The Good Hay Guide

[thegoodhayguide]

Thank you to Donna for including details of my project in a mail out to all members. Here again:


The Good Hay Guide is a free-to-access Directory listing farms who supply Species Rich hay across the UK

Most of the hay cut from grasslands that have begun species restoration work can be listed on the Good Hay Guide.
No fertiliser in recent years
mown after July 15th
no grazing during growing season - preferred
Botanical survey or species seeding mix - preferred
Hay that has been cut after it has fully matured—or “gone over”—can be particularly beneficial for horses and ponies in light or no work, due to its lower energy content. A key part of my work is helping equine buyers understand that highly palatable hay is not necessarily better for horses. While mouldy or dusty hay is, of course, unacceptable, a neutral-smelling hay made during a dry, breezy spell and well-tedded can be perfectly suitable. In fact, if horses don’t eat it too enthusiastically, that can be an advantage—helping to prevent overeating and support healthier weight management.

Species-rich hays offer the added benefit of supporting greater gut biome diversity in grazing animals. The more plant species present in the sward, the fewer supplements are typically needed—something particularly relevant given the high cost of equine supplements. Over time, I hope this nutritional value can be reflected in the pricing structure, allowing some of the cost of supplements to be transferred to the hay itself, thereby supporting a higher market value for species-rich hay.

As the project progresses, it should become possible to classify hay based on the number of years it has been in meadow restoration. In the case of ancient, unimproved grasslands, classification could be informed by estimating the time since last reseeding and conducting botanical surveys. This would enable the creation of a tiered classification system. Hays in the early stages of restoration would be valuable for their low-calorie nutritional profile, while hays from ancient, unimproved grasslands would offer the added benefit of greater botanical diversity, supporting not just equine health but also wider biodiversity goals.

I would like to offer a testing service to farms/landowners wishing to have hay listed on the Good Hay Guide (cost £20) for NIR analysis to establish that NSC and NDF qualify as low sugar/high fibre. I can then include them in my marketing campaign.

How the Good Hay Guide Works:
Give Jane a call on 07821 495447 or submit the following information via email to Jane@thregister.co.uk:

Acreage

Type of pasture (e.g. semi-improved, new ley, over-seeded, ancient grassland)

Any botanical survey results or a list of observed species

Your name, postcode, and contact number

Your location will then be added to the Good Hay Guide map, allowing buyers to find you easily and contact you directly to arrange a purchase

[CHordley]

Great idea. I had donkeys and mule so low protein hay was essential. The Donkey Sanctuary at Sidmouth might well be interested in your project from both supply and demand aspects.