Perennial Peanut Hay vs. Coastal Bermuda: Which Does More for Your Horse?
Coastal bermuda is the default hay in the Southeast — easy to grow, easy to find, easy on the wallet. It's not a bad hay. But for horse, goat, and sheep owners who actually look at forage tests, perennial peanut hay does noticeably more.
Here's an honest comparison.
Nutrition side-by-side
Typical values from regional forage analyses:
| Metric | Perennial Peanut Hay | Coastal Bermuda |
|---|---|---|
| Crude protein | 14–18% | 6–10% |
| TDN | 58–65% | 50–56% |
| Calcium | 1.0–1.5% | 0.3–0.5% |
| Digestibility (NDF) | 38–48% | 60–70% |
| Relative Feed Value | 110–140 | 70–85 |
The protein gap is the headline. Coastal is fine for an easy keeper on light work — it's bulk fiber with modest nutrition. Perennial peanut delivers nearly double the crude protein and significantly more total digestible nutrients per pound.
What this means at the feeder
Most barns we deliver to in the Florida Panhandle and South Alabama report the same thing after switching:
- Horses pick the peanut hay first when given a choice.
- Hard keepers gain weight without needing extra grain.
- Grain bills drop $30–$60 per horse per month.
- Manure looks cleaner — more digested, less wasted forage.
- Coats brighten within 6–8 weeks.
That's not marketing. That's what happens when you feed a forage with 14–18% protein instead of 6–10%.
What coastal still wins on
- Bulk and chew time. Easy keepers and laminitis-prone horses sometimes need lower-calorie forage. Coastal is the safer choice there.
- Availability. Coastal is everywhere. Perennial peanut requires a grower who's set up for it.
- Per-bale price at the farm gate. Coastal might be $5–$8 cheaper per bale at the farm. Once you factor in protein-per-dollar and reduced grain, perennial peanut wins on total feed cost.
When to switch
You're a good candidate to switch to perennial peanut if:
- You feed grain to compensate for low-protein hay.
- You have hard keepers, seniors, or growing horses.
- You manage a boarding barn and want fewer "your hay isn't keeping weight on my horse" conversations.
- You feed multiple species (horses + goats + sheep) and want one forage that works for all of them.
How to switch
Transition over 7–10 days, same as any forage change. Start at 25% peanut / 75% coastal, work up to 100% peanut by day 11. Watch manure and water intake the first two weeks.
What about coastal-and-peanut blends?
Some barns split the bale ration 50/50 — coastal for chew time, peanut for protein. It works, but you're paying for two storage lines and two suppliers. Most barns settle on 100% perennial peanut within 60 days once they see the grain savings.
Bottom line
Coastal is the default. Perennial peanut hay is the upgrade. For Florida, South Alabama, and South Georgia barns, the math almost always works out in peanut's favor.
Order a trial load of peanut hay → or text the farm at (850) 573-0470 or (850) 573-0471.