Feed, hay, and other costs are up, so it's time to get creative

Breeders and riding schools need to explore innovative ways to generate income in order to ensure their survival, says Dr Mac.

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Riding stables have had to increase stabling fees in line with the increased costs of keeping horses.

Breeders have realised that the income from selling registered horses has dwindled because feed costs have risen steeply this year. Feed costs for horses include roughage (hay) and concentrates.

A cost-effective approach is to look first at input costs to see if they can be reduced, then to look at how income can be increased.

ESCALATING COSTS

The cost of concentrates has not escalated as fast as the cost of hay. Eragrostis tef is the best roughage for horses in South Africa.

The strange weather patterns and late summer rainfall across South Africa this year have influenced the growth of tef, and very little is available at present, particularly in Gauteng. Where it