The Effect of Soaking or Steaming Timothy Hay on Voluntary Intake and Digestibility by Thoroughbreds
J.D. Pagan, C. Whitehouse, B.M. Waldridge, A.M. Grev, S.W. Garling, O.L. Yates, S. Davis, B. James, The effect of soaking or steaming timothy hay on voluntary intake and digestibility by Thoroughbreds. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Volume 33, Issue 5, Page 350. (Proceedings of the 2013 Equine Science Society Symposium)
Three mature Thoroughbred geldings were used in a 3×3 Latin square trial to compare the intake and digestibility of dry timothy hay (DRY) to the same hay that was either soaked (SOAKED) or steamed (STEAMED) in a hay steamer (HAYGAIN North America, Union City, TN). Each period lasted four weeks. The voluntary intake (kg/day), rate of intake (grams consumed/minute), chewing rate (number of chews/100 g) and apparent digestibility of dry, soaked and steamed mature timothy hay were investigated. The STEAMED hay was placed in a HAYGAIN HG-600 half-bale hay steamer and allowed to reach a temperature of 170◦C.