Rye Grass

[skyhightree1]

Does anyone know can a horse be placed on a pasture that has been overseeded in winter Rye... ? I have 2 horses that are my daughters that I got her and have no experience with horses and wondered would they get sick off of rye or is it ok ?

 

[Douglas]

Your heading says ryegrass but your post says winter rye. Cereal rye and ryegrass are very different. which one?

 

[skyhightree1]

Your heading says ryegrass but your post says winter rye. Cereal rye and ryegrass are very different. which one?

Sorry It is winter rye that I use as a cover crop after I harvest my soybeans. I was wondering if I could pasture the horses on my bean fields... But I am thinking of planting perennial rye on there normal pasture to mix in with the ky and the ladino clover...

 

[Douglas]

Sorry you have gotten replies from the horse people around here. I know little about horses but from my forage research that often mentions horses i see no reason to not graze cereal rye. As with anything new, i would start cautiously feeding a little the first days and see how the horses react then gradually increase it. In cattle, since rye has higher protein than adult animals need and high moisture content you often see much looser stool.

Check these out:
http://www.noble.org/ag/forage/horseforage/page7.html

http://www.ecmagazine.net/Vol1_2/forage.asp

Planting winter pastures
In some areas of the Southeast, planting winter pastures is the best way to provide your horse with high-quality forage. Ryegrass is most commonly used, but any cereal grains such as oats, wheat and rye also work. Ryegrass has a longer growing season, but it requires more moisture than cereal grains. Consequently, a dry fall and winter can restrict its growth. Ryegrass can be overseeded on perennial pastures in late October or November. Take care to acclimate horses to the availability of the lush forage. Turning a stalled horse out on a lush ryegrass field is a formula for laminitis. Instead, fill the horse with hay and then allow turnout for only a few hours. Repeat the next day, and gradually increase time on the ryegrass. After a couple of weeks the horse can be left out for extended periods. It is usually advisable to continue to feed hay to horses on winter pastures because of the high moisture content of the forage. Hay slows down the rate of passage and increases the animal's digestive efficiency

 

[skyhightree1]

Douglas,
Thank you very much.. I have 1200 acres of beans and will be winter rye so they shoul dhave enough to eat for a while as well as my cattle.

 

[hayray]

Cereal rye can have a ergot that is toxic to horses just like wheat does. I know a guy who lost several horses feeding wheat hay. I also know several people who have fed it with no problems.

 

[skyhightree1]

hmm... I guess I will stick to perennial rye...

 

[hayray]

I don't think it is worth the risk. Yes perennial or annual and Italian ryegrass are real palatable for horses, I have a few fields with it mixed in with legumes.

 

[skyhightree1]

Thanks Hayray, I am still learning horses.