Hey, I've got an Applied Zoology degree and did Animal Nutrition in my second and third years. I'm still boggled by the endless contradictory data published online. I don't think it would have helped!!!
 
be positive said:
Looks like you have everything covered, if she lacks energy in her work some more oil or extra chaff may be all you need. One acre will probably continue with enough growth to keep her going for a fair while at this time of year.
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She's presently sharing the small field with a elderly 14hh pony who's out 24/7. I am sure if the rain comes (if ever :rolleyes:) there will be more than enough grass for the pair of them. Going by previous years' experience I may even have to reduce the field size further. I can muzzle the pony but the big mare is too sensitive to wear a headcollar and muzzle. Mind you, the big mare is 5 this year so I'm hoping the increase in this years' workload may counteract any need to reduce the size of her turnout field any further. As for her lacking evergy, nah, that'll NEVER happen :rolleyes: :p
 
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