Where can good research about feeding corn silage to horses be found?

Question

I'm not a big fan of corn, because of mycotoxin poisoning. But, I know many feed corn and have fed corn for years w/o problems. I know it will really fatten up a horse. But, I've also seen several horses in the local Amish community die from mycotoxin poisoning from corn. So...I know there are two sides.

Because of the drought in our area, farmers are baling cornstalks and others are making silage...so for all of these people who have yet to buy hay, is corn silage a (relatively) safe option? Are the roundbales of cornstalks the same as silage? I've looked for resources and have come up short.

If you want the quick 2 points, please feel free to give me the "OMG no never" or the "Me & Paw fed corn for over 50 years" but what I really want are good research sites to question the vet about. Poor hay beats eating snowballs, but poisoning is another matter entirely.

There are going to be a lot of hungry horses around me this winter and it's a question of balancing risk.

Thanks for some good info so far.

I hope I've made it clear that it's going to become a "cost" issue for foks who do not have their hay purchased and will not likely be able to afford hay (or complete feed) as the fall turns to winter.

Answer 1

I would go to a Universities web site that offers not only animal science classes, but agriculture classes as well. I know for sure Oregon State has both those programs. In the programs are professionals who deal with equine nutrition, but in Ag there are professionals who study forage(what animals eat) and you could e-mail both professionals to get their opinions. I think Texas A and M might also be a college with both.

Answer 2

I have heard over the last 12 yrs as a horse owner, that horses cannot eat silage and I would not feed the corn stalks or very much ground or whole corn at all. Cattle have a different digestive system and it doesn't bother them. A good source is a complete feed made by Purina. There are other products but my vet and equine dentist recommended Purina. My 25 yr old Appy can no longer eat hay - since March of this year. Almost lost him due to "choke" but that's another story.

I feed Purina complete senior and water it down like soup due to his problem of chewing. They have other complete feeds. Visit the Purina website and I'm sure you will find exactly what you need instead of hay for your horses. Purina is excellent as far as getting your questions answered and will respond to your email very quickly. Or you can contact a rep by phone.

Answer 3

From what I know about it is that they just cant use it like ruminant animals can.
Its harder for them to break down and actually use the nutrients in the silage.

Ruminants as I am sure you know have totally different digestive systems that are one stronger than horses and have the correct enzymes and bacterias to break down the silage.

Silage has bacteria, silage is fermented corn or hay. It usually ferments for months using sealed areas, so no air gets in. The bacterias break it down and preserve the nutrients.

Personally, I dont know a horse the would eat it (with the not so great smell), and knowing that horses would not get much nutrient value from it I would not feed it.

Answer 4

Moldy corn poisoning happens when corn is ensiled at greater than 13 per cent moisture. If the stalks are what is available for roughage, you could try them. I would be worried about the silage, though. Check to be sure it is not wet and is uniform in color with no blackened areas. Symptoms to look for should you go with this silage are: depression and little response to stimuli, disoreintation, circling, head pressing, blindness and sometimes unprovoked frenzy. Early cases are highly treatable.
The following sites may help, be sure to check them all as they each contain different facts.
http://www.dow.com/silage/tools/experts/green.htm http://www.uwex.edu/ces/crops/uwforage/Feeding.htm http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/horses/facts/info_haylage.htm

Answer 5

Consider feeding them Milo. I'd prefer poor hay to silage. Here are some sites. Good luck.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=nutritional+value+of+corn+silage&fr=ush-ans

Answer 6

a number of it relies upon on what your horses do. in the event that they're often pasture adorns and purely sometimes ridden. If this may well be a short term ingredient that gets you thru a hard patch, and additionally you get supplemental supplementations, then it may be ok. Corn is amazingly severe in fat, and carbs yet low in protein. in case you communicate your horses overall performance horses, that is not appropriate in any respect. in the experience that your horses are services to laminitis, cushings, or are older than 10, that is not appropriate or secure. Older horses merely have not got the skill to breakdown the hard corn hull; you will desire to a minimum of get it cracked or made into meal for them to get entry to what foodstuff is obtainable. this is why human beings feed corn oil to skinny horses, not corn kernels. usually it is greater livestock feed than horse feed.