Ramblings about Hay

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I personally only buy so many hays because I like to give variety, I give Oxbow because it's so green and the pigs love it and I love the smell... so happy days, but I also have uk hays and aslong as the hay doesn't look terrible, and it is fresh my pigs can have it... At the end of the day the pigs stay in the same home so it must get pretty dull for them so it's nice to give them some variety in life. I'm even sad enough to buy dried herbs to mix though my hay so they can forage and have something to do with there time... not too mention a wee different taste.

Could I honestly tell you which hay my pigs prefer, not a chance, but I do see them digging though the hay clearly looking for something, so there is defentely something they like in it and it takes time to find it ;).

My pigs do love getting there hay topped up though and we did get a new dried grass hay which is going down a treat but isn't very stalky for there teeth, not that the piggles complain :)).
 
Maybe we should just give them a little of loads of different hays that look, smell and feel good...and just let them decide. Or just feed a mixture of lots of different hays all the time...as Louise (summerleaze) has already said, and you too Joanne.

Maybe that's the 'answer' I'm looking for at the moment. The answer is that there is no single, best hay.

I'm in a very weird mood tonight. :))
 
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Laura you have made a lot of sense and bring up alot of valid points many of us ponder over.

I think it is only natural for us to research and worry over the food stuffs we feed our piggies on - it goes with the territory of being a piggy parent! Nothing is really going to stop many of us striving to do the very best we know we can.

Believe me though, compared to being a human's mum this is a walk in the park!. Feeding a human child - now that's a whole different ball game :(|)
 
summerleaze said:
Laura you have made a lot of sense and bring up alot of valid points many of us ponder over.

I think it is only natural for us to research and worry over the food stuffs we feed our piggies on - it goes with the territory of being a piggy parent! Nothing is really going to stop many of us striving to do the very best we know we can.

Believe me though, compared to being a human's mum this is a walk in the park!. Feeding a human child - now that's a whole different ball game :(|)
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it so is. You're right!

I enjoy buying hay - I find it fun giving different varieties and seeing what's popular. It's easy compared to a kid as kids eat all kinds of food and we're discussing just hay - but different types / brands.

Mine love some and dislike some. But the fun for me is trying all the different types.
 
There is always that reassuring thought! :))

I think the "problem" I have at the moment is that I am at the stage of wanting to know "why" about a lot of things. Why is Oxbow supposed to be the best? Why is hay so vital to guineas - what's in it that makes it important? Even in other aspects of their care...why is septrin so good for cystitis, why are woodshavings not good bedding, why is filtered water better than tap water etc etc. Of course I know the basic answers to all this, but I guess I want a deeper understanding and grounding in what I believe and what I advise, rather than just passing on information and experiences without being deeply aware of what I'm saying. I know the answers to most of my musings but I want to know why the answers are important and relevent...

Not that I just say any old thing, I'm always careful of what I say...but it'd be nice to understand more about it all so I can be more aware myself, and also advise others in a more constructive way.

Ahhhh...I told you I was in a funny mood. mallethead
 
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Laura-CCC4 said:
There is always that reassuring thought! :))

I think the "problem" I have at the moment is that I am at the stage of wanting to know "why" about a lot of things. Why is Oxbow supposed to be the best? Why is hay so vital to guineas - what's in it that makes it important? Even in other aspects of their care...why is septrin so good for cystitis, why are woodshavings not good bedding, why is filtered water better than tap water etc etc. Of course I know the basic answers to all this, but I guess I want a deeper understanding and grounding in what I believe and what I advise, rather than just passing on information and experiences without being deeply aware of what I'm saying. I know the answers to most of my musings but I want to know why the answers are important and relevent...

Not that I just say any old thing, I'm always careful of what I say...but it'd be nice to understand more about it all so I can be more aware myself, and also advise others in a more constructive way.

Ahhhh...I told you I was in a funny mood. mallethead
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Great post, Laura. I'm feeling exactly the same and becoming ever more frustrated with the lack of information about. The power of the internet has, in my view, been very helpful in the sense of spreading good information about. However, it does mean that there is always a huge amount of 'I've heard that this is good, but I don't know why' type information around. Helpful though that is sometimes, I want to know whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! :)

We'll get there in the end! :))
 
Perhaps Laura if you have time you could give Dust Free Hay people a call and find out what you can about hay, growing it, nutritional value etc

Alternatively, try an agricultural type University - they must experiment with hays and analyse them in some depth. Maybe there is someone out there studying hay at degree level ;)

If these people are growing the stuff surely they will know the exact make up of them?

I did look into it myself a couple of years ago but didn't get very far - the companies I contacted weren't exactly forthcoming with information on pesticides etc.

Maybe, just maybe this is the year we all find out a bit more?
 
I'm thinking of doing a little hay experiment. I have always fed Oxbow timothy, but my two are currently really into the Pampered Piggies meadow hay. My Oxbow is nearly finished, so I'm going to feed only Pampered Piggies for a trial just to see if there is any noticeable different in the piggies (eg. with their bladders, with Cassie's gassiness etc). It's the one thing that has never changed in their diets over the years that they've had a problem, so I'm definitely interested to try it. The only downside, is that I can't withdraw timothy altogether for the trial, due to the pellets being timothy based.
 
Anyone tried the vitakraft hays? They have a large selection on the hay experts and was wondering if they are worth a try?

:)
 
Joey&Gizmo said:
Anyone tried the vitakraft hays? They have a large selection on the hay experts and was wondering if they are worth a try?

:)
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My piggies weren't keen, but one of my bunnies used to love the dandelion one. Worked out expensive though, so it was a treat only!
 
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