Hay: All About it

[RO STAFF 2]

Also see:
Feeding Your Rabbit
Pellets
Vegetables


What Is It?

Excerpt from: Natural Nutrition: The Importance of Fiber (HRS - Elizabeth Te Selle in consultation with Cindy McBee, DVM)
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-3/fiber.html

In the wild, rabbits eat grass, which is, in its dry form, simply hay. Consequently, hay should be offered in large quantities on a constant basis and should be considered far more than just chewing entertainment. In addition to the invaluable fiber it contains, hay also provides vitamins, minerals, and protein in a form the rabbit's digestive tract not only can handle, but actually needs for its continued good health. . . .
Many experts advise against giving alfalfa hay to adult rabbits, particularly those who are not under the stresses of a breeding program and hence, do not have the calcium requirements of breeding rabbits. Alfalfa, particularly the tasty leaf part, is higher than most hays in calcium and protein and can, when fed in conjunction with high-calcium feed, cause dangerously high levels of calcium in the system. On a dry weight analysis (more accurate than straight percentages), alfalfa comes out among the highest in calcium content, and lower than most grass hays in fiber.
Grass hay, which comes in a variety of types depending on where you live, is a safer choice for older rabbits, especially those with urinary problems. Lower in calcium and protein and higher in fiber, it provides what the rabbit needs without adding what she can do without.


Randy says...
Most vets and very very few people know that rabbits do not chew their hay as we expect. They actually do swallow the entire piece of hay usually in one piece. That is why stemmy hay is so good for a slow gut...lots of pushing power. If you watch a rabbit chew....they do not chew like we do in an up and down motion....they chew with more of a side to side motion. The stems of hay are not crushed like we would think...they are folded into something that looks like an accordian (can you tell my age?....bet most young people will have no idea what an accordian is). So in reality, they really do swallow the hay as intact as the stem will allow. I love stemmy hay for my rabbits. If you look at their poops, you will see hay in them from time to time. It will show the basic length of the fold. If the hay were crushed like we crush our food, the acidity in the gut would make fast work of it.

(http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=29962&forum_id=48)


Recommended Articles:

Hay (Carrot Cafe)
http://www.carrotcafe.com/f/hay.html

Natural Nutrition: The Importance of Fiber (HRS:Elizabeth Te Selle in consultation w/ Cindy McBee, DVM)
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-3/fiber.html


Selecting Quality Hay (article geared for horses but excellent info!)
http://www.agry.purdue.edu/Ext/forages/publications/ID-190.htm


Hay Nutrition Chart
http://www.guinealynx.com/hay_chart.html

Hay, The Importance of Fiber

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-3/fiber.html


Articles and Links


Food Chart
http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/diet/graphics/Food_Chart.pdf

Hay Intro
http://www.ontariorabbits.org/diet/dietinfo4.html

Hay Types
http://www.ontariorabbits.org/diet/dietinfo4.1.html

Evaluating Hay Quality (University of Maryland)
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/MCE/Publications/Publication.cfm?id=110

Hay, Hay, Hay
http://www.lagomorphs.com/hay.pdf

Nutritional Info- Hay Chart for Bunnies
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~julie/buns/haychart.html

Five ways to get your rabbit to eat more hay
http://therabbithouse.com/blog/?p=14


Other Links

Listings in Rabbit References: Hay, Grass, Pellets
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabcare.html#hay

Finding Local Hay Sources

Internet Hay Exchange (find hay sources here)
http://www.hayexchange.com/

The Hay Barn
http://www.haybarn.com/main/index.asp


RO Threads
(please add any ideas to the original posts, they still can be viewed here!)

First vs Second Cut Timothy Hay:
[url]http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=38070&forum_id=48[/url]

Tempting Your Buns to Eat More Hay: (RO Members)
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=9995&forum_id=1

To Hay or Not to Hay!
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=5280&forum_id=1&highlight=hay

How Much Do You Pay For Hay?
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=7407&forum_id=1&highlight=hay

Alfalfa vs. Timothy Hay
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=7981&forum_id=1&highlight=pellet

I Am Really Dumb
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=10465&forum_id=1&highlight=cecal


Nutritional breakdown of Hays
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=27425&forum_id=48



dead links

USDA Farm Service Agency Hay Net
http://content.fsa.usda.gov/haynet/default.asp


new (check):

Hay in Your Bunny's Diet -Quality and Quantities for Healthy Digestion
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-7/hay.html


Oat Hay vs. Timothy Hay
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=27425&forum_id=48


Evaluating Hay Quality
http://extension.umd.edu/publications/PDFs/FS644.pdf

Today's Horse - Choosing Good Hay
http://www.todayshorse.com/Articles/ChoosingGoodHay.htm