Timothy

What is Timothy Hay?

Hay or grass is the foundation of the diet for all grazing animals. Hay is usually fed to an animal in place of allowing the animal to graze on grasses in a pasture, particularly in the winter or during times when drought or other conditions make pasture unavailable.

Timothy – Grass was unintentionally introduced to North America by early settlers in 1711 by John Herd and he named the Grass “herd grass”. In 1720 a farmer named Timothy Hanson began to cultivate this hay and it has been known by its present name since then. Timothy has now become naturalized throughout most of the US and Canada.

Timothy hay is a wide bladed bright green coarse hay with long seed heads measuring one to three inches on the first cutting. The second cutting is softer and darker with smaller heads.

There are two cuttings of Timothy grass. The first cutting is coarser, lower in protein and offers more chewing time. First cutting Timothy is usually used for race horses and export to the Pacific Rim. The second cutting is brighter in color, softer and much preferred by the retail client due to its color and texture. Often horses eat it much faster (remember, faster is not always better. ) Timothy hay is high in fiber, especially when cut late. It is considered part of standard mix for grass hay and provides quality nutrition for horses.

Timothy hay is a cool-season grass with specific climate requirements due to its shallow root system. It grows best in areas with cool springs and dry, warm summers. Washington State is known world-wide for its Timothy hay quality and has perfectly suited growing and harvesting conditions.