Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
Welcome to my forum.
Here you will find more than 6 years of questions and my answers. It is searchable and offers a great deal of information.
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All the best,
Dr. Getty
Hi Judy,
I have heard that some horses have trouble with Bermuda, but I fed Bermuda to my horses for many years when I was in Texas without any problem at all.
The issue is the maturity of the grass when it was cut. If it is an "old" grass, it will have more indigestible fiber and will be very stemmy. Look for hay that has few stems and is cut in shorter pieces, rather than long blades of grass.
Orchardgrass can be higher in sugar than Bermuda, but it really depends on the hay (time of day it was cut, amount of rainfall, etc. -- things you are likely to not know when buying hay). So, having your hay analyzed is always best. Plus, orchardgress can be too high in phosphorus, in relation to calcium, so testing is worthwhile for this reason, as well. If you want to have it analyzed, contact Equi-Analytical Labs -- www.equi-analytical.com
But, getting back to your question... yes, you can feed Bermuda -- just look out for the items I mentioned and choose a fresh, soft hay.
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse
Happy New Year!
Well i just have a quick question,is bermuda hay ok to free feed?I have heard it can cause colic,I free feed the orchard grass now,but thought a lower sugar hay might be better.
My friend is feeding bermuda and i want to know if i switch over if i would be asking for trouble.
Thanks,
Judy
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO