Florida Hay

[Silverrose]

So I'm new to the area and trying to find a hay dealer. I come to find out that timothy doesn't grow out here, and isn't imported to the area that often, if at all. The hay grown around here is bermuda, which I know is a good equivalent to timothy. But the specific bermuda hay in my area is Tifton 85 bermudagrass hay, a hybrid. Does anyone know if this is also nutrionally equivalent? Another option is a further drive to a dealer with an 85/15 timothy/alfalfa mix. I really hate to mix in alfalfa, but is the low percentage going to be ok? What is my best option to feed the chinnies? Or does anyone know of any good hay dealers in the area that I haven't found yet?

 

[Chinniechantel]

Florida hay sucks!!!! Check on Craigslist actually, under farming supplies- sometimes you can find a good dealer there importing tons from somewhere else. The feed stores are worthless, so unless you want to ship it in, you have to be diligent. I always have hay cubes on hand in case the next shipment is cruddy, which is often. And now, with the possible deep freeze, it will probably get worse! Annoying! Let me know if you find anything good- and I will too- I am always on the lookout.

 

[Silverrose]

Ack, the more I am trying to get in touch with different dealers, the more I am getting confused! There is more than one Tifton that people grow, Tifton 44, 78, and 85. From my research, the 85 is the most digestible of the three. There is also a Tifton 9, which is similar to Bahiagrass hay. What in the heck is Bahia?

 

[Essentia]

Welcome to Florida. My parents live in Pensacola, so very close to you. If you are willing to pay shipping I would be more than happy to mail you Oxbow hay that I purchase at a privately owned pet store. Since we are in the same state shipping won't be horrendous.

 

[Essentia]

Actually there are several places near you that sell it. I'm not sure what quantity it's in, but it never hurts to call and check.

http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/contact/find_products/store_locator?max_dist=25&search_query=32531

That's the link to sellers in your area.

 

[SunshineChins]

Check out all the local feed stores around you and be picky about how they keep their hay. My store is small and has a high turnover rate for hay so I am always getting fresh timmy hay here in the Winter Garden area.

I am lucky in that I live up in the central part of FL and there are quite a few farms / families around here with horses and cattle. I buy it in a huge 75lb bale and store it in our garage in two boxes that we made for that purpose. I pay $20.00 for that much hay which lasts me quite a while.

 

[chinchildren]

hey therese,
don't know about florida but you don't have that many chins so i would recommend you find a store that will order the oxborow timmy hay for you. i have about twice as many chins as you do and still go that route. i think i pay 40+ per box (50 lbs.) but it is well worth it.

 

[Silverrose]

Oxbow hay is nice and all, but with the amount of chins we have, shipping it in would be outrageous. They only sell small amounts of it in the feed stores I've contacted, and a 9lb bag is just not enough. We are visiting several hay dealers next week, and the one with the nicest and most fresh bermuda/tifton wins. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

 

[Idgie]

My understanding is that pretty much any grass hay should do the trick. Maybe if you are breeding and such, it might be more important to know all the ratios. (I'm just a pet owner.) But I think that if you find some good, fresh hay, you'll be good. Personally, I just get a bale from a farmer that calls his hay "grass" hay, but I believe that it would be orchard grass. Idgie eats it and she has been healthy, so we're happy.

 

[Sugarmama]

Bahia hay is very coarse. I have to relate this to horses, because I would never feed it to a chin.

Horses that are raised on Bahia are fine, but many horses that are brought down here have to be weaned on to it, because can bind up the intestines and cause colic.

Many horse ranches and feed stores down here import a timothy/alfalfa mix down from the north, even as far as Canada. Usually it is not more than about 25% alfalfa.

 

[razberry224]

I would suggest Oxbow Hay.

I never Heard of Bahia hay, that is very interesting about the horses that live there and the horses that have to be weened on to it. Wow.

 

[Sugarmama]

Raz, it is interesting--my husband has a very good amount of experience with horses, and horse health. He learned about the hay issue when we moved down here 5 years ago from another horse trainer. He has dealth with colic issues from owners who decided that the hay could not possibly affect them that much.

 

[Silverrose]

Just an update...

I found a fabulous coastal bermuda hay dealer just 15 min away from me. The hay is just lovely... it's fresh, soft, and has practically no weeds. And at $7.85 for a 50lb bale, it's such a steal. Best of all, the chins just love it! (But thank goodness I have non-picky eaters... they apparently eat any hay that I put in front of their face.) So if anyone is in the NW Florida/panhandle area, I will be happy to direct you to this place.

 

[Spoof]

Tifton 85 bermudagrass hay,

Is comparable with timothy. It is around 8% protein where timothy ranges 6-12%. So a good middle road.

Been researching it since I'm now in the same boat. They do import Timothy here, it is $48.65 a BALE. That is one 100lb bale. Two years ago I paid $60 for a ton of it in WA, so you can imagine my reaction at the feed store. lol.

Bermuda hay is only $6.50 a bale, and it looked and smelled pretty good. The chins seem to be happy with it.