Harvey Hay Sales

04/06/2024

With hay supplies low, here’s some great advice.

The current drought conditions in South Australia are causing concern to horse owners, especially as hay supplies dry up.

Horses should be fed a minimum of 1% (preferably 1.5%) of their bodyweight in forage each day. For a 500kg horse that equates to 5-7.5kg. This is important to prevent health problems such as colic, gastric ulcers and behavioural problems.

Here are some tips on how you can ensure your horse stays healthy and some alternatives to hay feeding.

• Weigh out the hay each day rather than providing free access to a hay bale. Ad lib feeding is wasteful, and horses tend to over-eat.
• Use slow feeder nets to maximise time spent chewing.
• Hay alternatives include hay cubes / pellets, high quality silage, haylage or even pea straw. It is important to avoid feeding dusty or mouldy forage.
• Bulk out diets with other sources of fibre including chaff, beet pulp and soy hulls.
• It is also possible to feed a commercial complete diet. Most feed manufacturers have on site nutritionists who are happy to help you determine the best option for your horse.
• Split hard feeds over several meals a day. Limit meal sizes to below 0.5% bodyweight.
• Avoid feeding excessive high-starch concentrates for energy and weight gain. If needed, energy supplies can be increased by supplementing with fats such as vegetable oil.
• If your horse is overweight or has been diagnosed with endocrinopathic laminitis (due to PPID – Equine Cushing’s and/or Equine Metabolic Syndrome) – please consult a veterinarian prior to choosing the best alternative to hay.

When making any changes to your horse’s diet, it is important that this is done slowly, over at least 7-10 days, to prevent problems. It is also essential to always provide an adequate source of clean water.

If you suspect your horse has gastric ulcers, colic, any other medical concern, or you would like nutritional recommendations for your horse, you can make an appointment with our team.

🚨 24/7 Emergencies
☎️ 8313 1999
📧 [email protected]
📍 1454 Mudla Wirra Road, Roseworthy 5371

16/05/2024

We are now sold out of this seasons rounds and small squares Oaten and Wheaten hay.

24/04/2024

Lest we forget.

10/11/2023

Lest we Forget

03/07/2023

24/04/2023

Lest we forget

09/04/2023

Such a good article for those with EMS horses 🐴

11/11/2022

Thank you for the sacrifices made so we could have freedom 💜💜💜

01/11/2022

Seriously – who would be a farmer.

It does your head in.

It’s hard to imagine an industry which takes you through such a huge range of emotions over the course of a week, a month or a year. Sometime within an hour.

An industry where you can be looking at having the best financial year of your life one day, to possible financial disaster the next.

Or where everything looks like it is going pear shaped, and then it rapidly turns around with one rainfall event, or a few dry warm weeks – or even a change of mindset as you take a step back and see things as they really are.

Where a devastating hailstorm can be followed by a glorious sunset.

Where rainfall, hail or frost can take out one person’s farm but leave a neighbour completely spared.

It does your head in.

When people ask how are things going, how do you answer?

Sometimes when people ask you may be staring at potentially your best year ever, but just need one more rainfall event. Or another week to avoid frost. Or just now need the rain to stop.

Or things may be dire. You may be in severe drought. Or flooded. Or under significant financial pressure. But you know you have neighbours, friends and acquaintances who are worse off than you.

How do you answer?

Do you hold it in trying to ‘keep a lid on it’ when things are good, mainly so you don’t get hurt if it goes bad? Or you don't want to be seen to be gloating when you know others are not faring so well? Do you keep things to yourself when things appear grim because you don’t want to appear a whinger and have people talking behind your back? Do you feel that by talking about your situation it makes you appear weak?

As a farmer, when people ask you if a rain was good for you, or if you need any more, or if more rain would do damage – do you check yourself before you respond as the answer is never simple. The reality it – who really knows. It depends on so many things, mainly around what happens next. Sunshine. Warm days. Wind. More rain. So rather than go into a detailed explanation they really aren’t that interested in, do you just ‘smile and wave’, brush it off with a laugh and instead hold it all in?

And even when your spouse, partner or family members talk to you about it, do you do the same? Is it self denial. A protection measure. For you and (in your mind) for them.

Probably what I have learnt the most in the past few years of the extreme roller coaster ride of droughts, frost, great years and now torrential rain – is that all farmers go through the same emotions. At different levels yes and dealt with in different ways – but the emotions are there non the less.

And we as an industry and rural communities need to normalise our conversations around this. We are all human. We all over think things.

People ask because they care.

And there are things we can do. Like spending times with mates. Getting away for a bit with the family (even if you don’t feel you can afford the time). Focussing on your own wellbeing first, so you can then be in a mindset to look out for others. Being open with your mates and your family. You may be surprised that they may also be the same with you. Go for a walk. Take the afternoon off and take the kids fishing. Listen to music which makes you happy and want to sing along.

And there are professional services who are there to help. Doctors, psychologists, counsellors. Thankfully we are reducing the stigma around mental health and wellbeing and so many more farmers are now using these resources and normalising conversations around what we are feeling and how we are managing life.

There are also wonderful resources developed specifically for farmers such as iFarmwell (www.ifarmwell.com.au). I can personally recommend them – they are great.

Agriculture is full of mountain top experiences and deep valleys – with a whole range of winding roads in between. The highs carry us through the lows. The anticipation and hope of new highs carry us through the lows.

We are farmers because we choose to be. We are a unique breed.

We are stronger than we sometimes think we are.

But we can’t do it alone. It’s a cliché – but we are in this together.

And people ask because they care.

09/10/2022

Its that time of year we start to prepare for our hay making season, for cutting, raking, baling, carting etc.

Id be lying if I said stress levels weren’t already rising with the challenge of unpredictable weather events for this season ahead 😬, constantly raining, then teasing us with a few sunny days in between.

Fingers crossed we get quality hay in the shed this year 🤞🐎

21/08/2022

Really happy with the growth of this season’s Beardless Wheaten and Oat crops, are coming along nicely.

01/06/2022

02/12/2021

🌾🌾🌾 NEW SEASONS HAY 🌾🌾🌾

Limited numbers remaining

• Oaten or Beardless Wheaten small squares $10 each.

Phone Greg on 0427 373 207

17/10/2021

Great job Sam Harvey 🌾