Tag Archives: feeding horses

Learn more about feeding horses including the best hay to feed horses from Klene Pipe Structures, creator of the Hay Saver Hay Feeder.

Saving Money with the “Hay Saver” Hay Feeder

September 4, 2024Blogfeeding horses, hay feeding, horse hayklenepipe-admin

Since 2020, hay prices have been on a steady incline, reaching their highest levels in over a decade. Although the market has recently stabilized, the costs remain high. This rise in prices is due to several factors, including weather-related shortages, inflation, and fluctuating demand. With hay prices still near historic highs, maximizing every bale’s value is essential.

Our “Hay Saver” Hay Feeders are designed to minimize hay waste, ensuring more of it is consumed by your livestock rather than being trampled or left uneaten. Traditional feeding methods can lead to significant losses, and over time, this waste can add up, particularly when hay prices are as high as they are now. By reducing waste, these feeders allow you to stretch your hay supply further, making them a cost-effective solution for managing your resources.

Moreover, the narrow price gap between different types of hay means that efficiency in feeding is more critical than ever. Whether you’re using alfalfa or grass hay, the cost savings from reducing waste can be significant. The durability and reliability of our “Hay Saver” Hay Feeders ensure that this investment pays off not just in the short term, but for years to come.

In today’s economic environment, every dollar counts. Investing in a hay-saver feeder is not just a smart move—it’s a necessary one to maintain your farm’s profitability and sustainability. Protect your investment, ensure your livestock are well-fed, and keep your operational costs under control with our “Hay Saver” Hay Feeders.

Square Hay Bales vs. Round Hay Bales

May 22, 2023Blogfeeding horses, hay feeding, horse care, horse hayklenepipe-admin

The choice between square hay bales and round hay bales for feeding your horses depends on a variety of factors, including your specific needs and preferences. Here are some considerations for both types:

Square Hay Bales:

Handling and Storage: Square hay bales are typically smaller and more manageable in size and weight compared to round bales. They are easier to handle, stack, and transport manually, making them a good option for smaller operations or when mechanized equipment is not available.

Portion Control: Square bales allow for better portion control, especially if you need to limit hay intake for individual horses. It is easier to measure and distribute specific amounts of hay with square bales.

Reduced Hay Waste: Square bales often result in less hay waste compared to round bales. The rectangular shape and uniform size make it easier to control access and reduce trampling and spoilage.

Versatility: Square hay bales can be fed in a variety of hay feeders, including square bale feeders, racks, or simply placed on the ground. They also work well in certain feeding systems, such as stanchions or feeding stations.

Round Hay Bales:

Cost Efficiency: Round hay bales are generally more cost-effective, especially when feeding larger numbers of horses. They require less labor and time during the baling process, and mechanized equipment, such as round balers and bale wrappers, can be used to improve efficiency.

Weather Resistance: Round hay bales have better natural shedding capabilities due to their shape, which can help shed rainwater and reduce spoilage. This can be beneficial if you have limited storage options or live in areas with frequent rainfall.

Feeding Efficiency: Round hay bales can be rolled or unrolled in feeding areas, providing a continuous source of hay for animals. This reduces the need for frequent refilling and can be advantageous in situations where animals have constant access to hay.

Durability: Round hay bales are typically more durable and can withstand outdoor storage for longer periods if they are protected from direct ground contact and moisture.

When deciding between square and round hay bales, it’s important to consider your available equipment, storage space, feeding system, livestock size, and local climate. You may also want to consult with local farmers or agricultural experts for advice based on your specific circumstances. Klene Pipe’s Hay Saver Horse Hay Feeders can accommodate both square and round hay bales.

Keep your horses healthy and well-fed throughout the winter. Give us a call today to learn more about our quality hay feeders for horses!

Horse Feeding Over the Winter: Use the Right Hay Feeders!

December 14, 2022Blogfeeding horses, hay feeding, horse care, horse hay, winterklenepipe-admin

No matter the season, you should always be focusing on doing all you can to keep your horses happy, healthy, and well-fed. But this is especially true during those frigid winter months.

The changes in weather can impact how you feed your horses hay, how much you should be feeding, and how often you feed them.

Energize your horses with hay

Hay is the primary energy source and calorie source for horses and since the winter limits the amount of pasture grass available to horses, you’ll need to supplement a lot more calories in the form of hay.

And not just any hay. You need quality hay. Hay offers higher protein stability, stimulates salivation, promotes digestion, and provides horses with all the necessary nutrients. Because of these benefits of quality hay, it also has a great warming effect on horses.

To properly energize your horses, start by feeding between 1.5% and 2.5% of your horse’s total body weight per day in hay. If your horse is 1,100 pounds, start by feeding between 16.5 and 27.5 pounds of hay each day.

It’s crucial to monitor severe weather changes during these winter months, including 10-degree temperature drops and high wind speeds. Each will require an additional intake of between 2 to 8 pounds of hay per day to meet your horse’s increased energy requirements.

But what about storing all this hay? You don’t want to waste a lot of the extra hay you’ll be providing, so you need to make sure it’s being held in quality hay feeders.

Hay feeders for horses

Make sure you’re using the best kind of hay feeders year-round. The highest quality products, including round bale feeders and square bale feeders, allow for easy access, minimize hay waste, and slow down feeding time, which helps your horses properly digest hay.

Round bale feeders are great options due to their lower cost and overall convenience. Plus, these hay feeders allow you to always keep your hay available, which is important because you should be feeding your horses hay at least three times a day over the winter.

Finally, especially during rough winter conditions, make sure you’re keeping your square or round bale feeder sheltered. Not only do horses need to stay warm to maintain their internal temperatures, but your hay feeders also need to be protected from the elements, as well. To prevent mildew and mold spores from building up, use quality tarps specifically designed to store hay to cover your round bale feeders.

Keep your horses healthy and well-fed throughout the winter. Give us a call today to learn more about our quality hay feeders for horses!

The Best Way to Feed your Horse

December 28, 2018Blogfeeding horses, hay feeding, horse care, horse hayklenepipe-admin

To keep your horse in optimal health, there are some guidelines that should be followed for feeding. Whether it’s the type of food or when they are fed, changes in a horse’s food regimen can mean the difference between a happy horse and one that is ill tempered.

Feed Horses on a Regular Schedule

As with many animals, horses do best when a regular schedule is followed. They feel most comfortable when they can rely on when they will get their next meal. Whether you are feeding your horses in the field with a hay feeder or in their stall, horses will thrive by sticking to a regular routine.

If Feeding Grain, Consider Smaller Amounts

While hay should be the primary food source, if you are supplementing your horse’s diet with grain, try not to feed them too much at one time. When fed grain in smaller amounts, horses do better digesting the feed.

Don’t Make Any Sudden Change in Your Horses Feeding Routine

Whether it’s changing the time of day or the type of food you are feeding your horse, a sudden change can cause unnecessary stress. If you do need to change something, do it gradually so that the horse can adjust. Therefore, if you are changing the feeding time, do so in small time increments until you get to the final adjusted time.

Be Mindful of When Your Horse is Fed

It’s best not to feed your horse just before or after exercise. Exercising on a full stomach can make exercise harder for horses and can also slow down digestion. Therefore if you are planning on riding your horse, be aware of their feed schedule and work around that.

The Benefits of Using Hay Saver Feeders

September 5, 2018Blogfeeding horses, hay feeding, horse hayklenepipe-admin

When it comes to hay waste, using the right type of hay feeder can make a significant difference in saving hay, money and time. That’s why it’s important to understand all of the positive benefits that come along with using hay saver feeders.

Confining hay within a feeder helps to eliminate waste by nearly 40%. While that may not seem like an overwhelming percentage, the significance comes into play when you consider the cost of hay as well as the amount of time and work it takes to haul it, stack it, store it and deliver it to the horses.

How Hay Saver Hay Feeders are Beneficial for Horses

Less hay waste directly correlates to better feed efficiency for horses. In comparison to slow feeders, hay saver feeders are more beneficial to horses as they are less likely to overeat because they can eat freely, whereas slow feeders can oftentimes create stress for horses because of the time it takes to consume the hay. Choking, vomiting, gastrointestinal discomfort and bloating can also occur through the use of slow feeders. In contrast, with hay saver feeders, horses suffer fewer of these respiratory effects from inhaling less dust by not sticking their faces directly into the hay. In short, eating from a hay saver feeder reduces ingestion of dirt and sand, which reduces the incidence of colic related to that sort of debris in the GI tract. Hay saver feeders ensure that horses stay healthy and well-fed because their feed remains as fresh as possible.

How Hay Saver Hay Feeders are Beneficial for Horse Owners

While hay saver feeders reap several benefits for horses, they’re also cost-beneficial to horse owners. The less hay that is wasted, the more money you can save. An overall decrease in wasted hay will more than pay the cost of the hay feeders themselves.
It’s no secret that one of the largest expenses that come along with owning a horse is the cost of feed. Anything you can do to prevent a rise in cost can positively affect not only your wallet, but your horse, too.