Tag Archives: hay feeding

Information about hay feeding for horses, cattle and other livestock from Klene Pipe Structures, creator of the Hay Saver Hay Feeder.

Your Horse Won’t Eat? Try These 4 Tips

January 10, 2022Bloghay feeding, horse careklenepipe-admin

You’ve tried everything. You’ve tried adding some molasses for a little flavoring, you got rid of all the moldy hay, and you’ve even pretended to eat the hay right in front of them. But your horse just won’t eat!

This is a serious issue. Your horse needs to eat and relies on those essential nutrients – protein, vitamins, and minerals – within the forage. Luckily, there are a few things you can do that we’ve had success with in the past.

Here are some helpful tips to get your horse to feed again:

**First, try to identify why your horse isn’t eating**

This could be tricky, but take a step back and really think about what and how you’re feeding your horse. Maybe the hay is stale or too salty, which could cause a horse to stop eating. Or maybe you’ve been putting new medications like Bute into the feed. Your horse might want to avoid eating if that’s the case.

There are a variety of reasons why your horse won’t eat. But if you can, determining the root cause of the issue, rather than just trying to force them to eat, is a great way to start.

Utilize quality square or round bale feeders

If you’re using lesser quality hay feeders, there could be some serious issues that arise. An effective round bale feeder will allow your horse to eat freely, at their own pace. Other hay feeders, however, can lead to overeating, bloating, vomiting, and other problems – all of which could subsequently lead to your horse wanting to avoid eating again.

Look at your horse’s teeth

Dental issues can affect your horse’s ability to eat. Certain problems could cause hooks, waves, and other malformations that inhibit chewing. Additionally, broken or infected teeth can be so painful, your horse won’t want to chew anything. Warning signs of serious dental issues, in addition to loss of appetite, include aggressive behavior, introverted gaze, and self-mutilation. Keep an eye out for these signs and have a vet take a look at your horse’s teeth if you think that’s the issue.

Beware of any changes to your horse’s environment

Your horse might avoid eating if they are stressed, nervous, or anxious. Think about any major changes or circumstances that have happened recently. The loss of a stablemate, major weather changes, or the addition of a new stablemate could all cause some stressful problems and result in a lack of eating.

You’re doing everything you can to help your horse get back to eating healthy. Sometimes, just slowing down and thinking about the problem can help you find a solution. If you need quality round or square bale feeders, give us a call today!

Use the Right Horse Hay Feeders to Prevent Hay Waste

September 30, 2021Bloghay feeding, horse careklenepipe-admin

Hay waste might seem like a minor inconvenience. Just a messy area, right?

Wrong.

Hay waste is actually a serious issue and can lead to multiple costly, stressful, and even unhealthy issues for your horses.

If you’re not equipped with quality horse hay feeders, you’re going to end up wasting a significant amount of hay. A little extra hay on the ground during a single feeding period isn’t that big of a deal, sure. But after a few days, weeks, and months – all that extra hay wasted up certainly is a big deal.

Conventional hay feeders or ring bales are not properly equipped to hold hay, leading to the hay being shifted outside the feeder or blown around. With the “Hay Saver” Hay Feeder, the folding grills keep the hay in place to prevent waste.

Hay Waste: The Problems

Wasting money – One of the most cost-efficient things you can do as a horse owner is to utilize quality hay feeders for horses. Keeping more hay confined within a feeder will end up saving you a significant amount of money. Decreasing the amount of wasted hay could more than pay the cost of the hay feeder itself.

Wasting health – If you’re constantly wasting hay, you’re actually running the risk of harming your livestock. With a quality feeder, your horse will be able to eat freely, as opposed to the stresses that come from slow, traditional hay feeders. The stress, however, can cause overeating and subsequent choking, bloating, and vomiting. Also, the “Hay Saver” Hay Feeder’s folding grills also prevent horses from burying their heads into the hay bale, which causes serious breathing problems due to inhaling too much hay dust.

Wasting time – The amount of time and work it takes to haul the hay, stack it, store it, and deliver it to the horses is a lot compared to using a quality round bale feeder. Plus, the cleanup around a feeder with folding grills is much easier. With old, chaotic feeders, you could be out there cleaning up wasted hay for hours.

Using the Hay Saver Hay Feeder is over 93% efficient at containing hay. Put an end to hay waste today! Check out our hay savings comparison chart and give us a call today to learn more about the benefits of our hay feeders for horses!

Factors to Consider When Calculating Hay Amounts

February 3, 2020Bloghay feeding, horse hayklenepipe-admin

Winter is here and it’s important to that you have enough hay in your barn until the pastures are growing again in Spring. This may seem like a tedious task, but taking these factors into consideration can make your decision easier.

Take these factors into consideration:

Number of animals is often something that is overlooked because it’s so basic. With more animals, more hay is needed. Be sure to factor in animals you’ll be selling, purchasing or new animals that will be born during the colder months to plan accordingly.

Weight of animals is another basic factor, but important. If your animals are larger they will need more hay to sustain themselves through the colder months.

Length of season is one of the most important factors to consider when calculating the amount of hay you’ll need. This can vary depending on where you are located and the climate of the area. In the southern half of the United States, animals can forage much later in the fall and earlier in the spring. Animals in the northern part of the country are much more dependent on hay to sustain themselves through the cold, winter months. In Indiana, a majority of hay is needed from October through March. It’s best to limit foraging due to pasture damage which can keep animals from reaching peak production.

Temperatures will also impact the amount of hay consumed by animals. In extreme temperatures, high caloric intake is necessary for survival. If the climate of your area reaches below zero for longer periods of time, your animals hay intake may be on the higher side.

Keeping all these factors in mind will ensure that your season is successful and your animals well taken care of.

How Much Hay Are You Saving?

December 9, 2019Bloghay feeding, hay saving, horse hayklenepipe-admin

An old, traditional ring bale hay feeder losing hay

If you are still using an old hay feeder, you are likely wasting hay, time and money. Traditional hay feeders are not equipped to effectively contain hay and therefore hay ends up being blown or moved around outside the feeder. This causes hay to be lost and needed time for clean up or the hay.

The hay saver hay feeder is specifically designed to cover the hay in the feeder while still allowing horses and cattle to feed. The folding grills hold the hay down to protect blowing from the wind and prevent it from being tossed by the livestock. Hay therefore remains in the feeder as opposed to around the feeder. The hay saver hay feeder is over 93% efficient at containing hay.

The fold down grills also prevent horses and cattle from burying their heads into the bale eliminating any breathing problems caused from inhaling hay dust or eye irritation. Better health for your horses and cattle also equates to less money on care and veterinary bills.

In addition, many traditional hay feeders are made of materials that tend to break down or rust out. Hay saver hay feeders are built from high quality durable materials that are designed to withstand the elements with an average life span of 20 or more years.

View our hay savings comparison chart and photos of traditional hay feeders vs the hay saver hay feeder.

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.