How Are Hay Cubes Made?

Whether for medical reasons, to limit waste, or because it’s just plain convenient, hay cubes make a great alternative feed for your horses. Here’s how we take hay, nature’s ideal horse food, and turn it into this ultra-convenient feed.

The hay is cut, cured, and chopped

The cubes start their lives just like regular hay. The grass is cut and dried, but instead of being baling, it’s chopped into smaller pieces for easier processing.

The hay is mixed with a binding agent

Once in the plant, the dried, chopped hay is mixed with a binding agent that will help hold it together in cube form. While in the plant, the hay is also tested for nutritional content, and other ingredients may be added to ensure the cubes meet our nutritional standards.

The hay is fed through the cuber

A machine called the cuber forms the hay into cubes, which are then cooled and dehydrated still more. The resulting formed and cooled cubes have approximately 12 percent moisture in them, enabling them to be stored for a long time without molding or losing their nutritional content.

Because of the way hay cubes are made and their low moisture content after processing, they make an excellent feed to store so that you always have some on hand. Hay cubes are a convenient, versatile feed that reduce mess and waste when feeding healthy horses, but can also be soaked to create a mash for feeding old or sick horses, so even if you don’t feed them regularly it’s worth it to always have some on hand.