1. My Horse University and eXtension’s HorseQuest
welcome you to this live Webcast.
Reducing Hay Waste
Krishona Martinson
University of Minnesota

2. Outline
• Introduction
• Buy quality hay
• Proper storage
• Small square bale waste
• Large round bale waste
• Conclusion

3. Introduction
• Forage represents a significant portion of the diet for all
classes of post-weaned horses.
• May constitute the entire energy portion of a diet for
some classes of horses, specifically adult, idle horses.
• Dried forage (hay) is likely the most expensive dietary
component of maintaining a horse.
• Waste can occur during both storage and feeding.

4. Buy Quality Hay
• Moisture content
• What’s in the hay (species)
• Maturity
• Touch and Smell
• Color
• Buy dense (well formed) bales
• Presence of mold and weeds

5. Proper Storage
• Make sure the roof is water tight
• Animal proof the area
• Use older hay first
• Stack hay on pallets
• Store inside (if possible)
• Tarp or cover bales shored outside

6. Proper Storage

7. Small Square Bale Waste
• In a box stall, waste from
feeding small square bales
off the ground was 7.3%
compared to 1.3% waste
when hay was fed in a
feeder.

8. Large Round Bale Waste
• Some horse owners believe that feeding round bales
results in excessive hay waste and overeating.
• Some horse owners feed round bales without utilizing a
feeder.
• The objectives of this research were to determine if
round bale feeder design affects hay waste, horse
intake and economics.

9. Large Round Bale Waste
• 50 4’ x 5’ first crop, orchardgrass
round bales.
• Each round bale was weighed and
identified.
• Each bale was cored six times, and
samples were analyzed for forage
nutrient composition.
• Round bales were stored inside until
fed.

10. Large Round Bale Waste
• 25 mature Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred geldings
and open mares.
• Horses were weighed at the initiation, between each
feeder, and at the conclusion of the trial.
• Horses were grouped into five homogeneous herds of
five horses each based on weight, age, gender and
breed.
• A single feeder was placed on the ground in an outdoor
dirt paddock.

11. Large Round Bale Waste
• Hay that fell onto the ground surrounding the feeder
was considered waste and was collected daily.
• After 4 days, herds were rotated to a new paddock
containing a different feeder with a new round bale of
hay.
Pens 2 and 3 Pen 1
Pen 4
Pen 5

12. Large Round Bale Waste
• Nine different round bale feeders and a no feeder
control were evaluated.
• Round bale feeders included the:
– hayhut (Hayhuts LLS, Deleon Spring, FL)
– covered cradle (SM Iron Inc., Sanborn, MN)
– hay sleigh (Smith Iron Works Inc., St. Francis, MN)
– waste less (JSI Innovations LLC, St. Croix Falls, WI)
– cinch net (Cinch Chix LLC, North Branch, MN)
– ring (R & C Livestock, MN)
– cone (Weldy Enterprises, Wakarusa, IN; model R7C)
– tombstone (Dura-Built, Eagan, MN)
– tombstone saver (HiQual, Victoria, BC Canada)

13. Large Round Bale Waste

14. Large Round Bale Waste
Waste Cost Return on Investment
Feeder Type
----------%--------- -----------$----------- ---------months--------
Waste Less 5a 1,450 8e
Net 6ab 147 0.8a
Hayhut 9bc 650 4c
Covered Cradle 11c 3,200 20f
Saver 13cd 650 4cd
Tombstone 19d 250 2b
Cone 19d 1,195 9e
Ring 19d 300 2b
Hay Sleigh 33e 425 5d
No Feeder 57f -- --

15. Waste Less Hay Feeder

16. Waste Less Hay Feeder
• Side feeding bars were lowered
(touching the bale) every 12 hours.
• Cosmetic rub marks along side of face.
• Only feeding spots for 4 horses.
• Rub rear-ends and dented in front of
feeder.
• Must manually move side bars.

17. Cinch Net

18. Cinch Net
• Horses defecated on top of
hay remaining in net.
• Remaining hay in chinch net
was wet and unpalatable.
• Difficult to remove net.
• No shod horses.

19. Hayhut

20. Covered Cradle

21. Covered Cradle

22. Tombstone Saver

23. Tombstone

24. Cone Feeder

25. Solid Poly Ring Feeder

26. Hay Sleigh

27. No Feeder Control

28. Large Round Bale Waste
• Feeder design does affect hay waste and economics as a
result of horse feeding.
• All feeders resulted in less waste compared to the no
feeder control.
• Horse owners can not afford to not buy and use a
feeder.
• All feeders paid for themselves within 2 years of
purchase.

29. Conclusion
To reduce feeding waste:
• Buy quality hay
• Store hay properly
• Use a feeder

30. Give us your feedback!
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31. Upcoming Webcasts
• EMS and Ponies
October 18, 2011 | 7PM EDT
• Winter Care and Feeding For Your Horse
November 29, 2011 | 7PM ET
• Feeding and Care of Donkeys and Mules
December 13, 2011 | 7PM ET

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