FAQs

Does Chaffhaye reduce the risk of colic in horses? April 23, 2024 14:19

This is one of the best benefits of Chaffhaye. Animals with access to green pasture consume forage that is naturally high in moisture and plant juice. However, most horses today have little opportunity to experience natural grazing. As a result, studies estimate that 11% of all horses suffer from colic each year. To address this issue, Chaffhaye provides a moderate level of natural plant juice, as well as beneficial plant sap, resin, gums, pectin and mucilages. Freshly preserved, Chaffhaye is also prized for its high fiber digestibility as well as its rich source of indigestible fiber that keeps the peristaltic motion of the horse’s digestion moving at the proper rate. This significantly lowers the risk of impaction and gas colic.

Can I feed my horse Chaffhaye on a free choice basis? April 23, 2024 14:19

Yes. Many horse owners are discovering success in free-choice feeding of Chaffhaye, demonstrating a viable option for many. Many horses have been raised on dry hay and processed feeds with little exposure to natural grazing on pasture. As a result, many horses have developed poor eating patterns, such as gorging massive quantities of forage in a few single sittings. Our experience has been that most horses on a free-choice feeding program will eat more than is necessary during the first few weeks of introduction. Once accustomed to Chaffhaye, their eating habits typically drop back to a more reasonable level.

Will my horse readily eat Chaffhaye? April 23, 2024 14:18

In feeding our own horses and livestock and from speaking with thousands of horse owners over the years, we have found that most horses will go to Chaffhaye immediately. Because it is their basic nature to be suspicious of any new feed, some horses might need assistance getting started on Chaffhaye. For finicky eaters, we suggest top dressing Chaffhaye with something like apple sauce to get them started. Any change of feed, including change to Chaffhaye, should be introduced gradually over a week to minimize the possibility of digestive upsets. Once you have successfully introduced Chaffhaye, look out! Your horse won’t want anything else.

Alfalfa seems high in protein. Is Chaffhaye Alfalfa OK for my horse? April 23, 2024 14:18

Chaffhaye Alfalfa is a high-fiber forage and excellent source of protein. As fed from the bag, it contains 9% protein. The higher digestibility of Chaffhaye makes it especially ideal for young or growing animals, gestating mares, lactating mares, senior horses, working horses, and as well as show and performance animals. Properly fed, the protein levels in Chaffhaye Alfalfa are not a concern for the pleasure horse. Chaffhaye Alfalfa offers a better than average level of digestible and a high level of Total Digestible Nutrition (TDN). A typical maintenance horse of say 1,100 pounds requires a minimum of 656 grams of crude protein each day. At our recommended level of feeding, the horse would receive about 900 grams of crude protein. This would be enough without overloading.

Will Chaffhaye make my horse “hot” or “jumpy”? April 23, 2024 14:18

In some situations, “jumpiness” is simply a characteristic of the animal breed. Outside this scenario, the most frequent cause of “jumpiness” is a high amount of starch and sugar in the diet. As discussed earlier, starchy grains pass straight from the small intestine into the fermentation vat of the hindgut, creating digestive disturbances and abnormal behaviors. In contrast, Chaffhaye’s energy is derived from its digestible fiber, fat and protein. Therefore, Chaffhaye is not likely to cause sudden spikes of energy. In addition, Chaffhaye’s fermentation “pre-digests” the forage in the bag and therefore lowers the amount of sugars and starches. This is why Chaffhaye is often used as a buffer against incidence of starch overload and for preventing horses from getting “hot” or “high.”

What is the shelf life of Chaffhaye in unopened bag? Once opened? April 23, 2024 14:17

Unopened in it’s air-tight package, Chaffhaye will remain preserved and fresh for 16 months. The nutritional value of Chaffhaye does not decrease with time. We have tested 5 year old bags of Chaffhaye that are no different nutritionally to a recent bag. Once opened, Chaffhaye acts like any fresh product. By opening the bag, the forage becomes exposed to oxygen and begins to lose its freshness. As a guide, Chaffhaye will remain fresh 7 to 10 days after opening, depending on weather conditions. For this reason, an opened bag should be stored out of the sun with the top rolled down and fastened to prolong freshness. If for some reason Chaffhaye does spoil you and your horse will certainly know. It will have a very bad, rotten smell. We also recommend that you do not transfer your Chaffhaye into a different container or place bag into a container as it can heat up the product.

Is Chaffhaye too expensive? April 23, 2024 14:15

Absolutely not. Chaffhaye is nearly twice as nutritious as “good quality” hay, and therefore, the amount of grain and expensive supplements can be significantly reduced. Chaffhaye is conveniently compressed down 2:1, leading to reduced storage and transportation cost. Chaffhaye addresses common ailments that horses and other animals suffer, including digestive disorders such as colic and impactions, respiratory ailments due to air-borne dust and mold spores and other immune system disorders. Chaffhaye is particularly cost effective when offered to finicky eaters such as certain horses and goats that often sort out delicious leaves from the stems. With Chaffhaye, even finicky eaters will eat 100% of this soft-textured forage, substantially reducing wasted feed. For these reasons, we consider it far too costly not to use Chaffhaye in place of dried hay.

I have a horse that is prone to founder. Is Chaffhaye OK to feed? April 23, 2024 14:14

Horses that are prone to founder must reduce their starch and sugars. Since Chaffhaye undergoes a fermentation, the sugars and starches are partially used as a food source by the beneficial bacteria doing the fermentation. The beneficial bacteria in essence, take in the sugars and starches as a food source and turn them into a high-quality protein. Chaffhaye Alfalfa is lower in sugars and starches than most commercial feeds which are specifically formulated for horses prone to founder. Further, the fermentation “predigest” the feed so more of the nutrients (including the sugars and starch) are digested in the foregut. This means less spill over into the hindgut where founder problems generally start. So Chaffhaye is a great forage for horses with sugar and starch issues.

Is the feed value for Chaffhaye higher than dry hay? April 23, 2024 14:14

Yes. Chaffhaye’s feed value arises from a number of key factors, including its superior harvesting and packaging method; improved digestibility due to beneficial enzymes, yeast and microflora; and unmatched palatability. In the process of conventional hay making, a pasture is first cut and then typically left to dry on the field for several days after harvest. (The farmer then prays it doesn’t rain during this critical drying period, lest the crop be lost). As the forage dries in the open air environment, it undergoes a respiration process that consumes and depletes its nutrients. Then, when nutrient losses from storage and transport are added, even “good quality” hay can easily lose 30% of its nutrient value. The nutrient losses are exacerbated in the event of rain, mold, and leaf loss, to name but a few. By contrast, the harvest of Chaffhaye is closely timed to the optimal plant maturity. Then, within hours of cutting, it is chopped and compressed into air-tight packaging. Without oxygen in the bag, a beneficial fermentation is initiated , preserving more than 90% of the nutritional value of the crop.

Why Dell City, TX? April 23, 2024 14:08

We are often asked why the Chaffhaye facilities are located in such a remote corner of West Texas. Without hesitation our response is always- “because we can grow the best alfalfa here”. Now this might come off as a tag line, but it is in fact, the truth. The combination of climate, altitude and space make Dell City, TX one of the premiere alfalfa growing regions in all of the US.

Many times weather plays a factor in the timing of the harvest. The farmer plans to harvest at the optimal time, but rain forces a delay. Fortunately, forage for Chaffhaye is grown in the dry, high desert of West Texas, making delays in our harvest a rare event. In the rare situation of a significant rain delay, which pushes the harvest date past the optimal point, we will bale the hay instead of harvesting it for Chaffhaye. Only the highest quality forage cut at its nutritional peak ends up as Chaffhaye.

How To Store Chaffhaye April 23, 2024 14:08

How to store an open bag

Once opened, Chaffhaye acts like any fresh product. By opening the bag, the forage becomes exposed to oxygen and begins to lose its freshness. As a guide, Chaffhaye will remain fresh for 7 to 10 days, depending on weather conditions. For this reason, an opened bag should be stored in a cool, dry environment, and re-closed to prolong freshness. Follow these 3 steps to ensure your Chaffhaye stays as fresh as possible.

Step 1

Open the bag

Use a knife, box opener, or scissors to cut along the top seam of the bag.

Step 2

After removing the serving, roll the top back down and press out all the air. DO NOT TRANSFER PRODUCT INTO ANOTHER CONTAINER- this will reintroduce oxygen and shorten the shelf life.

Step 3

Tape the top down or place a heavy object to keep the top rolled down. Set in cool place. If storing for longer than one week, you may remove product to place in individual freezer bags and freeze to keep fresh.

The Best Method

The Chaffhaye bag is specifically engineered to extend the forage’s shelf-life. For that reason, we recommend always storing your Chaffhaye inside the original bag. For best results, do not place inside containers as this can heat the product.

Preparing for Winter April 23, 2024 13:42

PREVENT A WINTER FORAGE SHORTAGE

After a severe summer drought, winter-forage management can be difficult for those who have livestock. Smaller yields and fewer acres have driven hay prices up and those prices are very likely to be even higher next year. In contrast, the price of Chaffhaye has remained stable, making it an AFFORDABLE means to prevent a winter FORAGE SHORTAGE.

Chaffhaye is a prime alternative to feeding and storing dry hay during the winter months. Hay bales are large, heavy, and cumbersome, needing to be covered or stored indoors to keep them safe from the harsh winter climate. While sealed, Chaffhaye maintains a 16 MONTH SHELF-LIFE and can be stored outdoors during the winter due to its WEATHERPROOF BAG. Double compressed, Chaffhaye occupies 1/3 the space of baled hay making it very easy to store, handle, and to haul.

While long-term hay storage results in some loss of nutrition, Chaffhaye experiences NO LOSS OF NUTRITIONAL VALUE during storage. Nearly twice as nutritious as “good quality” hay, Chaffhaye provides a HIGHER FEED VALUE and greater total digestible nutrients. This greatly reduces the need for additional grains, pelleted feeds and expensive supplements.

THE TOP 3 QUESTIONS
About Feeding Chaffhaye in the Winter

Can Chaffhaye Freeze?
Chaffhaye will freeze below 25 degrees (F) however, it does NOT affect the nutritional quality of the product or the packaging.
How Do I Thaw Frozen Chaffhaye?
Bring the bags needed for the next day’s ration inside a barn or a garage so they can slowly thaw out for the following day.
Do Open Bags Last Longer in the Cold?
Yes, the colder the weather, the longer your open bags will remain fresh. Average shelf life of an open bag in the winter = 10-14 days.