Hay Awareness & Colic

It has come to light in recent events that not many are aware of the importance of hay (specifically fibre) in a horse or ponies’ diet. This should never be decreased, as most horses should consume 1.5% to 2.5% of their body weight per day in fibre. This will also depend on size, workload, temperature and living conditions.

Hay is a key ingredient to our horses’ diets, and with the current hay shortage finding quality hay is proving scarce. With so many different sources for hay, it’s hard to know what is right for your equine.

You have probably heard about the number of colic cases growing, did you know the hay your buying could actually be causing this? With many buying any hay they find, it’s proving to be a fatal decision.

Only buy your hay from reputable growers & suppliers. This is your safest option for the best hay to provide to your horses & stock. Stockfeeders in common to us will only sell quality & ARGT tested hays. Wanneroo Stockfeeders has built trusted relationships with reputable growers over the 53 years that its been operating and we will still only buy from growers who are trusted and have been in the growing industry for a long time.

You’ve probably heard of ARGT testing but do you actually know what it is? “Annual Rye Grass Toxicity (ARGT) is a potentially fatal poisoning of livestock after consumption of annual ryegrass infected by the bacterium Rathayibacter toxicus (formerly known as Clavibacter toxicus).” – Department of Primary Industries and Reginal Development. ARGT testing should always be checked before purchasing or feeding hay, testing of ryegrass in paddocks is used to identify safe paddocks and to detect the bacteria early so it can be managed. When buying hay for stock, request a vendor declaration that shows the hay has been tested for presence of the toxigenic bacterium and is safe to feed to livestock. A test result of Negative. This is also why it's so important to buy from a trusted grower as almost every hay farm has an area on their farm that has too much moisture (which causes the bacteria to grow) farmers who get their paddocks tested will never bale up and sell the paddocks that have tested positive.

Before feeding out hay, inspect it physically. Signs of poor-quality hay can include: Dampness throughout, Mould, Discolouration, Poor smell, Dust, Clay and Dirt. Signs of quality hay include: Bright in colour, Sweet smell, No discolouration, No paddock debris.

A good tip after buying from a new supplier is to check your hay for dirt/ clay. This can be done by placing some hay in a bucket and washing it, leave it to sit for a day. Empty the bucket and check how dirty the water is as well as any debris that will sink to the bottom of the bucket. Most of the dirt/ clay is invisible to the eye. The debris you might find on your hay are mainly from when it was growing, and heavy rain splashes the grassy stems and grass shoots.

‘Colic’ is a generalised term for any type of abdominal pain in the horse. There are many types of colic which include: Gas build up, Dehydration, Blockage or Compaction, and Twisted bowel. In Perth sand is the most common cause of colic, this is when an accumulation of sand builds in the digestive tract over time and eventually causes colic when it isn’t being moved through and out of the horse. Sand is heavier than hay or grain being consumed/ digested by the horse, it will sift out, settle and accumulate in a heavy layer on the bottom (ventral) portion of the digestive tract.

The biggest question being asked in the equestrian community right now is “How can I prevent Colic”, after many hours of researching I have put together a list of options you can do to protect your beloved equines. In no way are these ways to treat colic, colic should always be treated seriously. Every horse is different.

1. Veterinary monitoring, this includes working with your chosen vet. X-ray or ultrasound scans can detect the level of accumulation in the lower flexures of the hind gut. You can also have a Psyllium or Oil drench to help flush and move the accumulated sand.

2. Checking your horse’s manure for sand. This can be done with either a bucket or zip lock bag, collect 3-4 balls of manure (make sure to choose fresh, and try to use samples from a non-sandy area) in your bucket or bag. Fill with water and mix around with a stick to break it down as best as you can. If any sand is present it will settle in the bottom of the bucket or bag.

3. Make sure you are feeding enough fibre, this includes Grass, Hay, Chaff, High fibre hard feeds, Hay cubes and many more options. Even increasing the amount, you are already feeding.

4. Make sure your horse is hydrated, add salt daily and/or electrolytes in hard feeds through all seasons. You can also provide molasses water daily to ensure they have consumed water, add 1g of Epsom salt per 1kg of horse weight, Epsom salts acts as a natural laxative in horses (500g Epsom salt = 500kg horse). If your horse isn’t hydrated, they can’t move anything through their digestive tract.

5. Avoid feeding on sand, placing rubber feeding mats underneath feed buckets can reduce the amount of sand they eat when they spill their food. Making sure to clean every day.

6. Routine Fecal Egg Counts, “Studies have shown that heavy burdens of Small Redworm resting stages within nodules in the lining of the hindgut can result in thickening of the lining and loss of normal contraction movements to propel the food mass through the hind gut, increasing the risk that the reduced motility will facilitate sand build-up and result in colic – Extract from Dr. John Kohnke BVSc RDA"  

Finding what works for your horse is the hardest part, make sure to work with your veterinarian for the best solution and if it is clearing at all.

Hopefully you can take away something from this post, we are always happy to help. We have plenty of sand prevention products which are tagged below, and in store with more research on new products we haven’t previously stocked. If you have any recommendations feel free to send us a message.

Thanks for reading!

Written by Bella Macri

Wanneroo Stock Feeders