RE: [RC] OT, feeding grass clippings - Susan E. Garlinghouse, DVM
Since hay is just dried grass clipping, feeding grass clippings
can be Okay or Not Okay depending on how it’s handled after
cutting. If you can spread it out, the weather is hot and dry and it
dries out, then it’s perfectly safe to feed (following the usual rules
about not making sudden feed changes, etc). If the grass piles up so that
the moisture underneath can’t dissipate, then it can easily mold and
cause gastrointestinal havoc. I actually don’t mind true
fermentation, as the by-products of forage fermentation are okay under certain
circumstances, but it’s unlikely that what you’re getting is a safe
fermentation as opposed to a mold factory. If you stick your hand into
the center of a pile and it feels hot, I wouldn’t feed it myself.
Also, of course, be careful about turning a horse used to hay
loose on fresh grass, especially since they can really hoover in large amounts
of pre-cut grass pretty rapidly. Another train wreck waiting to happen if
they’re not used to it.
JMO.
Susan Garlinghouse, DVM
From:
ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Amber Roberts Sent: Saturday, August 04, 2007 11:11 AM To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] OT, feeding grass clippings
Last
year, we were never able to make even one hay crop due to our drought.
This year, we are practically flooded out and haven't been able to get
anyone to cut and bale our fields. So we are just having to mow the
fields to keep fresh growth available for the horses to graze. However,
this year the mowing has left huge piles of cut grass here and there which
we'll probably harrow in. Currently, I'm concerned about the horses
getting into those grass mounds before we get them spread out. Some years
ago, I read somewhere that we should not feed freshly clipped grass to horses
and I can't remember why. Any thoughts on this? Thanks.
