Late cut hay

[Sandstone1]

my hay supplier says hes got two types of hay this year, good horse hay and then late cut hay. I have good doers so dont need the sugar or calories but is late cut hay a good thing?

 

[rabatsa]

As long as it is well got then late cut is fine. We have made hay in September before in bad weather years.

 

[Sandstone1]

Its also £10 a large bale cheaper than the other hay.

 

[ycbm]

How late, check for ergot. Obvious black fingers in place of some seeds on the seed heads. That's lethally toxic.
.

 

[Sandstone1]

I dont know how late cut yet. I havent seen it but not sure I will risk it.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Normally I'd say go for well made late cut hay for good doers, but late cut would be much more likely to be affected by ergot.

I've got it this year on my foggage , for the first time that I'm aware of in all my 55+ years of horse keeping. It looks like black grains of rice on the seed head.

 

[Sandstone1]

Thanks, Dont think i will risk it and will keep a eye open for that. Thanks

 

[Polos Mum]

The risk of Ergot this year is the same in normal and late cut - it was wet all through the early season.

I would think risk of lami from too high sugar content far outweighs the risk of ergot poisoning. There is a good thread with links to science on the horse feed section of this forum that is well worth a read.

Ergot is risk to pregnant mares and only normal horses if eaten in vast quantities

 

[Squeak]

Ergot is risk to pregnant mares and only normal horses if eaten in vast quantities

Thank you I'd been wondering if this was the case. I'd never heard of Ergot before it appeared on here and FB this year and the vet I spoke to was the same. They said they'd never encountered a case of it and that a horse usually has to eat huge quantities of something for it to effect them and so they wouldn't be too concerned about it.

 

[peanut]

I'd never heard of it before this year either!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I have some lovely late cut hay, done over weekend before last, baled on the Tuesday. I went round the old meadow with farmer friend 1st as to check it was ergot clear. Its super soft which is ideal for little A's teeth.
Hay barn smells lovely.

 

[quizzie]

I have some lovely late cut hay, done over weekend before last, baled on the Tuesday. I went round the old meadow with farmer friend 1st as to check it was ergot clear. Its super soft which is ideal for little A's teeth.
Hay barn smells lovely.

Me too, I have a barn full of lovely late cut old fashioned meadow hay that I will be able to feed ad lib, and top up with hard feed if needed during competition periods.

 

[Palindrome]

I have early september cut and baled hay, no ergot as it's a second cut so there are no seed heads. I haven't fed it yet but it looks and smells good.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Me too, I have a barn full of lovely late cut old fashioned meadow hay that I will be able to feed ad lib, and top up with hard feed if needed during competition periods.

I should have added, it was topped in April when we had it very dry, as nothing was really growing then. Farmer friend thought it might thicken it up a bit when/if it rained. It was very slow to get going, but I do prefer to wait for hay off that old meadow.