3 Reasons Hay Cubes Are Your Best Alternative to Baled Hay

Hay cubes have adequate particle sizes that allow them to maintain normal digestive health while preventing wood chewing. High in nutrient content and easy to handle, these small cubes are an effective option when fully or partially replacing baled hay. In fact, hay cubes could even prove superior to baled hay under certain circumstances.

• Forage purchase issues

When buying baled hay, you MUST have it tested for nutrient content. Some horse-owners purchase a whole year’s supply of the product which can prove uneconomical owing to the need for storage space and inventory purchase. On the other hand, buying hay frequently means that you’ll be dealing with multiple suppliers. This can lead to quality and nutrient consistency problems.

Hay cubes are a better option because manufacturers of cubes are required to provide guaranteed levels of fiber, protein and fat. Moreover, it’s easier to find enough supply of hay cubes from the same supplier which solves the problem of nutrient consistency.

• Cubes minimize wastage

Research shows that as much as 20 percent of conventional baled hay is wasted in the feeding process. This can increase feeding costs in two main ways; need for additional feed and extra labor costs for replacing beds and cleaning the stalls. There is even evidence that wastages can top 40 percent if you use large round bales. Horses are likely to eat more hay than they need and trample the rest.

Cubes are easier to feed, resulting in minimal, if any, wastage. You can feed the cubes in an outside feedbunk or feedbox. Moreover, feeding exactly what the horse needs (not more or less) is easier with hay cubes than with bales.

For optimum health of the digestive tract, horses need to be fed on approximately 1-1.5 percent of their body weight as long as the forage is of high quality. At this rate, you’d only need 10-15 pounds of hay cubes for a 1,000 pound horse.

• Ease of storage

Lastly, hay cubes are easier to store. The hay used by cubing facilities is grown specifically for cubing and harvested under optimum conditions. The drying and cubing processes significantly reduce moisture content, effectively reducing the opportunity for mold to grow. As if that’s not enough, cubes occupy a much smaller space than the same amount of baled hay! So, you’re always better off with hay cubes.

Contact Sacate Pellet Mills, Inc. today to learn more.