Both varieties originated from the Coastal Plain Experiment Station at Tifton, Georgia, the birth place of Coastal bermudagrass. Florakirk and Tifton 85 bermudagrasses are of similar quality to Coastal bermudagrass, a favorite for feeding horses throughout Florida. To obtain this quality measure, grasses must be heavily fertilized and harvested at an immature stage of growth with an abundance of leaf and very fine stems. Although nutritive value decreases with maturity, hay with 4 weeks of growth provides acceptable nutritive value with minimal risk. Another point on any type hay produced in Florida relates to the usual high humidity and occasional rain fall during the hay making season, which may result in hay being too moist when baled and stored.
High moisture can lead to molding, to which horses are very sensitive.
However, good quality, dry hay can be made during the spring and fall periods. Sand ingestion can be a cause of colic in horses in Florida. This is usually an intermittent, mild colic, but may become severe if sand forms an impaction in the intestines. Sand ingestion can result from feeding hay and other feedstuffs on sandy ground, overgrazed pastures, or use of dirty feed bunks. This can be prevented by feeding adequate amounts of good, clean hay in racks and keeping feed bunks free of sand and other debris.