The Benefits of Hay Steaming
Respiratory Health Benefits
Stabled horses are exposed to high levels of respirable dust which cause mild to severe respiratory health issues. 88% of horses have some level of Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD).
Haygain hay steamers reduce 99% of airborne respirable dust, mould, fungi and bacteria in hay and haylage.
Haygain hay steamers are used and recommended for respiratory health by world-class riders, trainers, veterinarians and scientists globally.
Prevent
Preventing respiratory issues such as coughing, IAD and Equine Asthma is far easier than the potential long road that comes with treatment and recovery. Foals start eating forage from anywhere between 1-3 weeks, so feeding steamed hay makes sure their respiratory health has the best start.
Steaming hay and haylage eliminates the particles that are a threat to a horse's respiratory health.
Lauren Kieffer
TEAM USA
Olympic Event Rider
"Prevention is always better than cure, so in our barn we like to have our competition horses on steamed hay."
Mild
Mild to moderate IAD can affect horses of all ages. Clinical signs are usually subtle and may or may not include poor performance, nasal discharge and occasional coughing but with normal breathing at rest.
A study shows that 88% of horses examined suffered from IAD and steaming hay reduces the risk of IAD by 65%.
McLain Ward
TEAM USA
Olympic Show Jumper
"We are incredibly happy to have added the Haygain Hay Steamer to our program, and quickly noticed an increase in the quality of our horses’ breathing, especially in those with respiratory problems."
Severe
Severe equine asthma (SEA) is a performance-limiting allergic airways disease, that affects genetically predisposed horses when exposed to allergens found in the barn.
A study found 14% of the UK horse population suffer with SEA, resulting in coughing, nasal discharge and respiratory difficulty.
Beezie Madden
TEAM USA
4 Olympic Show Jumping Medals
"Hay is crucial for the health, well-being and performance of horses. Haygain ensures for us that our horses get what they need and nothing that they don’t from their hay."
Digestive Health Benefits
Forage exposes a horses digestive tract to high levels of dust, mould, fungi and bacteria in hay which can cause serious digestive health issues.
Steaming hay with Haygain reduces 99% of dust, mould, fungi and bacteria in hay and haylage helping to compact against digestive problems.
Haygain hay steamers are used and recommended for digestive health by world-class riders, trainers,veterinarians and scientists globally.
Prevent
Preventing mild digestive issues can significantly reduce a horse’s susceptibility to more severe problems such as colic and ulcers.
Feeding plenty of long-stemmed, steamed forage will help to reduce the risk of digestive problems in two ways, firstly by improving the hygienic quality and secondly by increasing the amount of water intake
McLain Ward
TEAM USA
Olympic Show Jumper
"I recognized the importance of taking the bacteria and dust out of the hay...The value of steamed hay was never something I needed to be convinced of."
Mild
Research by Kaya et al (2009) showed that horses fed poor hygienic quality hay are significantly more susceptible to colic than those fed clean hay.
Steaming hay cleans hay and prevents any bacteria, fungi, mold and dust from being ingested.
Wren Burnely
DVM VETERINARIAN
GP Dressage Rider
"I also recommend Haygain in my practice for horses with respiratory and skin allergies, COPD, poor appetite and colic
issues."
Severe
Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) frequently referred to as gastric ulcers in horses is a common problem among domesticated horses.
Symptoms include poor appetite, loss of performance and weight loss. Any period of low forage intake can lead to increased gastric acidity and a risk of ulcers.
Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp
TEAM USA
Event Rider CCI4*
"When my 4* horse, Deniro Z, was diagnosed with gastric ulcers we knew that gut health for him was even more important. I immediately got in touch with Haygain ...his performance and health has improved and we now have all of our horses enjoying steamed hay every day"
Hydration Benefits
Dehydration can affect a horse’s general well-being, performance and can even be life threatening.
Haygain steamed hay not only reduces 99% of airborne respirable dust, mould, fungi and bacteria in hay and haylage but it also increases a horse’s water intake by almost 3 times.
Haygain hay steamers are used and recommended for hydration by world-class riders, trainers,veterinarians and scientists globally
The Importance of Hydration
Keeping your horse hydrated is not always as easy as it sounds. Dehydration is when there is not enough water to support the functions of the body which can be a result in not enough water going in or too much going out.
A horse can lose up to 5% of his body weight in fluids before showing any actual signs of dehydration.Horses can also loose up to 10 litres of water through sweat per hour during strenuous exercise so dehydration will undoubtedly affect a horse’s performance but it can also be life-threatening. Dehydration can also worsen respiratory diseases such as Inflammatory Airway Disease.
Steaming hay is a good way to increase water content to help offset dehydration. The amount of water that will be taken up will depend upon the water content and maturity of the forage. Earing et al. (2013) found that steaming increased the water content by almost 3 times.
Debbie Stephens
TEAM USA
2 Pan American Games Medals Show Jumping World Record Holder
"Haygain…it is a “win-win” for you and your horse. In the past, I would wet then soak my hay so my horses would not get dehydrated digesting their hay. Haygain steams the hay, eliminating the mold spores and dust that could give horses allergic reactions and colic.”
Palatability Benefits
Get a waft of steamed hay and you will want to eat it yourself!
Haygain steamed hay not only reduces 99% of airborne respirable dust, mould, fungi and bacteria in hay and haylage but it also increases a horse’s water intake by almost 3 times.
Haygain hay steamers are used and recommended for palatability by world-class riders, trainers,veterinarians and scientists globally.
Increasing Forage Intake
Horses love the smell and taste of freshly steamed hay!
Four independent palatability studies demonstrated that steamed hay was more palatable, was on most occasions the preferred choice over dry hay and haylage, and could increase the voluntary forage intake compared to dry and soaked hay.
Peasebrook Equine Clinic, Gloucestershire, use the Haygain Steamer to render their hay dust free and to improve the palatability. Most of the in-patients are on box rest or are in light exercise. It is vital that the clinic can provide them with clean palatable fiber that will not make them too lively. Increasing the moisture intake of the horse via steamed hay is another important advantage and sick horses are often reluctant to eat and so the enhanced palatability of steamed hay is very helpful.
Jamie Barge
TEAM USA
Three World Cup Finals, Nations Cup Team Member
"Ever since Luebbo's been on the Haygain, he hasn't coughed at all! I was shocked by how fast I saw a difference. His appetite has improved dramatically too - he used to leave a lot of hay waste in his stall. With Haygain steamed hay, he eats every piece we feed him!"
Skin Condition Benefits
Forage is the largest part of a horse's diet and it can also be the biggest source of skin allergies.
Haygain hay steamers reduce 99% of airborne respirable dust, mould, fungi and bacteria in hay and haylage which can help horses who are sensitive or suffering from allergies.
Haygain hay steamers are used and recommended for skin allergies by world-class riders, trainers, veterinarians and scientists globally.
Helping the Sensitive Horse
Horses can become allergic to things they eat, inhale and touch or through insect bite hypersensitivity.Researchers Lanz et al at the University of Bern found there is a risk that horses suffering from one allergy at a certain point in time may develop other allergies in the future. Their study also showed horses with insect bite hypersensitivity had increased airway hypersensitivity even without showing symptoms of equine asthma at that time.
So if your horse is sensitive or suffers from allergies, feeding steamed hay would help reduce this increased risk of developing Equine Asthma and other allergies.
When it comes to both allergies and the general health of horses it is important to minimize exposure to respirable dust and allergens where possible; forage is the largest part of the horse’s diet; it’s also a major source. Control exposure by using a Haygain Hay Steamer.
Margie Engle
TEAM USA
3 Pan American Games Medals, 1 World Equestrian Games Medal and 10 American GP Association Rider of the Year.
“It has so many benefits for horses with allergies. Along with better breathing, my horse’s allergy-related skin conditions cleared up, too.”
Performance Benefits
Respiratory health, digestive health, hydration and diet can have a huge impact on performance and often be the key to success.
By reducing 99% of airborne respirable dust, mould, fungi and bacteria in hay and haylage, steaming hay should be a top priority for the performance horse.
Haygain hay steamers are used and recommended for performance by world-class riders, trainers,veterinarians and scientists globally.
The Poor Performer
Poor performance can often be a combination of factors resulting from physical or psychological health issues. The quality of forage fed to the performance horse can be the deciding factor in how well a horse can perform due to its impact on respiratory and digestive health.
As forage is known to be the highest source of dust in the stable environment, steaming the hay is the only way to ensure the forage you are feeding is not going to be the trigger for any short or long term health issues.
Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp
TEAM USA
CCI4* Event Rider
"When my 4* horse, Deniro Z, was diagnosed with gastric ulcers we knew that gut health for him was even more important then it ever was before. I immediately got in touch with Haygain ...his performance and health has improved and we now have all of our horses enjoying steamed hay every day"
Optimum Performance
Performance at peak level requires optimal musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory function along with appropriate diet (in particular forage) and good psychological condition. External factors such as the weather conditions and a competition environment are elements that are unpredictable and unmanageable.
What can be managed is a horse's stable environment and the quality of the forage.Clean, palatable and hydrating forage is a key requirement to keep horses in top condition.
Verity Smith
FRENCH PARA
Dressage Team Rider
"Szekit doesn’t have a respiratory problem but as a high performance competition horse the reduction in the dust and bacteria in his feed with the steamed hay allows him to perform at his best".
Benefits for You
Good for You
A study at the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, showed that 25% of people working with horses have a diagnosed respiratory condition such as asthma, not to mention all the hay fever suffers.
Not only will steamed hay help your horse with a respiratory condition it will also help you!
Wren Burnley
Veterinarian & GP Dressage Rider
"I never want to go back to soaking hay again; as an asthmatic and an athlete myself, I cannot stick my nose in a regular bale of hay, but I can in a bale that has come out of the Haygain machine!"
Good for your Wallet
Forage is known to be the biggest source of dust in the stable environment. By steaming hay, 99% of this dust is eliminated which helps to prevent associated health issues and reduces the need to call out your vet.
Steamed hay is also highly palatable meaning less waste.An epidemiological study found respiratory problems in race horses to be the second highest reason for lost training days.
A dusty stable environment can have financial implications; not just in lost training days but vet bills too.
Albert M Stall Jnr
US Racing Trainer Breeders Cup Winner
"I use my Haygain to steam quality hay for my race horse. It gives me confidence when we perform post race scopes and see that the trachea is staying clean and clear. Haygain has helped us to minimise the amount of medication used."
Good for the Environment
Steaming hay drastically reduces water consumption. Filling a container for soaking hay typically uses 50 - 250 litres. The sheer volume of water used has an impact not just on water bills, but also on the environment.
Post-soak water is contaminated with bacteria, mold, WSC, proteins and minerals which leach out o f the hay, making it an environmental pollutant which must not be disposed of in storm drains.
Haygain steamers use approximately 4 ½ litres of water per cycle and produce no environmental pollutants. Steamed hay is also highly palatable meaning horses dont waste as much
Anny
Haygain Customer
"Wish we had bought one sooner. The horses love it! Horses which you used to be on soaked hay for health reasons, do very well on the steamed hay. Very economical on water compared to soaking and so easy to use. Would never go back to soaking. A fantastic product, Thank You!"