Although horses are not ruminants like cattle, their digestive tracts are well suited to digesting forage (hay or pasture) as the primary diet component. Horses can function quite well on a good-quality forage diet without grain supplementation (depending on forage quality and activity level of the horse) provided mineral, vitamin, and protein needs are met.

Forage Problems
Horse owners in the U.S. are continually faced with the problem of obtaining good-quality forage, especially in suburban areas where approximately 50% of the horse population is found. Weather, time competition with other crops, and labor availability all impact hay harvesting and resulting quality. Forage quality and consistency can also easily fluctuate from field to field, even from one side of the field to the other due to soil conditions or wet spots.

Optimum weather for harvesting hay— from cutting at the correct stage to storage— is crucial to hay quality. Valuable nutrients and digestibility rapidly drop after ideal plant maturity is reached. Most horse owners have little control over forage harvesting factors which contribute to nutrient levels.

Cut hay loses nutrients when it is rained on. Turning hay to enhance drying, especially repeatedly, reduces nutrient content through leaf loss. The resulting hay is stemmy and, depending on extent of leaf money in inventory for long time periods. loss and stage of maturity, could be Purchasing hay frequently from various unpalatable. However, rushing to bale hay suppliers or hay auctions may present before it is sufficiently dry will yield moldy and musty hay—a hay very undesirable for horses, especially pregnant broodmares. Thus, inclement weather can negatively affect hay quality. Table 1 illustrates the effect of weather on alfalfa hay quality.

Hay quality can be compromised when forage harvest must wait until grain crops are planted or when waiting on additional labor to help harvest hay. The result may be overly mature hay. Feeding cheap, poor quality hay may cause distended digestive tracts (hay bellies). Poor-quality forage alone will not meet horse energy needs.

Forage Purchase
Preferably, hay should be tested for nutrient content prior to purchase. Purchasing a one-year supply of hay at harvest time is generally not economical. Purchasing large volumes of hay requires considerable storage space and invests money m inventory for long time periods. Purchasing hay frequently from various suppliers or hay auctions may present quality and consistency problems, and most, if not all, of the hay may be fed before analytical test results are known.

Manufacturers of cubes must provide guaranteed levels of protein, fat, and fiber. Cubes purchased from the same supplier will generally be more consistent in nutrient content than baled hay.

Cube Consistency
The forage cubing business can reduce forage quality variability by locating in areas where forage is grown specifically for cubing. The forage grower's business is ensuring a good crop of forage is harvested under optimum conditions and other crops do not conflict with harvesting the forage at the proper maturity stage. Cubing facilities are often equipped to accept hay at a higher moisture content compared to moisture levels when hay is baled. This enables the forage to be harvested sooner.

The drying and cubing process dramatically decreases moisture level and the opportunity for mold to develop. High quality forage cubes produced specifically for horses should consistently have less dust and mold spores compared to baled hay. Horses with known respiratory problems typically benefit from a high-quality forage cube versus baled hay. Cubes produced in Canada from forage grown in cool meadows are generally blister beetle free. Blister beetles prefer warmer climates and are typically found in the southern and central states of the U.S.

Some companies make cubes especially for horses. These cubes are easier for horses to chew compared to very hard cubes made for the cattle marketplace. The horse can efficiently use a cubed forage product harvested under preferred growing conditions and at the correct maturity stage. High quality cube products provide a digestible forage source and better nutrient profile.

It is never a good idea to feed poor-quality hay to horses. However, if this is a necessity, cubes can be used to supplement lower quality baled hay. Cubes can also serve to stretch an existing supply of good-quality hay.

Some companies may offer cubes that provide a combination of timothy and alfalfa. The combination of timothy and alfalfa constitutes a very desirable forage for horses. The key is to harvest each crop at the correct maturity stage to ensure high palatability and nutrient content.

Waste
As much as 20% of conventional baled hay may be wasted when fed. This waste can increase feed costs not only by necessitating more hay be fed, but also by increasing labor costs involved in cleaning stalls and replacing bedding. Although cost per pound may be less, large round bales are not the preferred forage source for horses.

Forage waste can reach 40% with large round bales of hay. Horses may consume more hay than needed and trample more hay compared to small hay bales.

Feeding cubes is easy. There is little waste, if any, and cubes can be fed in the feedbox or in an outside feedbunk. For proper functioning of the digestive tract, a horse needs approximately 1-1.5% of its body weight in goodquality forage on a daily basis. Horses fed 1-1.5% of body weight in cubes daily (10 to 15 lb for a 1,000 lb horse) sufficiently satisfy their roughage requirement without the messy stall and other waste associated with conventional baled hay.

Storage
Cubes are very easy to store and require less space on a pound for pound equivalent basis compared to baled hay. Two-50 lb bags of cubes require about the same space as one average square bale of hay. Using cubes for horses hauled long distances certainly is advantageous. Depending on the distance traveled and available storage space, the needed amount of cubes is easier to haul; thus, making it easier to avoid a change of forage while on the road.

Source
Is there any one location better than others for growing forage? According to research conducted by P. J. Van Soest, hay quality increases the further north it is grown (see Figure 1). It appears hay grown in Canada is ideal forage for horses due to the growing and harvesting conditions and absence of blister beetles. Transportation of baled Canadian hay is generally cost prohibitive. Cubing the forage has proven to be more cost effective.

Click on chart to enlarge



Cube Concerns
Choking and boredom are often concerns of horse owners contemplating the use of cubes. Research has shown cubes do not pose a higher incidence of choking compared to other forms of horse feeds. Horses that bolt feed should not be fed cubes or other feeds that can easily become lodged in the esophagus. When a horse’s energy requirements are met in relation to exercise, boredom is not a problem. Horse owners should ensure stabled horses receive adequate exercise.

Conclusion
Good-quality forage is essential to the health of a horse. Regardless of forage product form, forage should:

• Be mold-free.

• Not smell dusty or musty.

• Be free of weeds, poisonous plants, blister beetles, and foreign material.

• Contain a high proportion of leaves to stems.

• Be bright green in color.

High-quality, conventional baled hay may be difficult to obtain, especially in urban area. When handling costs, waste, consistency, forage quality, storage space available, and convenience are considered, forage cubes may be an economical option versus feeding baled hay.

Keep in mind, cubes can only be as good as the manufacturing process used to produce the cubes and the forage quality at harvest. Cubed forage products can provide a readily obtainable consistent, good-quality forage source for horses. Cubes could very well be the forage of choice in the future, especially in areas where obtaining good-quality hay is difficult and storage space at a minimum.

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