Can horse owners trust that good-looking bales actually correspond to good quality?
Unfortunately, no! The results of some field studies are alarming. Despite their seemingly good appearance, many tested hay bales are of poor quality.
In 2007, the Chamber of Agriculture of North Rhine-Westphalia took 23 hay samples, of which 60% were deemed unfit for feeding. The evaluation by the LMU in Munich reflects similar results, with only 35% of the sampled hay considered hygienically safe. The reason for this is the significantly increased microbial contamination.
These samples are unfortunately not isolated cases. Many other studies show the same results. These findings only underline the necessity of checking the forage.
But how can laypersons recognize hay quality, and what exactly does the term "hay quality" entail?
What does "Quality" mean when it comes to hay? The term "feed quality" is broad and encompasses:
the nutritional value of the feed the hygienic status the microbial status the feed intake
The quality of the feed is primarily focused on animal health and contributes significantly to the animal's well-being.
Many factors influence forage quality. Quality-determining factors include not only agronomic practices such as variety selection, maintenance, fertilization, and location but also harvest factors such as compaction, storage, and removal.
In general, spoiled, microbially contaminated forage must not be fed for the sake of animal health.
In principle:
Improper preparation or pastures/meadows contaminated with poisonous plants used for forage harvesting can lead to contamination with harmful substances that can cause diseases. Only if the starting material has the lowest possible microbial load (bacteria, fungi, etc.) can the forage be considered microbiologically uncontaminated.
Therefore, it is important to carefully examine the hay for poisonous plants. If they are present in the harvest field, they are preserved and remain toxic. This includes not only the well-known common ragwort but also autumn crocus, bracken, and horsetail.
Furthermore, attention should be paid to contamination by sand or soil during the visual inspection. Contaminants that enter our forage during harvesting can lead to gastrointestinal problems.
Also, the grazing land should be free of organic fertilizers.
But how can horse owners additionally determine the quality of their own forage?
Evaluation methods for forage To assess forage quality, specific analytical methods are used. The assessment can be based on chemical and microbial laboratory analyses and/or sensory testing.
The microbial/chemical testing involves taking individual samples of the hay to be tested and sending them to a laboratory. This laboratory tests the hay for different parameters such as nutritional value, indicated by the general components, minerals, trace elements, as well as the corresponding feed hygiene, determined by bacterial counts, mycotoxins, and harmful weeds. Depending on the selected parameters, the horse owner receives a detailed breakdown and evaluation of the sample.
This process is very informative for horse owners but also expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, to get a rough overview of hay quality, the horse owner can rely on the sensory testing of the roughage.
Sensory Test:
Botanical composition We aim for a high diversity of plant species in our hay. In addition to the grass species present, such as the well-known German ryegrasses and fescues, we also strive for a high density of herbs. Furthermore, our hay should have a balanced proportion of stems to flowers. The stems are fibrous and provide enough chewing, while the flowers cover the crude protein content. Overall, the hay should be composed in such a way that it contains all the necessary nutrients for the horse.
How hay should look
Optimal dry matter To prevent mold and mold spores, the hay must be dried to a dry matter of at least 84%. Otherwise, mold formation occurs very quickly. Also, the hay must therefore be stored away from water and rain. 16% residual moisture is acceptable. Nevertheless, the hay still feels dry and soft.
Stacked round bales
Smell test The hay should by no means smell musty or moldy. If this smell is perceived, the hay is already heavily contaminated and should not be fed.
Dust test To protect our horses from respiratory diseases, we must rely on as dust-free forage feeding as possible. When shaking the hay, it quickly becomes apparent how many dust particles have been embedded in it.
Colour The colour is not necessarily decisive for the assessment of quality. It depends on the harvest time, technique, dry matter content, and botanical composition of the forage meadow. Hay harvested later or from sunny meadows usually has a paler green hue but is safe to feed. Gray hay, on the other hand, strongly indicates mold and must not be fed under any circumstances.
Hay molds in round bales
Feed intake Feed intake also categorically belongs to feed quality and plays a significant role. Horses are highly selective in their feed intake. You may have noticed this when giving them concentrated feed. But roughage is also preferred differently. Have you ever noticed how your horse soaks the hay before eating it? Or when presented with both haylage and hay, it prefers the haylage? Several studies confirm this selective roughage behaviour. It can be assumed that horses want to avoid the dust in their forage.
Conclusion:
The nutritional value as well as the microbial and hygienic status of the forage can only be visually traced to a limited extent by the individual horse owner.
Within this framework, sensory testing allows only the assessment of processes indicating ingredients, foreign bodies, and spoilage in the forage. Mold and mold spores cannot necessarily be detected through visual inspection. Lower quantities, which are still harmful, cannot be smelled or seen. Therefore, please note that visual inspection initially only provides a rough assessment of the hygienic quality and nutritional content.
Ideally, chemical and microbial analyses should be conducted as well since factors such as microbial contamination, mold infestation, reheating, and nutrient values, while not detectable through visual inspection, significantly contribute to the overall quality.
Sources:
- Böhnke (2018): Influence of Forage Quality and Conservation Type on Forage Intake and Acceptance in Horses.
- Dr. W. Sommer, J. Möllering (2008): Hay for Horses Often with Hygienic Deficiencies
- Link to the Landwirtschaftskammer Nordrhein-Westfalen's study
