Grass for hay and silage; Horse Master Hay

A field of Horse Master Hay provides excellent structural hay with a good nutritional value. The grasses in Horse Master Hay have been carefully selected and adapted for use by horses. Horses need to chew roughage well for optimum intestine and stomach function. That is why Horse Master Hay is composed of structure-rich grass types, such as Cock’s-Foot (Dactylis glomerata) and Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea). The Timothy (Phleum pratense) in the seed mixture gives it extra palatability. Horse Master Hay provides the healthiest and tastiest roughage for horses.

Fructan is a sugar (a carbohydrate) that is made by the grass plant under the influence of sunlight. A grass plant produces a particularly large amount of fructan when there are cold nights and lots of sunlight during the day. It serves as antifreeze for the grass. Fructan is one of the main causes of laminitis. Fructan is only partially digested in the small intestine. As a result, too many sugars enter the caecum and the large intestine, which leads to a disturbance of the bacterial balance in the intestines. As a result, toxins are created that can cause laminitis.

Barenbrug has done a lot of research into the fructan (sugar) content in different grasses. Some grass types are known for having low fructan content, but even within a grass type, some varieties have less than others. Of course, Horse Master Hay only contains varieties with very low fructan content.

The varieties in Horse Master Hay have roots up to 90 cm deep. This is a big difference with grass for cows, which only has roots up to 25 centimetres deep. Deep rooting offers the advantage of allowing extraction of minerals from deep in the substrate. Even in dry periods, the pasture will produce up to 30% more than a mix for cows. And Horse master Hay has yet another advantage; it dries very fast once mowed. This prevents mould and spoilage and ensures fresh and healthy roughage.

Horses get energy from roughage. Horses with an intensive training program need more energy than those undergoing a lighter one or ones that are completely at rest. With Horse Master Hay you can determine the energy content in the roughage yourself. You get roughage with 20% more energy by mowing the grass before it is in bloom. Horses that receive high-energy roughage need less concentrates. If you mow the grass after flowering, you get low-calorie roughage with a maximum level of bite to prevent boredom and overweight in horses. A hay analysis will provide you with full insight into the nutritional value of your hay. This is ideal when composing a complete ration for your horse. Please note that hay from a spring cut has a different nutritional value than hay from one in the autumn.

• High production of hay and pre-dried silage
• Grasses with low fructan content
• Good grass structure that promotes healthy intestinal function
• Low calorie roughage to prevent boredom and overweight problems
• High yield, 10 to 12 tons of dry matter per hectare
• Dries very quickly on the field – already contains 80% dry matter after 4 days of sunshine

Horse Master Hay is not suitable for grazing; use the Horse Master mixture for this.