Characterizing hay buying and feeding practices and attitudes among Pennsylvania horse owners.
Abstract: Existing data on the equine hay market and buying preferences in Pennsylvania (PA) is outdated and more recent data is needed. The objective of this project was to characterize the practices and attitudes of PA horse hay buyers. An online survey was created and distributed. It received 435 total responses (of these, 346 were complete responses) from PA horse hay buyers from October 2021 to February 2022. Data presented (descriptive statistics) represents the percentage of respondents answering that question. Most (76%) respondents were in the recreational sector of the horse industry and the majority (62%) purchased hay for 2-5 horses. Small square bales (2-string) were most commonly purchased (93%), and most respondents bought their hay exclusively by the bale (75%). The most common reasons for not purchasing large bales were not being able to transport or handle them (70%), followed by not having adequate storage (60%). Horse owners were most likely to buy hay directly from local farmers (90%) than any other source. The top three most important factors when purchasing hay were absence of mold, absence of weeds, and smell (rated "very important" by 98, 53, and 52% of respondents, respectively). Most respondents did not use hay feeders in stalls or outside (38 and 50%, respectively). Most hay buyers (63%) never have their hay analyzed for nutrient content. The data collected from this survey can help hay producers understand buying practices of horse owners and help equine nutritionists identify areas of need for horse owner education about hay.
Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2024-07-03 PubMed ID: 38969028DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105147Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research is about understanding the buying preferences and feeding practices related to hay among horse owners in Pennsylvania. The research was done through an online survey involving horse hay buyers, the findings from which can assist hay producers to strategize and equine nutritionists to identify educational needs.
Survey Creation and Response
- The researchers created and distributed an online survey which managed to get a total of 435 responses between October 2021 and February 2022, out of which 346 were complete.
- The study represents the percentage of those answering a particular question and doesn’t necessarily generalize all hay buyers in Pennsylvania.
Demographics of the Respondents
- Most respondents (76%) were from the recreational sector of the horse industry and these buyers usually (62%) bought hay for 2-5 horses.
Buying Practices and Preferences
- The 2-string small square bales were the type of hay most commonly bought by the respondents (93%) and this was usually done by per bale buying (75% of respondents).
- The reasons why most respondents didn’t buy large bales was mainly because they weren’t easy to handle or transport (70%) or they didn’t have enough storage space (60%).
- Most (90%) horse owners preferred buying hay directly from their local farmers.
- The absence of mold, no weeds, and a pleasant smell were the top factors considered by the horse owners when buying hay, rated as “very important” by 98, 53, and 52% of respondents respectively.
Hay Feeding Practices & Nutrient Analysis
- A considerable number of the respondents reported that they did not use hay feeders in stalls or outside (38 and 50% respectively).
- More than half (63%) of the hay buyers never got their hay analyzed for nutrient content.
Implications of the Research
- The data collected from this research provides valuable insights into the buying practices and attitudes among horse owners in Pennsylvania. This information can help hay producers better understand their customers and tailor their production to fit their needs.
- Furthermore, the findings can assist equine nutritionists to identify areas where horse owners need education about hay, such as the importance of nutrient analysis.
Cite This Article
APA
Kenny LB, Smarsh DN.
(2024).
Characterizing hay buying and feeding practices and attitudes among Pennsylvania horse owners.
J Equine Vet Sci, 140, 105147.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105147 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Penn State Extension, Pennsylvania State University, 1015 Bridge Road, Suite H, Collegeville, Pennsylvania 19426 United States.
- Department of Animal Science, Pennsylvania State University, 315 ASI Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 United States. Electronic address: dxs1172@psu.edu.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of competing interest None of the authors has any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper.
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