Alfalfa.

How much hay do you feed per day/per horse? I mean the weight.

Matt73 said:

Am I seeing that right?! One flake/day?! Is he on grass, too?

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Yes it is the Standlee Brand I am talking about. He is on 4 cups of mini Horse and Pony Feed by Purina a day-2 cups in the morning and two in the evening. He gets as much hay as he wants which usually ends up being about a flake a day and he is a porker on that. I want to be sure to give him enough to grow healthy, but don't want him to be way overweight. My vet said he is on the verge of being chubby!

I am finding it so very interesting to read about what you feed and am slowly working out what the equivilant to it would be here in Australia. I had a feeling the Alfalfa was what we call Lucerne (yay got it right lol).

I do not feed Alfalfa (Lucerne) ever the range in protien % is way to unstable and I think that is due to our soil conditions.

Now I think what you guys call Chopped Hay we call Chaff. We have Oaten Chaff, Lucerne Chaff and Shandy Chaff (50/50 mix of Oaten & Lucerne) and I think what you call Orchard Hay we call Meadow Hay which I have never seen made into chaff.

Ok the reason I stopped using Lucerne (Alfalfa) was due to the unstable protein %'s I had one bag of Lucerne Chaff that was about 15% and the next was about 25% both bought from the same Stockfeeders and on the same day, I had horses and ponies that had colic constantly I read an article somewhere about the protein and how eratic the %'s could be so I stopped using it as I was able to replace the good stuff in the Lucerne with supplements that were more in keeping with what is available naturally in our area.

All of my horses Big and small are fed the same just in varying amounts of course, I also know that we don't have the bitter cold etc that some of you experience and as our Summer can be very warm most of our showing is done in Winter so our ponies etc are all rugged and clipped and stabled or at least have shelters.

My guys are hard fed once a day, they have hay for breakfast (plus grazing) and a grain based feed at night. Their feed consists of Oaten Chaff, Sweet Chaff (oat husks sprayed with oil is bloody awesome stuff what ever your horse needs ie to gain or loose weight this stuff helps have no idea how but it does), Soaked flaked Lupins, Soaked Barley, Soaked Wheat and Soaked Oats, Flakey Bran, Sulphur (releases the anti oxidents in the Lupins) Garlic (anti imflammetry and helps with insect repelling) Black Sunflower Seeds, Coolstance Copra Meal (pre soaked) Groom (multi vitamins and suppliments) Full Fat Soy Powder and Red Cell.

This is my big Stallion he is a Paint Bred and is 6yrs old he is actually shinier and bigger now these photos are a fewmonths old now better get some updated ones





and one or two of my big broodmares these were taken a few weeks ago.



The chestnut mare in front (photo on the left) is 17.2hh TB and 14 yrs old she has had 3 foals one of those foals is my Paint bred Stallion

We grow alfalfa for our dairy cattle and it is my preferred hay for the ponies and minis. I prefer first cutting which is more course and tends to have a little volunteer grass (quack or brome usually) mixed in. First cutting will also test lower for protien. If you are feeding baled alfalfa all from the same field the protien content is not going to vary a great deal from bale to bale. It can vary quite a bit from field to field though depending on the stage of growth when the stand was cut. Ideally for dairy cattle you want the highest protien possible so you cut before the flowers start to bud. Once it is budded then the protien content begins to drop. I do feed second crop to the ponies if cutting was delayed and the field was in full bloom before being cut.

One important thing to do if you are feeding alfalfa is be sure that your horses have access to a ration balancer to balance out the calcium in the alfalfa with the correct amount of phosphorus. Of course even on grass hay or pasture horses should have a ration balancer but for the opposite reason - grass hay is usually very low in calcium.

What worries me about our locally (Arizona) grown Alfalfa is blister beetles. In the SE region of the state they're a big problem, so I've heard from many farms/breeders/trainers/etc out here no to buy Alfalfa (and to error on the safe side any hay even though they feed on legumes like Alfalfa not Bermuda grass) grown in the SE region. When it comes to what to feed a horse I always finding it interesting seeing what every one else around the country, or globe, does. What to feed is such a personal choice based on region, horses, goals with the feed, supplements, and personal choice. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a "perfect" feed to use world wide? Haha one can dream!

I also have fed nothing but alfalfa and in 40 years have never had any of the problems listed like ulcers, entroliths, etc... regardless of whether the horses were working cattle all day, nursing a foal, competing in events or my Minis driving or just idle hanging around- nor has anyone else I know.

Spring pasture has WAY more protein and very high calcium content compared to alfalfa. Also, 20% protein is pretty high for alfalfa- normal range runs from 15-18% so I dont know where they are getting their information that some is 18-20% 'at least' with some 'often higher'??

The issue that it 'overloads' kidneys is one of the biggest myths regarding feeding alfalfa.

The energy level alfalfa provides is pretty close (sometimes even under)to what is required for various horses- weanlings and growing youngsters, to performance, to broodmare, etc... The protein content at the average 15-18%, is meeting the needs of growing foals through their yearling year. Grass has about half of what is needed.

I could probably find people here who have had horses on grass diet, who spend a fortune on supplements to find the right 'balance', who have had some serious issues with feeding grass hay. Grass hay can be constipating, and it can ball up in the stomach and cause colic. It is also way too low in protein and calcium... etc..

I would be very happy if I could get a nice alfalfa/orchard grass mix, but it is not to be found here. The bermuda is awful and I use it for bedding during foaling - it is just poor nutritionally. The timothy hay here is relatively nice, but a 3 wire bale is about $24 a bale.

I think people think they need to feed alfalfa in the same amount as they do grass hay- you should be feeding much less. Also, do not feed a bunch of hot supplements, corn, etc.. with alfalfa either.

If the horse is healthy with no other issues (past founder, sugar problems, etc...) I have never seen a problem with feeding alfalfa, nor do I know anyone else that has had problems, regardless of the breed or size of horse. A vet would know what kind of diet to put a 'special needs' horse on.

Here is a good article or two on feeding and some of the 'myths' that are also out there:

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/hrs3243

http://www.alfagreensupreme.com/pdf/TB%20Times%20Alfalfa.pdf

http://www.alfalfahayfarm.com/Alfalfa_Horse_Feeding_Facts.html

I am sure there are just as many pros as cons to be found on the internet regarding who feeds what.......

Lil Timber Buck said:

Yes it is the Standlee Brand I am talking about. He is on 4 cups of mini Horse and Pony Feed by Purina a day-2 cups in the morning and two in the evening. He gets as much hay as he wants which usually ends up being about a flake a day and he is a porker on that. I want to be sure to give him enough to grow healthy, but don't want him to be way overweight. My vet said he is on the verge of being chubby!

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I defintelly would not call your lil guy chubby. He has a lot of hair that fools a lot of people to think they are fat. You have to put your hands on them to feel their body condition when a horse has a lot of hair. Your guy looks great at least in this pic. But you need to go by weight on the bag and not just by volume. For a weanling he needs to have almost a pound of grain a day and at least a pound of hay a day. He may be getting more or less then whats suggested, but if his body condition feels good to you then I wouldn't change a thing.

So far I'm happy with the Standlee compressed bales, they hay looks really good, smells awesome, and the horses love it. A flake weighs at least 3.5 lbs and had a couple that feels more heavy. So you may have to break it up some so you aren't over feeding that way you can save some hay so you have to weigh it. I found some more bales at another store that were $2 less then at TSC and I'm assuming because it wasn't in a bag. Which I could really care less. I bought orchard grass cause I wanted to see if my horses would eat it because my last orchard bales my horses could care less.

I've always understood that Lucerne (Alfalfa) was developed as a feed to fatten cattle and was too rich for horses so I don't feed it. A liitle Lucerne Chaff in a mix with Oaten and goodies but not Lucerne Hay. Having read here that other people have fed it for umteen years with no ill effects I may have to rethink my aversion.

Love this Forum.

I have tried just about every kind of hay. I do feed alfalfa most of the time. I have just changed them from alfalfa to grass because I am moving them to a full care facility and they feed the donkeys grass hay. Even though they will feed what ever hay I want. I would prefer a good mix (alfalfa/orchard grass) But I don't want to make a problem. The only hay I won't feed my horses is Teff. This is because I have one mare that coliced 3x's on Teff and one that is totally alergic to it. I have never had any problems with alfalfa. I do get a good quality with thin stems.

Thanks for the great advice everyone!

I have fed it for many years. Its good food in my opinion. I just don't usually feed it straight; I prefer to mix it with grass hay.

Ok so I tried the Standlee alfalfa mini-bales and it has given him super-horsey powers or so he thinks Is this normal?? I only gave him about 8 soaked mini-bales (you know the little pieces of compressed, rock-hard alfalfa about 3 inches long by an inch square.

Are you talking about hay cubes? Alfalfa can make a horse hot, gives them extra energy and if its not used up it can be like giving a kid soda or candy just so much sugar they don't know what to do with. If you are feeding the actual cubes you may want to try the alfalfa/timothy mini hay cubes. Its perfect for the minis with the smaller size.

We've never had alfalfa make a horse 'hot'... I did post some articles in a previous post about the 'myths' of feeding alfalfa.

I have also always fed an alfalfa mix throughout the years without any problems at all from it. When I bought our first horses about 20 years ago, I went to a "horse information clinic" hosted at a local farm, and the vet stated that "the only alfalfa that will hurt a horse is the alfalfa he never got.". What he meant was, you need to introduce it slowly and feed it knowledgeably, and it won't cause problems. I have done that and through all my years of feeding it, have never had any problems with it. That said however, I fed a limited amount twice daily...I never feed free choice.

I will still say if fed straight alfalfa if that extra energy is not being used up it can make a horse a lil hotter. I will repeat that I don't think alfalfa is a bad choice of hay, but I much prefer a mix of some type of grass hay to go along with it, it helps balance it out.

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/nutrition/hay/eqalfalfa432/

I don't mix another hay with it as an extra hay, it is just grown as a "mix".

I love alfalfa, but I DO think for about the first week, it does make my horses hotter. They do seem to settle after the first week. I figure it like this, coffee doesnt make me nuts, but if you dont drink it for months, then start drinking it daily, it takes your body about a week to adjust to the extra energy, then we calm down.

I would NEVER feed alfalfa free choice either- they would be so fat they would probably drop over!

I am always open to new things, so this week I picked up some grass to go with my alfalfa and I will see how they do with it, any changes, etc.... if any. They are not happy about the grass, lol. I will try to make my own 'mixed' hay since no one here seems to carry any.

I love alfalfa! That being said, people need to be aware that a horse can use up certain amounts of protein and the rest can be detrimental. It increases the horses risk of a variety of diseases and other health problems. Again, I love alfalfa, but feed it with grass hay and a grain or supplement that compliments it.

PLEASE if you feed alfalfa, read this article! http://www.womenandhorses.com/protein20050517.html