What type of hay do you think this is?

[Valisa]

Sorry for the poor qaulity, I took the photo on my ipod. I’ve tried taken photos with my camera, but the files were to big to upload?

[Stickerbunny]

Kind of hard to tell from just looking at a photo of it. Looks too thin to be oat, but beyond that I don’t know. The texture looks like a normal grass hay like timothy or brome, but usually those are green, I suppose it could be a very mature batch of timmy.

Someone give you a bale of surprise hay?

[Valisa]

We have a family friend who sells pet supplies. I just asked for a bag of hay and forgot to ask what it’s called

[LBJ10]

Does it have “joints” in the strands?

[Valisa]

What do you mean by joints?

[Valisa]

Also does this hay seem very yellow?

[LBJ10]

A joint is a nob where the grass is segmented. It isn’t one solid piece. If that makes sense.

[Stickerbunny]

Posted By Valisa on 08/24/2013 07:44 AM
Also does this hay seem very yellow?

 

It’s a lot more yellow than any of the hay I have bought, but … I buy oxbow generally, or farm fresh. I know some people buy mature oat hay because their buns prefer the yellow stuff. So, not sure it’s really a bad thing.

[Bam]

Yellow hay may mean it’s been left out in the field for a prolonged time after the harvest. That isn’t a bad thing, hay that’s been left out in the sun contains more vitamin D than greener hay that’s been collected rather soon after harvest.

A friend of mine who keeps and trains race-horses explained this to me recently. She is super careful when it comes to hay because race-horses are sensitive and prone to infections because they are ridden so hard during race-season. (Goodness, I realize don’t know any English horse-racing-terms, hope you can understand what I’m trying to explain =) Race-horses always gets various types of coughs and injuries because their immune-system is under pressure from hard training. Just like professional human athletes, they have to keep a very nutritous and good diet.)

I can’t tell you what type of hay you have got, but the yellowishness doesn’t make it bad. It could be meadow-hay perhaps. Meadow is very common. If it smells mouldy you should throw it out.

[Valisa]

It doesn’t smell moudly, and there are no joints as far as I can tell. And yeah I understand what you’re trying to say about the race horses

[Roberta]

Hi Valisa,

Wasn’t sure at first but I think what you have is the Aussie version of Meadow Hay. It varies seasonally and at this time of year there may also be lovely crumbly green bits of dried clover through it. If it came in a clear almost tubular bag about a yard long and 18″ wide it is definitely meadow hay. Mine have a small amount as extra treat hay during the week. I generally don’t feed it every day like the oaten hay.

[Valisa]

Is Meadow Hay ok for a 5month old bunny then?

[Roberta]

It should be fine… I only limit mine as it is very rich and for older buns that is not so good.

[Author]

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