Cut Grass

[Maci]

I heard somewhere...I forget where...that it's bad for horses to eat grass just cut by a lawn mower. Is this true?

Maci :)

[Lucy J]

most definitely. they can cause colic, can ferment in the gut and even cause death. It is because they are so rich too. I'm not sure why, but grass cuttings should NEVER be fed to horses.

[sozzie]

What about donkeys?
I saw someone feed cuttings to donkeys and didn't know whether to warn the person. The donkeys don't appear to be ill after eating them, perhaps their digestive system is stronger?

[Lucy J]

NOT TO DONKEYS EITHER!!!

There was an article in horse and hound about this, 2 donkeys recently died from being fed grass cuttings. I'm sure the odd handfull does no harm, but in quantities yes. My old horse managed to do it once and he was OK - his neck was just longer than we thought! But horses/ponies/donkeys etc none of them should be fed grass cuttings. They do love them, butit is a definite no no. Maybe someone else knows why???

[Shiny McShine]

I think this applies mainly to grass cut with a standard lawnmower because of the petrol contamination. It is a usual practice as far as I know however, to slash horses paddocks with a tractor before supering them and I am unaware of this having any ill-effects.

[Lucy J]

This is from Horse and Hound magazine:

"British Horse Society appeals to gardeners to dispose of grass cuttings with care after three donkeys die

The BHS has issued a warning about the dangers to equines of ingesting grass cuttings.

Three donkeys from Surrey are already reported to have died this year after eating cuttings.

Spokesperson for the BHS, Nichola Gregory, said: "A pile of grass clippings is very attractive to horses, ponies and donkeys, but once eaten can prove fatal.

"Eating grass clippings can cause colic and, if the grass begins to ferment, it can cause a lethal build up of gasses within the gut.

"This causes the animal severe pain and damage to the digestive system, resulting in a horrible death."

The society is appealing to all gardeners to dispose of waste in a "responsible manner" and not to dump it where grazing animals may be tempted."

Just a caution, our pastureland is rich though, maybe this doesn't apply i drier climates, after all we cut grass and dry it for hay, it is when it is in its wilting state it is dangerous I believe.

[Sarah]

hello!

Cut grass is dangerous. When grass is cut, as a self defence mechanism, it then releases a toxic into the rest of the stem, this is what causes the nice cut grass smell! There was a super BBC1 documentary with David Attenborough about this a couple of years ago.

This is why when a horse grazes, they will take a mouthful from one area, then move on a bit. There is also the danger from cut grass fermenting as said int eh BHS article.

Just as a point of interest, Acacia trees do the same which is why giraffes move around a lot when grazing.

bye!

[sozzie]

Thanks for the donkey info - i'll have to tell their owner but she's a bit scary so i'll be as tactful as possible. I'd hate to see them die because they are very sweet. They are deffinately getting more than a handfull, a whole lawnfull between 4 of them!!!
They use a petrol lawn mower so i guess that makes it worse?
Any advice on how to approach the owner would be appreciated.

[LindaAd]

Well, you could print out this thread, and say: I saw this and I thought it might interest you ....:D

[Maci]

I think I understand! Thanks!

Maci :)

[Maci]

Thought up a new question! :D

Say you have one horse grazing in half an acre of land, and (obviously) he can't keep the grass tame all by himself. How would you keep an unruley feild full of tall growing grasses to a managable length? Would you take your horse out, cut the grass, then wait for it to dry again before you put him back in (keeping in mind, you'll want to be able to find you horse when you go out to catch him, not have to search through tall grass!)? :confused:

Maci :)

[Lucy J]

borrowing some cattle should help, although 1/2 an acre for 1 horse is not really all that big. I would section it into 2 and alternate which side he grazes in.

[Maci]

This is just a scenerio because I'm curious what you would do. What if you couldn't get cows, and half an acre is spacey for one horse...is the cutting of the grass in any method ruled out?

Maci :)

[Equitating]

I have a three acre pasture and one horse that isn't allowed to eat much (grazing muzzle) so we mow it down about once a month. We have never had a problem....she doesn't usually eat the mowed stuff, just grazes normally. She has never had a problem!

[Lucy J]

hold on, I think I see what you are saying. Providing the grass cuttings are picked up then there is no problem with the horses grazing, it is the fresh cuttings before they have dried out that are the problem - you know how the curings always smell really tasty when you've cut the grass - that is when they shouldn't eat it, once it has dried out it is OK. Once the cuttings have been lifted the grass that is left is OK. Does this help?

[Maci]

Thank you, that does help! I understand, now! :D

Maci :)

[Lucy J]

There are two reasons why grass cuttings are bad for horses. The first is that grass cut from lawns generally tends to be high in protein and carbohydrates as a result of being fed fertilisers.

"The second is that the cuttings are not normally fed fresh. Instead they are given when they have begun to wilt and this can cause fermentation in the gut which in turn can lead to a twist in the gut or gassy colic."

just some more info I found....