Forage & hay analysis
What does the basic forage provide?
Hay and pasture make up the largest part of the ration. What a lab analysis shows and how to read it.
Hay analysis for horses: values, costs and sampling
Which test suits your ration question, how to sample a hay batch and how to translate the lab report into daily feeding.
6 min readRead
Hay cubes for horses: soaking, quantity and ration
How to prepare hay cubes safely, record their dry starting quantity and clarify which part of the current feeding they are meant to replace.
6 min readRead
Forage – the foundation
Horses are designed for continuous fibre intake. Chewing produces saliva – the most important buffer for the stomach. Good hay is often more important than any supplement.
6 min readRead
Sugar and fructan in hay
Why sugar content matters for good doers and metabolically sensitive horses – and what soaking and steaming do.
4 min readRead
Accounting for pasture grass in the ration
Pasture grass is forage. Why grazing time, season and sward visibly change the ration – and why recording several grazing months matters.
4 min readRead
Haylage for horses: benefits, risks and the right amount
How haylage differs from hay and silage, what to look out for regarding hygiene and opened bales, and how to convert the amount into your ration via dry matter.
7 min readRead
Interpreting a hay analysis: which mineral feed suits your hay?
Your lab report has arrived. Here is how to check the scope of testing and the units, convert the values to the daily ration and work out which supplement suits your hay.
7 min readRead
How much hay does a horse need per day?
The amount of hay depends on weight, work and hay quality. Which minimum and guide values apply, how to convert from dry matter to as-fed weight and why you should weigh hay.
5 min readRead
Steaming hay: when a hay steamer makes sense
Steaming mainly reduces dust, microbes and fungal spores; soaking mainly reduces sugar. What the studies show about both methods and which one suits which goal.
5 min readRead
Hair analysis in horses: what it says about minerals
What a hair or hair mineral analysis in horses can measure, why according to the research it does not reflect mineral status and which values are more meaningful for the ration.
5 min readRead
Sources
The content is based on the references listed below. It does not replace individual veterinary or feeding advice.
Show list of sources (3)
- GfE (2014) – Empfehlungen zur Energie- und Nährstoffversorgung von PferdenSpecialist reference in German-speaking countries (GfE, German Society of Nutrition Physiology), Committee for Requirement Standards
- Coenen M, Vervuert I (2020): Pferdefütterung. Begründet von H. Meyer. 6., aktualisierte Aufl., Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart. ISBN 978-3-13-241778-6Standard reference work on equine nutrition in German-speaking countries; Table 4.17 mineral recommendations (recommended supply and minimum requirement), Table 4.18 derived sweat volumes per work level and weight class, Table 4.19 electrolyte performance requirement per sweat volume (in addition to maintenance requirement)
- VDLUFA – Methodenbuch III (Futtermittel)Reference methods of agricultural testing laboratories (LUFA) for the analysis of feeds and forages