Slow Food

The posts I wrote a couple of years ago about building slow feed hay boxes (click here and here) are the most looked at/searched for posts I've written.  With summer winding down, I've had several questions about slow feeding, hay nets and boxes.  Lisa in particular wanted to know more about how my hay boxes have worked out.

Basically, the boxes, when used with the metal grates, work very well for eliminating waste entirely and slowing down consumption a little bit.  If you are really trying to slow down/limit consumption though, the metal grates don't slow them down enough.  If that is not a concern, then they work great with one exception.  All of the equines did very well with the metal grates with the sole exception of Gabe.  Those of you who remember him, may recall that he was a stinking hog about food (sorry Gabe, no offense,  but if the shoe fits....).  Gabe made his mouth sore because he absolutely would NOT stop trying to bite the grate.  If your horses are not stinking hogs about food then you won't have any trouble with using metal grates.  I haven't seen any indication that the grates cause tooth or gum problems in the less greedy equine population.  If you are dealing with a stinking hog, I suggest using nets instead.

I find that the boxes also work very well combined with any type of hay net.  The nets can be secured in the bottom of the box, which keeps the nets out of the mud/snow and keeps the hooves away from the nets.  A frame with netting stretched inside can also be made to fit the boxes instead of using the metal grates.  I like the boxes because they provide a lot of options.  That flexibility is nice when your animal's hay needs vary throughout the year.  

The things to take into consideration when making choices between boxes, nets or a combination are determining what your main goals are.  If you just want to eliminate waste and make sure the hay ration lasts a little longer, the boxes and grates are a really nice, user friendly, economical and long lasting option.

If you have fatties on a perpetual diet, (like, ahem, mine) I like hay nets with very small holes.  One things you'll find is that, over time, the animals become more and more adept at getting food out of the nets/boxes.  What slowed them down dramatically at first will lose a lot of effectiveness as they gain proficiency in extracting the food.  I have found this to be true with every feeder or net I've tried.  My herd has become so proficient with hay nets that I am always trying to think of new ways to slow them down even more.  It's especially difficult for me because my crazy schedule makes multiple feedings difficult.  I really need to be able to put out many hours worth of food yet still limit intake.  Lately, I have taken to doubling up two different types of hay nets.  I found that doubling two of the same didn't work for more than a day because they figured out how to line up the holes.  Darned donkeys are way too clever for their own good.  

It's hard to tell in this photo, but there is actually a thin, grey net inside of the blue one.

This is the thin net made out of something like hockey netting...

Inside a cheap Chicks net.

This combination will make 6-8 pounds of hay last about three hours.  Pretty good considering that they would slurp that down in twenty minutes if fed loose.  This combination is also easy to put out on a tree, leave on the ground loose or secure inside a hay box.

I have also been using the track system I developed last year.  Their pasture is actually a narrow track that goes around the outside of the field.  Although they look to be out in lush pasture, they aren't.  Their access to grass is severely limited.  Seeing the track get nibbled down to the ground makes my farmer's heart quail a bit, but it has kept the pudge down to acceptable levels while still giving them lots of room to roam.  I estimate the track to be about 3000 feet long and they generally go around 10-12 times per day, maybe more at night.  Emma is still a bit chubby, but for a donkey living in NY, I don't think she is too terribly fat.  I'd like to see her lose a few more pounds, but as long as she does not gain any more, I'll settle for that.

I include Tessa in the "donkey" classification because, so far, she is the one I am having the most trouble keeping weight off of.  I consider her to be very high risk for IR and am feeding her the same way I feed the donkeys.  I'd love to give her more exercise, but real-world, it's not likely to happen.

Pushing their pasture area so hard, I do worry about them eating toxic plants.  While my pastures may look lovely in photos, a close examination will reveal masses of nasty, toxic weeds.  Animals are very smart about such things and they won't generally eat toxic plants unless they feel forced to do so.  I don't want them to ever feel forced.  I also need to be able to leave for work for hours at a time and feel confident that they won't be looking for trouble while I am gone.  For those reasons and the fact that they need forage to stay healthy and avoid ulcers, they always have access to some kind of acceptable food.  The always have wheat straw in a Cinch Chix net.  They get this along with a small amount of hay in a doubled net each day.  I like the Cinch Chix nets and would like to get a couple more in different sizes, but they are expensive.

It has taken me a long time to get the straw worked out, but they are doing well with it now.  They eat about 15 pounds of wheat straw each day now and their weights have all stabilized.  The straw has been tested so I know it has a very low sugar/starch content and the farmer who is growing it does not spray it with any chemicals, which is a real concern with straw.  Any straw left in the net for more than a week gets used for bedding.

I would like to increase their exercise and will try to do that by putting their feed out on the track as far away from the barn as possible.  I've done this a bit and it does work.  However, the bugs have been so bad this year, that I didn't have the heart to keep it up.  Tessa does OK, although she hates bugs, but the biting flies go after the donkeys so bad that they come in with blood literally dripping down their legs and their eyes streaming.  I've tried sprays and wraps, but the only thing that really works is hiding in the barn away from the bugs.  Of course, come winter, it will be howling arctic winds that they'll be hiding from.  I am glad to have the variety of nets, boxes, hay and straw that is, so far, keeping them contentedly "grazing" all day while still managing the weight problem.

Hay Nets

After reading my post about small-mesh hay nets (click here if you missed that), a reader from California sent me these fantastic slow feeders.  She had them made for her mini donkeys, but no longer needs them, so she has very kindly and generously passed them on (Thank you D!!).  There are even a couple with larger holes for the horses in there.

The nice thing about these is that the holes are small enough that Ramsey cannot get a foot caught in one and they can be left on the ground like pillows, making for a more natural grazing experience.

The only trouble with them is that they must smell just a little bit like D's donkeys and Emma is not sure she wants anything to do with them.  I think that donkeys (like dogs again) are very sensitive to different smells. Whenever I am around strange horses or any other animals and then return to my own, I have to let Emma check me out and talk to her.  This was especially true when Ramsey was very little.  If I smelled wrong, she would move Ramsey away from me until I had passed the smell test.

Jack donkeys have a reputation for being unpredictably mean and aggressive.  I wonder if they really are so unpredictable, or if it is another case of our own inability to recognize what may be a threat to a donkey.  Donkeys are highly territorial and protective and jacks will fight to the death to defend their territory.  If a jack's owner were to go visit a neighbors stud or new dog and then approach the jack, an animal who probably relies more on scent than sight for identification, is it any wonder that the jack may react badly?  If we humans thought more about how our animals perceive things rather then assume their perceptions will be the same as ours, I believe there would be far fewer tragic accidents.   

Emma is very protective of Ramsey and after getting a good whiff of the new hay bags, she moved him away from them and kept him away.

From her point of view, these nets could have come from a herd of mean jacks who might threaten her baby.  She has no way of knowing that these cute little guys mean no harm...

For the last several days, I have left the nets hanging in my tack room to air out and absorb the smells of my own barn and this afternoon I hung one bag in the barn for her to get used to.  I have no doubt that she will accept them, it's just a matter of letting her do it in her own way and in her own donkey time. 

Several people have asked me about nets for horses and for mini donkeys.  I have little personal experience with these myself, but will share what I have found so far....

Cynthia from A donkey Diary has 4 mini donkeys and uses small mesh nets for them.  She highly recommends NAG bags from www.slowfeeder.com.  They appear to be very good bags that are safe for minis and are well made.

The paddock paradise website offers this hay net comparison chart, which is very helpful.  Some of the links seem outdated, but the info is good.

I know several people who have made their own feeders using hockey puck netting from Arizona Sports.  Lisa from Laughing Orca Ranch shared this and this on her blog.

The net I am using currently came from Chicks saddlery.  It works well enough, but I would not use it for the donkeys if I was not hanging it above my manger, which prevents them from getting their feet near it.   It is inexpensive and rugged, but should only be used if you can be sure to keep their feet away from it. 

Similarly, I purchased nets from Adams Horse supply.  They were inexpensive and work well for the horses, but I would not use them for donkeys or any small aniamls.  They stretch too much and hang too low when empty.  They hold a lot of hay, which is good for me as I only have to fill them once a day and the horses never run out of hay.  An OK choice for full sized horses who are barefoot, but do not use for donkeys or ponies...

And one last thing about nets: when you introduce them to your animals, make sure the net is IN ADDITION to their regular ration for the first few days.  If you introduce the net this way , the animal will see it as a treat rather then a frustration, they will appreciate it instead of resenting it. 

Slow Feeders Perfected

I have been meaning to post an update about my slow feeders for a while, but with one thing and another (Ramsey!!), I hadn't gotten to it.  With drought and horrifically high temperatures affecting much of the country (including here), hay is going to be in short supply this year.  I know we are all getting worried about this and our drought conditions, while bad, are not as severe as many other areas.   I thought it would be a good time to offer this for anyone thinking about how to get the most out of every bale of hay.  Click on the link above to check out my original post about slow feeders then come back here for the perfected and horse tested version....

The biggest trouble I had with this project was finding the right grate material.  I finally settled on the heavy steel "hog panel" with 4x4 inch squares available at Tractor Supply (I borrowed a couple of these grates from my feeders to cover my window opening when Ramsey was born)....

This has proven to be the perfect feeder material, the only trouble with it, is that the panels are only sold in large sheets that have to be cut down to size.  Since I wanted to make several feeders, it wasn't really a problem, but it could be if you only want one or two feeders.  I did find a place that would sell just the feeder grate, but the cost for one feeder was more than the entire hog panel.  If anybody knows of another source for this type of grate, I'd be glad to hear about it. 

Once I found the grate I wanted, I discovered that the grate dimensions were a bit different from my box dimensions.  I found a way to make them work with my original feeders, but I changed the dimensions and design of the boxes that I have built since then so that the grates fit perfectly.... 

One hog panel can be cut down to make eight 2x4' grates.  Larger or smaller feeders could be made depending on your needs.  Just cut the grate to whatever size you want and build the box around it.  I made the ends of the boxes solid so the grate can't slither out of the box and added a hinged lid so that the horses can't pull the grate out....

  

To fill the box, just open the lid, lift out the grate, fill the box with hay, put the grate on top of the hay and close the lid.

The boxes are made to hold an average sized square bale and works well for 1-2 animals depending on whether or not the horses will share.  I made several of these for my riding buddy and her 4 horses (along with Gabe, who stayed with her for a while).  They all tested them out thoroughly and the boxes worked beautifully.  They dramatically slowed down the rate of consumption which meant that the horses never had to go for long hours with nothing to eat.  There was absolutely no hay wasted and after a short introduction period, the horses actually seemed to prefer the boxes over eating loose hay off the ground.  I have spent quite a bit of time watching the horses eating out of these and it seems to mimic real grazing, which they like.  

If anybody would like to try building one of these and you need better pictures or exact dimensions, let me know.  I'll try to help.  I am also thinking about offering some of these for sale locally.  I don't think I can ship them so you would have to come here to get them.  Picking them up comes with the added bonus of getting to meet Ramsey and Emma.  I am asking $175 each.  If anyone is interested, let me know. 

Slow Feeders & Messy Gabe

A couple of days ago Rebecca2 asked me....

"Have you solved messy Gabe's problem? I just read a blog where they had put a "hay net" over a big bale of hay and the horses had to eat through the holes. The lady made the comment that they had to eat slower, more like grazing, and they didn't leave hay strewn all around."

The bars I put across the top of the manger were meant to do just these things.  While certainly not as effective as nets, the bars have made it much more difficult for Gabe to pull large amounts of hay out of the manger where he can trample it.  I also stripped everything down to the rubber mats and the combination has helped a great deal.  The new feeding arrangement has not slowed down their consumption, but it has eliminated the waste factor.  Doing away with the bedding has helped as well.  Gabe doesn't like going to  the bathroom on the bare mats and is now choosing to go outside much more often.  I went from no barn cleaning with Emma and Tessa to 4 huge muck buckets a day when Gabe showed up and now, I'm down to one bucket a day.  Much more manageable and healthier as well, since the barn is less dusty and stays cleaner. 

I have thought about trying the slow-feeder hay nets, but I have a few reservations.  Mainly, I worry that my very young herd may decide to chew on the nets.  Tessa is going to be turning 4 next month and the rest of her adult teeth will be coming in throughout the coming year.  Every time a new tooth comes in, she gets a bit cranky and starts gnawing on anything she can reach.  Emma is so young that she still has ALL of her baby teeth.  I also worry that her tiny feet could get caught in a net.  There are other slow-feeding options but the expense and inconvenience make me hesitate.

The main reason I haven't pursued the slow feeders though, is that I don't see the need for it at this time.  I am fortunate this year to be able to feed hay grown on my friend's farm which we cut and baled ourselves.  It is good quality, native grasses that were cut in July.  This is generally considered to be late cut hay, but I think it is ideal horse feed.  Earlier cut hay is higher in nutrient and protein levels, but that is not really good for horses.  If the hay were earlier cut, I would have to severely limit the amount they are allowed to eat or they would become too fat and laminitis would be a real fear.  With later cut hay, I can feed them as much as they want to eat with no health risks and a great many benefits.  I can do this because the feed is not as rich and it is somewhat coarser, hence they eat it slower naturally.  Putting this hay in nets would be somewhat self-defeating.  The way I feed virtually eliminates the risk of ulcers, greatly reduces the chance of colic and laminitis, and helps them keep warm.  Perhaps most importantly, it ensures that they are happy, content and stay out of trouble because they always have something to nibble on.

I do think the slow feeders are an excellent idea for anybody whose animals are on limited rations, is feeding early cut hay or ANY hay that was grown from commercial seed rather than native grasses.  All of the commercial seed produced now has been selectively bred and/or genetically modified to produce higher protein and nutrient values.  It has been "optimized" to get the most out of every acre.  While this seems like a good thing, it has been terribly detrimental to horses and is the number one cause of the meteoric rise in the incidence of laminits and founder among US horses.  These grasses were developed with dairy and beef cattle in mind.  Dairy cattle now produce so much milk that they are physically incapable of eating enough to sustain themselves while lactating.   Increasing the nutrients that they get from every bite is the only way to sustain them.   The more calories a beef cow consumes per bite, the faster and bigger he grows.  This need to optimize every bite drives the seed industry which drives the hay industry and is ruining a lot of horses.

I may opt for a slow feeder system as my herd matures or if my hay changes significantly.  Tessa is turning into an especially easy keeper and I cannot exercise her as she should be.  Emma needs quite a lot of extra food right now and in the coming months, but later, I can foresee the need to limit her feed intake.  Next year, I may be puzzling out how to build a slow feeder, but for now I am just glad that I have stopped Gabe from wasting the hay and trashing the barn.