Fodder for Horses?

[Doc-t]

@Emily I have seen this in Wellington FL but not used much on the farms I visit. The company contacted me a few years ago and their marketing director came to my house to show me the details. You can see the images of the example on this website in examples of hay but it looks just like what you posted here: https://www.thehorsesadvocate.com/horse-feeding-hay/.

I liked the idea of having fresh fodder available but there were some points I did not like and therefore did not endorse them.

Pros: fresh, consistent and liked by the horses, scheduled delivery to farms in dense areas like Wellington, self-contained hydroponic units available for large farms, dust and mold prevention.

Cons: only barley (at the time he visited), not available to smaller farms or rural farms, a new technology that may or may not become the main supply like the supply of hay already known, may not work in areas below freezing, no measurements available of sugar (non-structural carbohydrates) at least at the time of the visit.

Yes, I like the idea, but it needs to be tested on many horses to verify the role on their metabolism. Also, feeding fresh “spring” grass year-round may be worse for the metabolism than feeding “last summer’s mature grass” (aka hay) during the winter. There are sugars in the form of glucose and starch in pasture and hay, but there are also fructans (chains of fructose) in young grasses. It is fructose that may affect metabolic horses, especially those with laminitis; however, in a controlled growing environment (without stress), these may be less than in a stressed pasture.

My 2 cents. But I would need more info. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Doc T

Hay ( Moved to community.thehorsesadvocate.com )