Buy Haylage, Chaff and Forage Horse Feed
Forage is the second most important part of a horse's diet after water. It provides essential fibre and nutrients, and helps with gut function. Horses are hindgut fermenters, so they rely on bacteria in their large intestine to digest fibrous carbohydrates. Forage also helps satisfy a horse's need to chew, which is important for their mental well-being. Chewing also helps wear down the enamel on their teeth. Horses should have free access to forage as often as possible.The general rule of thumb is to feed at least 2-2.5% of your horse's body weight in forage per day. Forage can include pasture, hay, straw, Haylage and Chaff. Haylage and Chaff in particular have their own characteristics and benefits.
Haylage is made from grass that's cut earlier than hay and preserved through fermentation. The fermentation process preserves the grass's nutrients, lowers sugar levels and increases digestibility. Haylage is dust-free, low in mold spores and highly palatable. Haylage is a good option for horses with respiratory problems, allergies, gastric ulcers, or colic.
Chaff is the term given to short, chopped fibres that can be made from a number of different forage sources such as hay, straw, grass or alfalfa. Chaff can be mixed with other ingredients to improve its palatability and nutritional value. Common additives include molasses, oil, vitamins, and minerals. Chaff can also come in a variety of flavors, such as mint and garlic. The need for a chaff is often put down to simply providing bulk or a ‘filler,’ to the feed, but there are many benefits to feeding a chaff on a daily basis. Chaff can help with digestion by encouraging horses to chew more and produce more saliva. Saliva neutralizes stomach acid and helps break down food, which can help prevent conditions like choke. Chaff can also help stimulate a horse's appetite, especially if they are fussy eaters or don't like long-stem forage. Short chopped fibres such as Chaff can also be a good option for horses with dental issues.
We can offer you a wide collection of forage and fibre based feeds to suit your horse and their dietary requirements. Our range of haylage and chaffs also includes complete fibre feeds, which are supplemented with vitamins and minerals to reduce the need for a compound hard feed. We stock all the top brands including Dengie, Baileys, Spillers, Honeychop, Horsehage, Mollichaff and more! Rest assured, you will always find a high quality horse feed when you shop online with SPR Centre. You can also expect a great service along with fast delivery - wherever you are in the UK.
