155 Survey of equine veterinarians: Part 1—Hay selection and evaluation

Abstract

Few nutrition-related surveys of equine veterinarians have been conducted. This survey investigated the perspectives of veterinarians on selecting and evaluating hay for horses. A survey link (Qualtrics, Provo, UT) was sent to members of Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners and distributed by equine practices located in Lexington, KY. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed in SPSS V28. There were 41 responses with 34 completed surveys. The majority of veterinarians (93%) worked in equine-specialized practices (>90% equine), with the main practice areas relating to breeding (44%), performance (12%), recreational horses (2%), or a combination of equine specializations (42%). Veterinarians were confident in identifying hay types (78% very confident or confident) and evaluating hay quality based on sensory characteristics such as color and smell (73.2% very confident or confident), but only 41.5% were very confident or confident in evaluating hay quality based on forage analysis. Stage of maturity (52%) and texture (29%) were most selected as characteristics used to evaluate hay quality. Fiber (neutral-detergent fiber or crude fiber) was reported by 84% of respondents as the most useful chemical component to evaluate digestibility. Most veterinarians (85.3%) indicated that educational materials on selecting hay for differenthorse types, sensory evaluation of hay, and interpreting a forage analysis would be useful to share with clients. When asked to rank the likelihood of recommending certain hay types for different classes of horses, alfalfa hay and mixed alfalfa grass hay were less likely to be recommended for sedentary horses compared with breeding and growing and performance horses (P < 0.001). Veterinarians in breeding farm practices tended to be less likely to recommend cool-season grass hays for breeding and growing horses compared with veterinarians in other practice types (P = 0.09). Hay sampling and analysis services were not routinely offered to clients, but 50% of veterinarians had submitted a sample for analysis, with the most selected reason being to evaluate nonstructural carbohydrates (35%). When asked where they would refer clients requesting this service, 11% of veterinarians were unsure, while 67% selected county extension agent and 19% commercial lab. This group of veterinarians displayed understanding of key principles of selecting and evaluating hay for horses. This preliminary survey provides valuable information regarding nutrition-based interactions between veterinarians and their clients that can be used to develop educational materials.