Alfalfa Hay
Alfalfa is the most nutrient-rich and palatable hay
available to livestock. It is also an excellent source of protein, calcium, and Vitamin A. Our barn-stored
alfalfa is leafy, low in weeds, and baled at the correct moisture level and stage of maturity for horses. Because of
our desert conditions, we are able to produce up to 8 cuttings of alfalfa per year.
Bermuda Grass Hay
Our growing conditions produce grass hay with
the highest protein-content, making it nearly nutritionally equal to timothy hay. Bermuda grass is a good supplement
to alfalfa because the phosphorus in grass hay balances the high calcium content of alfalfa . If cut at an
early maturity, bermuda grass is a nutritious hay with good feeding value. Ronald C. Leimgruber Farms grows both common
and giant variety bermuda. Our bermuda grass is sweet-smelling, low in weeds, and baled at the optimal growth stage
to be digestible for horses. Additionally, it is stored under barns to maintain a uniform appearance.
3-Way Grain Hay
New to our product line is 2009 3-Way hay.
Our 3-Way includes wheat, barley, and oats. 3-Way is most nutritious if it is cut before the seeds have matured.
Grain hay is different from straw because of the lack of seedheads. Straw from grain hay crops is not nutritious because
the grain has been removed and the hay has been cut after the plant is fully mature. As a plant matures, the fiber in
the cell walls build up, which increases fiber in the plant and decreases digestibility. This is why maturity is so
important when choosing hay.
Sudan Grass Hay
Sudan grass hay is a good feed for cattle or
horses with low energy requirements. It is a member of the sorghum family and has wide stems. Imperial Valley
produced over 400,000 tons of sudan grass in 2007. Most of the sudan grass that is grown here is exported to Japan,
and some to China and Korea, for use as a livestock feed.
Wheat Straw
After harvesting a wheat field for wheat grain,
the leftover stems are baled up as wheat straw. Our wheat straw is fresh and clean with a uniform, golden appearance.
This makes our straw ideal for bedding, mulch, erosion-control, construction, and decoration.
Milk Cow Alfalfa Hay
Our first two cuttings of alfalfa are the most
nutritious and generally go to commerial dairies throughout California. Milk cow hay is available in 3-string bales
and 4' x 4' big bales, depending on your feeding preference. While suitable for lactating mares that require particulary
high-protein content alfalfa hay, I do not recommend milk cow hay to a horse customer who is not familiar with buying and
feeding this type of hay. To see hay analyses on our 2009 milk cow hay, click here. We also have current production 2010 milk cow hay available without nutritional analyses.
Dry Cow Alfalfa Hay
Any hay that is not suitable for our horse
customers is baled up as dry cow hay. This could be caused by rain-damage, poor color, weediness, course stems, or improper
moisture content. This is the cheapest of our alfalfa hays, but once again, I would caution a horse customer from buying
this hay unless they are familiar with buying and feeding it to horses.
Baled Corn Stalks
Our corn stalks are actually leftover stems
from milo plants after the crop has been harvested for grain. They are high in fiber and the sweet taste make them highly
palatable for cattle. Corn stalks are an affordable supplement for a dairyman's TMR feed.
For current prices, click here.
