Walk into a conversation about hay among experienced farmers and you'll quickly hear strong opinions about timothy versus orchard grass, debates about alfalfa percentages, and strong regional loyalty to locally produced grasses. This guide cuts through the noise and explains what actually matters about each hay type for the small-farm owner making practical purchasing decisions.
The Two Categories: Grass Hay vs Legume Hay
Before getting into specific types, understand the fundamental divide:
- Grass hays (timothy, orchard grass, bermuda, fescue, brome) are lower in protein and calcium, higher in fiber. Appropriate for most animals at maintenance.
- Legume hays (alfalfa, clover, lespedeza) are higher in protein and calcium, lower in fiber. Better for high-demand animals (lactating, growing, working). Can be too rich for some animals.
- Mixed hays combine both in one product. Most practical and flexible for mixed-species operations.
Timothy Hay
Timothy is the most widely recognized horse hay in North America and commands a premium in many markets, particularly in the eastern and Pacific Coast states. It's a cool-season perennial grass that thrives in northern climates and produces well in the Great Lakes region, Northeast, Pacific Northwest, and upper Midwest.
Nutritional profile: First-cut timothy is relatively high in fiber and moderate in protein (8–10% CP). Second-cut timothy is leafier with higher protein (12–15% CP) and better digestibility. Premium timothy — particularly the compressed cubes and small bales common in the horse market — is often harvested at peak quality and tested.
Best for: Horses across all life stages (particularly easy keepers with first cutting). Rabbits (the coarseness promotes gut motility). General maintenance feeding for most livestock.
Not ideal for: High-producing dairy animals that need more protein. Animals in very cold climates relying only on grass hay — may need protein supplementation in deep winter.
Orchard Grass
Orchard grass is increasingly popular and arguably the best all-around grass hay for small mixed operations. It's more palatable than timothy for many animals, produces higher yields, and tolerates more shade and varying soil types. It grows well throughout the mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest.
Nutritional profile: Slightly higher protein than timothy at the same cutting (10–13% CP for first cut, 14–18% for second cut). Softer texture than timothy, which makes it more palatable and also means it dries faster in the field — reducing rain-damage risk during baling.
Best for: Horses, goats, sheep, and cattle. Often a first choice for mixed-species farms because the nutritional profile is broadly appropriate and animals readily eat it. Horses that refuse coarse hay often accept orchard grass readily.
Not ideal for: Very easy-keeper horses that gain weight easily — its higher palatability means they may overconsume. Usually available at a modest premium over first-cutting grass hay in most regions.
Alfalfa Hay
Alfalfa is the highest-protein, highest-energy hay commonly available — and the most commonly misused. It's a legume, not a grass, and the nutritional profile is dramatically different from grass hays: typically 18–22% crude protein, high calcium, lower fiber, and highly palatable (animals almost always prefer it).
Nutritional profile: CP 18–22%, ADF 28–34%, calcium 1.2–1.8%, phosphorus 0.2–0.3%. The calcium-to-phosphorus ratio (roughly 6:1) is appropriate for some animals and problematic for others.
Best for: Dairy cows and dairy goats in active production. Horses in heavy work, late pregnancy, or early lactation. Growing young stock that need protein for development. Animals recovering from illness or surgery. Show animals being conditioned.
Problematic for: Horses prone to metabolic issues (laminitis, EMS, PPID). Wethers and non-breeding bucks — the high calcium:phosphorus ratio in alfalfa increases urinary calculi risk in castrated males significantly. Horses with kidney issues (high protein increases kidney workload). Extremely easy-keeper horses that gain weight readily.
Bermudagrass Hay
Bermudagrass is the dominant hay crop in the South — from Virginia to Texas to Florida — and is increasingly used in the mid-Atlantic. It's a warm-season perennial that doesn't grow in northern climates. Well-managed Coastal bermuda and Tifton 85 varieties produce highly nutritious hay that competes with or exceeds grass hays from the North.
Nutritional profile: Highly variable based on management. Bermuda cut at the right maturity (before it gets stemmy) and fertilized adequately runs 12–16% CP. Overmature bermuda can drop to 6–8% CP with poor digestibility. This range is why "bermuda hay" has a variable reputation — the management matters more than the species.
Best for: Horses and all livestock in the Southeast and South. Excellent for mature horses at maintenance when cut at appropriate maturity. Cattle across the South — it's the workhorse hay of southern beef operations.
Watch for: Coastal bermuda cut too late becomes extremely stemmy and low quality. Ask the seller what variety it is and when it was cut. Tifton 85 and Coastal varieties differ meaningfully in nutritional profile.
Fescue Hay
Tall fescue is extremely common in the eastern United States — particularly the Midwest and upper South — because it's drought-resistant, productive, and persistent. It's also controversial because a large percentage of fescue stands are infected with an endophytic fungus that produces ergot alkaloids, which cause serious health problems in livestock.
The endophyte problem: Endophyte-infected fescue causes fescue toxicosis in horses (symptoms include poor heat tolerance, rough hair coat, and in pregnant mares, significantly increased risk of reproductive failure, thick placentas, and agalactia). It also causes poor performance and heat stress in cattle. Studies suggest 80–90% of endophyte-infected fescue stands in the US contain the toxic strain.
Novel-endophyte and endophyte-free varieties: Some newer fescue varieties contain endophyte strains that don't produce alkaloids. If your hay source includes fescue, ask specifically about the endophyte status of the field. Your state's extension service may offer testing.
Best avoided for: Pregnant mares (serious reproductive risk). Horses in the last 90 days of gestation should not have fescue in their hay if the endophyte status is unknown.
Brome Grass
Smooth brome is common in the upper Midwest and Great Plains — Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota. It's a palatable cool-season grass that produces nutritious hay when cut at boot stage. Often blended with legumes in Midwest hay fields.
Nutritional profile is similar to orchard grass — CP 10–14% for well-managed second-cut material. Good all-around maintenance hay. Less commonly found outside its growing region.
Mixed Grass Hays
Most small-farm hay is not a single pure species — it's a blend of whatever grasses and legumes are established in the field. Mixed hay is often labeled simply as "grass hay" or "grass mix" and can range from excellent to mediocre depending on field management. Don't be deterred by a mixed-species label; the quality indicators (smell, color, leafiness, moisture) matter more than species purity for most small-farm applications.
Quick Reference: Which Hay for Which Animal
| Animal / Life Stage | Best Hay Choice | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Horse at maintenance | Grass hay (timothy, orchard, bermuda) | High-alfalfa if overweight or metabolic history |
| Horse in heavy work | 2nd-cut grass or grass-alfalfa mix | First-cut coarse hay only |
| Mare, late pregnancy | Grass-alfalfa mix; avoid fescue | Infected fescue, low-protein pure grass |
| Beef cow, dry | Any quality grass hay | Expensive dairy-quality hay (unnecessary) |
| Dairy goat in production | Alfalfa or grass-alfalfa mix | Low-protein grass hay only |
| Wether / dry buck (goat) | Grass hay only | Alfalfa (urinary calculi risk) |
| Ewe, dry | Grass hay | High-alfalfa (unless thin) |
| Ewe, lactating twins | Grass-alfalfa mix | Low-protein grass hay only |
| Rabbit | Timothy (first cut preferred) | High-alfalfa for adults |