Making own chaff

Gucc

Gucc

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Ok..... So we are now starting to think about winter and I have a gelding who is intolerant of molasses and alfalfa. (Pastern vasculitis). And I'm finding it really difficult to find feeds suitable for him. Does anyone make their own chaff and how do they go about it?

Any ideas....experience welcome. :)
 
I used to use an ancient hand turned cutter and put two parts oat straw to one part hay to get a superb bucket filler but once I didn't need to chop food for an oldie I stopped useing chaff altogether. I use unmollassed sugarbeet to bulk out a balancer & feed add lib forage.

Chopped oat straw is available bagged -depends what you need it for?
 
s4sugar said:
I used to use an ancient hand turned cutter and put two parts oat straw to one part hay to get a superb bucket filler but once I didn't need to chop food for an oldie I stopped useing chaff altogether. I use unmollassed sugarbeet to bulk out a balancer & feed add lib forage.

Chopped oat straw is available bagged -depends what you need it for?
Click to expand...

I remember using those at work many years ago :D I tried to be the one turning the wheel, hard work, but better than the one stuffing the hay in near those blades! :)

I use this chop now http://www.justchop.co.uk/about-us.php
 
lol I remember having to spend ages every afternoon with the chaff chopper! I haven't fed chaff of any variety in years, but my agri supplier neighbour has just started stocking chopped straw bedding at £3 a bale. It's completely dust free and untreated, and I laughed and said I bet the horses will love eating that. So he assured me they wouldn't and gave me a bale to try. It was unopened in the yard as I was leading one horse past and he stopped, sniffed, then ripped the bale open and had a jolly good munch! I then put it down in one stable and another horse came in, ignored her hay and set to hoovering up her bed. I ended up taking the whole lot out again (well, what was left of it).

So I reckon if I ever need plain chaff I won't have to go far, and I certainly wouldn't go down the chaff chopper route again.
 
I make my own chaff using a garden shredder. I don't want to feed molasses, alfalfa or the preservatives put in feed so I use hay and barley straw (can't get hold of oat straw round here). There is a bit of a knack (sp?) to getting it to go through but once you figure it out it is fairly easy.

It's ok so long as you don't mind loosing an afternoon of your life every so often and if you feed lots of chaff may be too time consuming but one old shavings bag full lasts me a couple of months for two horses. HTH :)
 
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