Question for ad-lib hay feeders (or those who feed hay as main diet)!

floradora09

floradora09

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Just trying to do some calculations...

If you feed hay ad-lib, or as main source of forage, how many small bales do you get through in a day/week/month? How many large (square) bales?

For a 15.2 TB, does half a small bale a day (or two big square bales a month) sound about right? Too much? He would have an evening/morning feed and there is a little bit of grass for him to pick on, but not enough.

Thanks :)
 
If I compare it to my boys it's a bit to little (but we do have very little grass and I try and avoid all hard feed). Polo is 17hh but Irish x so a relatively good doer. In proper winter (Dec to Feb) he has at least a bale a day (1/3 when they come in at 6 ish, 1/3 when I do late nights at 9/10 ish (usually some still left at this time) and a bale of the day between my two in the field in the day)
My 14hh companion has a good half a bale when they come in and shares the field bale with Polo in the day.
Last winter we used less as the weather was amazing virtually no mud and grass kept growing almost all winter. Winter before we used more as we had snow on the ground for more than a month!
 
Thanks for that, really useful. We've never had to feed hay as the main forage before so slightly shocked at how much it costs! I might put it in nets to make it last longer; he doesn't need extra condition but does continually need something in his tummy. :)
 
Half a small bale a day doesn't sound enough to me if its your main source of forage.
My 15.3 tb has always shared a big square bale with another similar sized horse and they go through one every 12 or so days in the field.
She then gets 4 slices to eat over night and there is a very small amount left in the morning.
 
I do know what you mean about the cost, I think in some areas haylage is actually cheaper than hay but not ideal if you're don't need the extra condition. It seems to be a little contiversial but have you considered adding straw to their diet if he doens't need the condition. Mine have straw beds and coming into a fresh bed with fresh hay polo will often eat straw first !!!
I make my own hay so probably the reason I'm over generous with it!
 
When i had my TB she had ad-lib hay when the grass disappeared - approx 1 and half small bales per day.

The cobs however have hay of a night time only at the moment - colored gets 3 slices (shes fat still and has a bit of grass) and the welsh has around 5 slices at night.
When it gets alot colder ie snow or thick ice i will up there hay and give them the same in the morning, then probably jan time when its really cold they will get adlib hay
 
Thanks for the replies everyone- joeanne that's interesting, perhaps the big bales are bigger than I thought, was told 1 big bale = 7 small bales. By your use of a big bale it sounds like he'll take about 20 days to go through one on his own, so only needing 1 1/2 big bales a month.

Will see how quickly we get through it, will try netting it first then adding straw if we need.
 
Ours get a small bale a day each in really bad weather. If there is grass to pick at a little less. THey are 15 - 16hh. A big round bale lasts about a week for the 5 but one is only 11.2.
 
Thanks rascal :) I think I'll just have to see how it goes and play it by ear. Sounds like we could be forking out quite a bit for hay this winter if the long forecast I've seen is correct! :eek:
 
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