Cool-Season Grasses

Cool-season grasses grow in temperatures between 60-75 Fahrenheit and produce high quality forage. They are higher in NSC values and calories and have more taste than warm season grasses. You’ll typically see cool-season grasses grow this time of year as the grass begins to green up

Here are the quality cool season grass forages we offer:

• Orchardgrass

  • Western Orchargrass

  • Orchardgrass/Alfalfa Mix

  • 1st Cut Orchardgrass

  • Local 2nd Cut Orchardgrass

• Timothy

  • Western Timothy

  • Western Timothy/Orchardgrass Mix

• Brome

  • Brome/Timothy

To learn more about these forages, check out our current inventory!

Malibu’s Story: Coming Back From Colic surgery

Malibu had never had a history of colic until five to six years ago. It started with short bouts of gas colic that would resolve on its own but then escalated to severe gas colic three to four times a year. Because they didn’t know what was causing it, her owner adjusted her diet where she could and tried to change Malibu’s lifestyle.

Unfortunately, the bouts of colic throughout the year didn’t stop. It was three years ago that she had to be rushed to the vet for violent gas colic and had to have surgery. Luckily, all went well and she was able to recover quickly with no complications. Though the colic episodes lessened, they still occurred a few times a year. After another scary emergency stay, the vets and her owner decided to make major lifestyle and diet changes to hopefully remedy her gut health issues over time.

“After her last stay at the vet, we moved her to a primarily forage based diet. This included lots of high quality, highly palatable hay, soaked alfalfa and we backed down her grain by about 70%. Her grain also changed to a forage based pellet with a ration balancer,” said Malibu’s owner.

Jamback Farms was recommended to her by a majority of her equestrian friends in East Tennessee when she moved Malibu to her personal farm. She wanted to make sure she could get consistent, high quality hay throughout the year given Malibu’s gut history.

“80% of Malibu’s diet is Jamback Farms hay and alfalfa. I truly believe that moving to a forage based lifestyle with lots of turnout has made Malibu so happy and healthy! The team at Jamback was extremely helpful in finding hay that met my needs. I will be a Jamback Farms customer for life,” said Malibu’s owner.

Let us help you find forage products that will keep your animals healthy and happy, like Malibu!

Finn's Story: Transitioning to A Forage Based Diet

There are many benefits to a forage based diet and our customer and her horse, Finn, experienced this firsthand. 

Finn is a young, off the track thoroughbred who has struggled with maintaining his weight over the years. His owner was always an advocate for beet pulp and soaked pellets, but fed them mainly as a supplement. Once his owner realized his grain wasn’t doing the trick, she scaled back and started mainly feeding him alfalfa pellets to transition him to a forage based diet. 

“The alfalfa pellets from Jamback Farms are such high quality and soak really well, so it made it easy for me to want to keep purchasing them when I moved him to a new farm later that year,” said Finn’s owner. 

Within a few weeks, she saw a huge improvement in his weight and overall health. “Finn struggled with hoof health and abscesses in the past and I truly believe moving him to a more forage based diet has helped him immensely. He is now barefoot and has kept a good healthy weight a year and a half later!” 

In addition to the alfalfa pellets, Finn is also fed the Western Alfalfa and Orchardgrass Hay. 

Let us help you find forage products that will keep your animals healthy and happy, like Finn! 

Quality Forage for Broodmares

It’s crucial that broodmares eat quality forage throughout gestation and lactation. This is not only important for the mare but also for the foal’s wellbeing.  

Mares should be fed 1-2% of their body weight per day in hay. Quality hay will help the broodmare meet important nutritional needs like protein. Protein is especially important during lactation. 

We have a variety of forages that are perfect for broodmares, depending on where they are in their pregnancy.  

• Western Alfalfa Hay: Fescue, weed and blister beetle free. It is soft and leafy, and not moldy or stemmy. 

• Orchardgrass/Alfalfa Mix: A blend of legume and grass hays for those looking for the best of both worlds. This hay is worry free as it contains no fescue, blister beetles or weeds. 

We are here to help you find the perfect forage for your broodmare! 

Transitioning to a New Hay

Are you looking to transition your horse to a new hay? Here are a few things to think about before safely making this change:

• Transition slowly: Horses have very sensitive digestive systems and big changes can cause them to colic. It is best to do it slowly over a 2-4 week period but longer is always better to play it safe.

• Consider the hay you’re changing to: Is the hay you’re switching to higher in protein or contain lower sugar? You should also consider digestibility, fiber content, and how similar it is to the hay you have been feeding. (Ex: Cool season grass versus warm season or mixed hay versus single species.)

• Seasons: Depending on what season it is, you may have to make the transition slower. For example, if you’re making this change during the spring, make sure to be mindful of how much grass your horse has access to.

• Stay consistent: We always recommend that you consult your veterinarian to make this a smooth and consistent change so your horse has time to acclimate.

We are always happy to offer suggestions and help you find the best hay for your horse!

Forages for HORSES WITH Metabolic Syndrome

Choosing hay for a horse with a sugar sensitivity can be difficult. At Jamback Farms, we have a variety of forages that are low in non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) with a full hay analysis.   

Here is a breakdown of our inventory that contains less than 10% NSC:

• Local Orchardgrass

• Orchardgrass/Alfalfa Mix

• Prairie Grass Hay

• Western 1st Cut Orchardgrass Hay

• Volunteer Hay

All of these forages vary in protein and other nutrients but are a great place to start when looking for a safe low sugar hay that you can feel comfortable feeding your horse. If you’re needing to add more calories, our beet pulp pellets are also a great, low sugar option. Our educated experts are here to help you!

Benefits of a Forage Based Diet

Horses are natural grazers, so their digestive system is happiest with consistent, high-fiber forage.

To balance a horse’s diet, many feed grain but horses are extremely sensitive to the sugar and starch that largely make up these products. These sensitivities can lead to insulin resistance, laminitis, ulcers, Cushing’s disease, and more.

A healthy hind gut is key to a happy and healthy horse. Grain can negatively alter the microbiome since the synthetic vitamins and minerals cannot be digested naturally.

All of this being said, how do you balance your horse’s diet without grain?

• Build your horse’s diet around quality fiber, fat, and protein.

• Make sure you’re feeding a hay that is appropriate for your horse. A hay analysis can help you make the best decision for your horse’s needs.

• Supplement with other forages, like pellets and cubes. Alfalfa and beet pulp pellets are a great and natural way to add more protein without resorting to grain.

We offer a wide variety of quality forages that can help you build a great diet for your horse!

How Much Hay Should You Be Feeding?

Figuring out how much hay your animal should be eating can be tricky, but we are here to help! Here are some guidelines to follow when feeding hay:

• Horses: 2% of their body weight. This typically ranges between 15-20 pounds a day.

• Cows: 2% of their body weight. This is typically around 24 pounds a day.

• Goats: 3-4% of their body weight. This is typically around two to four pounds a day.

• Bunnies and Guinea Pigs: They should get a body size amount but should always have access to hay.

Make sure to talk with your veterinarian because every animal’s needs are different. Not all forages are equal in nutritional value so it’s important you also look at a hay analysis, which we provide on all of our products. By feeding the correct amount of hay to your animal, you’re helping control calories, balance diet and nutrients, and reduce overall waste.

Adding Alfalfa to Your Horse’s Diet

Alfalfa has many great health benefits and can be an option for a variety of horses.

Alfalfa is high in protein and calcium. It’s great for anything from an underweight horse to a lactating broodmare to a performance athlete. It also contains fewer nonstructural carbohydrates, which makes alfalfa great for horses needing a low sugar diet.

Alfalfa is easy to add to your horse’s diet to ensure their nutrition is well balanced. You can add a flake of alfalfa to the forage you’re already feeding (Ex: Mixing with low sugar grass hay) to add more nutrients or you can use it as a primary forage for a horse needing a low sugar diet. Alfalfa is high in calories, so be mindful when feeding it to overweight horses.

There are some common misconceptions that alfalfa can cause behavioral problems, like making a horse “hot” or that it increases the risk of colic. These are both are false. Although it is a great source of protein, it will not make your horse “hot” and is easily metabolized and excreted. Alfalfa is a safe option when you are mindful of how much you are feeding. Make sure to discuss this with your veterinarian.

If you’re looking to add alfalfa to your horse’s diet, we offer Western Alfalfa and Orchard Grass/Alfalfa Mix. You can learn more about these quality products on our current inventory page.

Choosing the Right Hay for Your Horse

Forage is the most crucial part of a horse’s diet and choosing the right one can be tricky. At Jamback Farms, we have experts to help you find the right hay for your horse!

Here are a few things to think about when choosing:

• Overall Health: Looking at factors like age, teeth condition, and current body weight are important. For example, if your horse doesn’t have great teeth, you will want them to have access to a softer hay, making it easier for them to chew.

• Current Nutrition: Make sure to take into consideration what your horse’s current diet looks like. How much grain are they getting? How much grass do they have access to? Are they in a stall? This will also help you figure out how much you should be feeding.

• Workload: If your horse is being worked, they need a hay that will support their level of performance.

• Deficiencies or Sensitivities: Some horses require strict diets due to a sensitivity to sugar or have a vitamin/mineral deficiency. We provide a hay analysis on all of our products, which is a great resource when finding the right hay.

We offer a variety of forage to suit any horse’s needs!

Nature's Shavings

When your animal spends any time in a stall or cage, your first concern is their level of comfort. We understand your needs and concerns, especially when there are so many options for shavings.

Many factors can play into shavings, including absorbency, odor control, and dust content. To meet these needs for our customers, we’re proud to offer Nature’s by Woodgrain shavings. These shavings are made from pine, which has low dust and works well for animals with sensitive skin.

The shavings are a small/medium flake and are consistent throughout without the wood chips or other objects often found in other brands. They are triple screened and offer superior odor control and absorbency.

One of the best parts is they are easy to pick, meaning less wasted shavings when cleaning stalls and cages. They are also almost double the cubic feet compared to most competitors, giving you more product.

Let your animals experience the comfort of Nature’s shavings!

Benefits of Feeding Beet Pulp

Beet pulp is extracted from sugar beets and is a great way to add fiber to your horse’s diet. It can be used to increase caloric intake and is highly digestible.

Feeding beet pulp can help meet the fiber, energy, and nutrient requirements for hard keepers and horses in work. Because it is low in nonstructural carbohydrates, it reduces the risk for laminitis and colic.

Beet pulp can be fed dry or soaked, making it easy to add to your horse’s feeding routine. It will also help support a healthy hind gut.

Here is our guaranteed analysis:

Crude Protein: No less than 10%

Crude Fat: No less than 2%

Crude Fiber: No more than 17.5%

We offer high quality beet pulp pellets by Major Ag that you can feel confident feeding to your horse!

How to Read a Hay Analysis

Did you know we provide a hay analysis for all of our products? This is a great way to get a detailed look into your horse’s hay, especially if they have specific nutritional needs. Here are a few important values to look at when reading a hay analysis:

• Moisture: Nutrients in their natural state including water.

• Dry Matter: Nutrients with the moisture removed.

• Crude Protein: Protein content in the hay and number of amino acids.

• Non Structural Carbohydrates (NSC): Starches and sugars. This is found by adding starch plus Water Soluble Carbohydrates (WSC).

  • Make sure to look at this value when you’re feeding a horse that is sensitive to sugar. You should avoiding feeding NSC above 12%.

These four values are especially important when choosing a hay for your horse depending on if they need to have their hay dry or soaked, the amount of work they are in, and their overall health and age.

Take the guesswork out of what you’re feeding your horse and let us help!

The Importance of Quality Forage During Fall and Winter

Quality forage is incredibly important as we enter the colder months.

Providing plenty of hay is crucial but pellets and cubes can also come in handy for those hard keepers. With horses burning more calories to maintain their body temperature on those frigid days and nights, pellets and cubes can be an easy solution to add more calories to their diet.

Just like the hay you’re feeding, it’s equally as important that you are feeding quality pellets and cubes. We ensure the absolute best and highest quality alfalfa cubes, alfalfa pellets, Timothy pellets and alfalfa/orchard grass cubes. Our products are non-GMO and are proven to soak faster than other competitors. This not only gives you peace of mind, but saves you time.

Soaked pellets and cubes are also a great way for your horse to get more water to help them stay hydrated. Our products are a great source of protein and calcium, and we provide a guaranteed analysis on all of our pellets and cubes.

Quality is as important to us as it is to you, so you can trust that your horse is getting the best of the best!