Orchard grass hay is a popular hay forage on both coasts of the United States. Generally, there are two cuttings of orchard grass. The first cutting the forage will have seed heads, the second cutting will not. Orchard grass is higher in sugar than other forages — about 10% and not recommended for insulin-resistant horses or horses with other health issues where sugar could exasperate the problems. Orchard grass hay can be considered a maintenance-type, energy level hay forage for most animals.

Protein - Not Less Than 8%
Crude Fat - Not Less Than 1.8%
Crude Fiber - Not More Than 35%
Moisture - Not More Than 12%

*Persons requiring a more detailed analysis to make informed decisions about their animals feeding regimen should have their own individual analysis completed.

The most important thing in a horse’s diet is water. Provide plenty of fresh clean water at all times.  All forage grazing animals need long stem forage in their diets. The long stem forages can be supplemented with hay forages made into cubes and pellets. We recommend that you feed by weight and not by volume.  1-2% of a horse’s weight should be fed daily in hay forages.  This amount may vary depending on the animal’s needs and the horse’s activity.  Therefore, if a horse weighs 1,000lbs and is a performance horse, 20lbs of forage would be sufficient, however, consult with a veterinarian or nutritionist for selected forage types and specific needs for your animal(s).  Make feed changes gradually over a period of 7 days.