How To Read A Hay Analysis Sheet

Every GoldFields lot ships with an analysis sheet. Most people file it. It is the most useful piece of paper in the barn — here is how to read it.

1. Crude fibre

The structural backbone. Governs chew time and gut motility. Typical range 25 to 45%. Higher means coarser and slower to eat — good for a fast eater, bad for a horse with poor teeth.

2. Crude protein

Amino acid supply for muscle, milk and growth. Typical range 3 to 22%. Grass hay sits around 7 to 12%; alfalfa runs 15 to 22%. This is the figure most often over-supplied and least often measured.

3. Sugar (ESC) and starch

The pair that decides whether a hay is safe for a laminitic or metabolic horse. Add them together for a rough NSC figure.

4. Calcium to phosphorus ratio

This is a ratio, not two separate numbers. Aim for roughly 1.5:1 to 2:1. Get it wrong in growing horses and you pay for it in bone. Alfalfa heavy diets skew calcium high, which is usually fine but worth balancing.

5. Digestible energy

Megajoules actually available to the horse. The honest measure of whether a hay will hold condition. Typical range 7 to 10 MJ/kg.

6. Moisture

Under 15% or it will heat in the stack. See our storage guide.

If you only look at one line, make it ESC plus starch. That single number decides which horses can safely eat the bale.

Putting it together

Bring the sheet to a free consultation. Ten minutes with a nutritionist and you will know exactly what to add, what to stop buying, and whether your current hay suits the horse in front of you.