Timothy Hay

[Thumpersden]

Does anyone know how they make the timothy hay cubes?

 

[ladysown]

http://www.ker.com/library/equinews/v9n2/v9n203.pdf

 

[akane]

Depends on the company but some just squish it together with a lot of pressure. I know Oxbow keeps assuring the pet owners that their hay cubes contain nothing but compressed timothy. It has no binders. They just scrape up what's left when they finish a section of bales off of their clean concrete floors and compress it. A couple places say they use bentonite as a binder and the bulk bags of cheap cubes from the feed store are probably made with a binder since it would keep them from flaking apart during handling. Pellets would have to contain a binder.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

well, it doesn't explain HOW hay cubes are made, but does provide the positives and negatives--And yes, soaking them does help with winter water intake--At BigBrother's place, I would soak them, by the woodstove, and twice daily, the buns got a good serving of 'hay porridge'-- which also included whole oats, BOSS, Barley, Safflower, etc. They also got stem hay in their cages, as bedding and feed-

 

[Anntann]

any green plant has lignin in it. (the woodier that plant, the more lignin) When the plant fiber is compressed, it creates a heat, which releases the lignin..and the lignin turns into a sort of "glue". The hay cubes are made sort of like the pellets are made....hay is chopped into a predefined length, and then goes into a mold/press. (generally a roller press). At the other end, out pops the hay cube....dried and formed.