Timothy hay is a popular forage grass used for feeding animals. (photo submitted)

New forage grass named for prize winning racehorse.

CDC Tiznow, is the first Timothy grass variety released by the Crop Development Centre.

Timothy hay is a popular forage crop widely grown and used as feed for horses and livestock. It is a high-quality energy dense grass that is rich in fiber and nutrients, making it an ideal food source for animals that require a high-fiber diet. Timothy hay’s moderate calorie content is ideal for animals needing an energy source that supports digestion and promotes a healthy digestive function. It’s balanced calcium and phosphorus levels make it especially beneficial for maintaining strong bones and teeth in horses and livestock.

CDC Tiznow is an exciting new early maturing high seed and forage yielding Timothy hay variety recently released by Dr. Bill Biligetu (PhD) at the Crop Development Centre in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan. The new variety was selected from a group of seven synthetic lines developed using a natural cross-pollination process and grown in isolation in the greenhouse.  Original nursery material was visually assessed for vigor, greenness, growth habit, inflorescence length and disease pressure.  Superior plants from the crop nurseries were used to develop the new synthetic lines. CDC Tiznow is the first timothy grass variety released in western Canada

When naming the variety, Dr. Biligetu chose to draw attention to it by emphasizing its high-performance value. Timothy grass is widely used as an energy dense grass for both racing and polo horses.  Tiznow is an American Thoroughbred racehorse from California.  He was the American Horse of the year in 2000, and consecutively won the Breeders cup classic in 2000 and 2001 becoming the only horse to win the race twice.  Tiznow was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2009. By associating this variety with Tiznow’s winning legacy, Dr. Biligetu brings attention to its superior forage potential, making it an ideal choice for high-energy animals like racehorses and polo horses. This name ties the qualities of the hay directly to the attributes of an exceptional racehorse known for strength,