What Factors Define the Best Hay Cube for Horses?

Feed stores, stables, and horse owners alike understand the importance of feeding horses only high-quality feed products  that tend toward maximum health and performance.

If you own and love horses, optimal horse care (healthy and practical) is high on your list of priorities. One option you may have heard about and may be considering is hay cubes.

Below, we look at the general benefits of hay cubes and how to know which hay cube for horses product is the best option:

Why Feed My Horses on Hay Cubes?

There are many good reasons to partially or completely replace baled hay consumption with hay cubes. Some of the most important of which include:

• Less storage space is required and the handy bags are easy to transport.
• Little to no hay is wasted, so there is much less mess left in the stall.
• A good way to stretch your hay budget, especially during the winter months.
• The reduced moisture content discourages mold growth.
• A perfect way to monitor food intake with exact feeding portions.
• Sufficiently large particle size aids healthy digestion and reduces wood chewing.
• Much easier, when pre-soaked, for older horses to chew and digest.

Which Hay Cube for Horses Should I Choose?

As with any type of horse feed, hay cube manufacturers will vary greatly in the quality level they offer their customers. Some factors that set “the best” apart from “the rest” include the following:

• High nutrient content, adding plenty of protein and calcium to your horse’s diet.
• All natural ingredients with no artificial fillers or additives.
• Good balance of fiber, protein, ash, and fat, and consistency of product from bag to bag and from cube to cube.
• Strict quality control protocols followed during the manufacturing process.
• Only high-quality hay should be in the cube, with virtually zero weed content.
• Sun-curing should be the preferred drying method, to keep things as natural as possible.
• Locally grown hays should be used where possible because they will inevitably be fresher.

Even after choosing the highest quality of hay cube for horses, you still must be careful to acclimate your horses to the new food source, typically with a two-week transition period.

Located in Phoenix, Arizona, but shipping throughout the Southwest and nationwide, Sacate Pellet Mills produces premium alfalfa and alfalfa-oat hay cubes. Feel free to contact us at 602-237-3809 or online to learn more.