Looking for hay with the lowest sugar for your donkey, mule, or horse? Donkeys evolved from the desert. Donkeys need hay testing 10% or lower in sugar and protein with portion control to avoid obesity and slow death.
Please understand that all forage hay and straw can be high in sugar. Many factors play a part in getting low-sugar forage for our beloved equine. Did the farmer add enough nitrogen, what time of the day is the field cut, and more? Read The Hay Pillow Blog
Where do I test my hay? Equi-Analytical Lab is what I use. After you find hay testing 10% or lower in sugar and protein, stock up for the year. Select How do I take a sample of hay.
How Do I read my hay analysis report? Select How to interpret your hay analysis report.
Please remember that portion control for the desert equine, the donkey, is very important. I use the Hay Pillow for our donkeys and horses. I feed inside the shelter, low to the ground, locked inside the High Country Slow Feeder.
Do I let my donkeys graze? No. We have four paddock paradise tracks set up. Our donkeys eat their meals daily in the shelter. They spend the rest of the day on their hot wire tracks, running, playing, rolling, and sometimes lying down. I do not use grazing muzzles, as our donkeys and horses have tracks. Our horses get to graze in the middle of the track for two hours between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., as the sugar is the lowest in the early morning.
Thank you for investing in your donkeys,
Melody Johnson
