Avoid Feeding Dry Hay to
Miniatures during Winter
Miniatures have a high risk of bowel impaction if they
are fed dry hay during cold weather, especially with little succulent pasture
to graze to provide normal bowel moisture. Feeding a group of minis dry hay,
or from a self-fed round bale, can result in the hind gut ‘drying out’ and increasing
the risk of impaction.
Often minis do not drink enough water during cold weather to
adequately hydrate their bowels. Always dampen hay by hosing each biscuit in a
poly-woven chaff bag, letting it stand to soak up the moisture for 10-15 minutes,
before taking the biscuit in the bag to a feed bin and emptying the hay and
loose leaf matter into the feeder.
Courtesy of John Kohnke
www.kohnkesown.com
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