The study no. 2 starting from the evening of 27 October 2015 until the stock was exhausted – the hay bale was eaten up.

Day 1
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The hay bale was placed in the stable around 17:00 hours.

Day 2
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The horses were in the paddock from dawn, which means that the hay bale was eaten only at night time.

Day 3
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The horses were eating the hay bale during the night, while during the day they spent around 6 hours in the paddock.

Due to the fact that the horses eat the hay bale at night the degradation of hay does not progress too rapidly. This time the studied hay bale is tightly “stretch-wrapped”, so there is a possibility that it will remain roller shaped for longer and much less hay will be scattered.

Day 4
2_luzem-4.1

The horses spent around 5 hours in the paddock, they did not eat the hay bale during that time.

The hay bale is clearly lower and there are holes eaten up inside. Tight “stretch-wrapping” still keeps it in the vertical position.

Day 5

The horses were in the paddock from dawn, which means that the hay bale was eaten only at night time.

The hay bale is still roller shaped.

Day 6

Between 11:00 hours and 18:00 hours the horses were in the paddock. The hay bale becomes lower and lower but it is still roller shaped. A large amount of hay is mixed with bedding.

Day 7
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The horses spent approximately 8 hours in the paddock, the hay bale was eaten at night.

Due to the fact that the hay bale was tightly wrapped in plastic, it is still roller shaped. Nevertheless, a large amount of removed hay is mixed with bedding. The horses ate up a large “hole” inside the hay bale.

Day 8
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The horses have access to the paddock but they eat hay due to the lack of grass.

The hay bale has clearly lost its cylindrical shape and is mainly mixed with bedding.

Day 9

10:00 hours in the morning, there is so little hay that another hay bale needs to be delivered. Hay remnants are mixed with bedding.

Conclusions:

Having summed up all days and nights, it may be concluded that the horses was eating the hay bale for approximately 6 days. Although it was “stretched-wrapped” tighter, the time spent on eating, in comparison to the previous study, is the same. Two Fjord horses eat up one entire hay bale in 6 days.