Hay Dilemma

There is a major hay shortage in my area this summer. I managed to get 60 bales at a decent price, but I calculated that I would need more like 90-100. Can I feed beet pulp or hay cubes to supplement the rest of his forage needs? Or would I be better off coughing up the extra dough and buying the expensive hay. Also I might be getting some bales from a cattle farmer next to my property, but I am not sure the quality of the hay he has, so I don't want to count on it as a primary food source.

You can always stretch hay with BP, hay cubes and pellets. You will sustitute it # for #. So say you short your horse 5# of hay a day, you will add 5# of the forage replacment. However, before you do that, you need to figure out what's really cheaper. At $10/50# bag of BP or pellets you will be paying $400/ton. That would mean a typical 60# SS has to be costing you $12 or more for them to actually be cheaper.

Look around at what else is available. As long as the hay next door isn't moldy or spoiled, look at it as a way to stretch what you'v got. Give them 1/3 of the lesser hay and the rest in the good stuff. It will keep them busy and help keep them warm in the winter.

I have stretched out the hay supply with BP & cubes but it's cheaper to buy hay.