Advantages of Feeding Your Animals Pellets Versus Baled Hay

Horses and cattle need a rich source of roughage in their diets. Though many owners provide baled hay as the roughage portion of the diet, there is another option: pelleted roughage. Alfalfa, timothy, and other forages that are typically fed as hays are also sold in a pelleted form. Replacing some or all of your animals’ baled hay with a high-quality forage pellet, like Sacate pellets, has several advantages.

  1. The nutrient content of the pellets is listed on the bag
    When you feed hay, its nutrient content is not consistent. One bale might be higher in protein than another, for example. Forage pellets, on the other hand, have consistent nutrient values, and these values are printed on the bag. This makes it easier to track exactly what your animal is eating and ensure his specific nutrient needs are being met.
  2. Pellets have a consistent weight-to-volume ratio
    Most animal owners who feed hay do so by volume, yet this is a rather inaccurate way to feed since some flakes of hay may be denser than others. Pellets, unlike hay, have a consistent weight-to-volume ration. Each scoop of pellets has the same weight, so you can be confident that your animal is getting the right amount at every feeding.
  3. Pellets can be soaked for older and sick animals
    Hay can be hard for elderly animals to chew. Pellets, however, can be soaked in water to soften them. Feeding wet pellets is also a good way to increase the water intake of an animal who is ill or prone to dehydration.
  4. Pellets are easy and safe to store
    Hay can spontaneously combust when stored with too high of a moisture content. It also takes up a lot of space. Sacate pellets are safe from combustion and are more compact. You don’t need a whole hay loft or shed to store them.
  5. You can haul the pellets in your everyday vehicle
    When you purchase hay, you need to get it back to your barn. This means you either have to provide a truck of your own or pay someone else to haul it. Bagged pellets, on the other hand, are sold in neat bags. You can load them into the backseat or trunk of a car without creating a mess.

To learn more about pelleted feeds and how they can benefit your horses or cattle, contact Sacate Pellets Mills today.