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TRAMP2001 wrote:

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Has anyone ever fed rye hay to horses or know if it is safe to feed? I have tried ot research it on the computer but can only find that it is usually included in a mixture of grasses in hay. Someone dad knows has pure rye hay, and we can't find out if it is safe for horses or not. Thanks in advance for any info.
Kelly

We have baled nearly 200 acres of perrenial rye so far this spring, and it was just about all sold for horses. This is different than the rye grain, which the straw is sometimes baled after combining, just like wheat or oars. This rye hay or straw won't hurt them.. it just won't do them much good to eat it!
John

Kelly, the rye is a grass hay, like bermuda, fescue, timothy, and orchard. There is no such answer as "rye grass is higher in protein than bermuda grass, but less then alfalfa" etc. The protein, as well as other nutrient contents, will depend on the stage of developement when it was cut, as well as how well and how correctly the field was fertilized. Alfalfa , and perenial peanut, are legume hays. They can have more protein, or rather a higher protein to fiber content than the grass hays do.
In addition to what we bale ourselves ( rye, orchard, fescue, bermuda), we import and sell a trailer load of large 3x3x8 bales a week ,on average. The hay we buy , we get a Relative Feed Value Ananlysis done. We got in a load of Orchard/Timothy last time, that tested 18.4% digestible protein,and a load of 90% alflafa that tested 19.6%. So, not much difference in protein there. A lot less fiber in the alfalfa, so a higher risk of colic if fed free choice, but not much difference in digestible protein. Protein content a lot less than that, though is preferable in any kind of hay. Horse digestive systems are designed for the animal to eat large amounts, continuosly of low-quality, high fiber, marginal grazing.
Our supplier, and therefor, we, will not sell alfalfa much higher than 21-22% for horse quality hay.Anything higher than that, and some may approach 30% protein, is called cow or dairy hay.

The best thing to do is try to determine if this field was fertilized, and if it was, was it fertilized to their state's agriculture college research station specs? Also, find out when the hay was cut and baled. Around here, mid_May was when the perennial rye should have been cut for maximum feed value. Then again, the price you pay should be a leveling factor vs feed value. For comparison, we got $4-$5 in the field for 60 lb bales of the rye, and are getting $60-$70 for a 700 lb roll. The square bales we put in the barn are $7. The hay is testing 13-15% digestible protein.

John