*headdesk* Alfalfa Pellets.

[Tremor]

Sorry for the possible brain damage that I just inflicted upon myself. I swear my horses do this just to torture me. I love them anyways though. Why? I have yet to figure that part out. I sure hope they love me!

My youngest ones are still giving me some trouble. I was gone for about 6 days for National FFA Convention (It rocked btw) in Indianapolis. I had everything prepared for my mom and left her a pretty good list of instructions including a very well drawn out map of our barn for everybody's designated stall. I usually soak my alfalfa pellets in water along with their feed and beet pulp. Its not all that long, less than five minutes, but the horses don't mind it. They don't cough from the dust anymore so, huzzah!

Well, to save some time I told my mom that she didn't have to soak the feed and then waste any of her time. Well, they would never eat the pellets. They'd eat everything else....but the pellets. They still won't eat the pellets.

Just to make things clear, the youngsters were on pasture that week and are now on a round bale 24/7. I actually came back and felt everybody's ribs and was surprised to see that my little trouble maker Sweetheart had fattened up. Huzzah!

But, I still want them to eat their alfalfa pellets though. What percentage of their weight should be fed in alfalfa pellets? (1%, 2%?) I have been feeding all of them 2lbs of alfalfa pellets. (2010/2011 foals)

I don't want to drop the feed because my youngsters don't do very well at all during the winter time but this year will be their first year eating grain in the winter time as well. I really don't know how to approach this.

 

[Tremor]

Perhaps since you soak them, you could give them a quick 'stir' and blend them in with the grain.

Just a thought.

What do you mean? Sorry, sometimes you have to spell stuff out for me.

 

[Tremor]

OH, what I meant was, since you say you soak the pellets and they're still not eating the pellets, I was saying try stirring the soaked food together so it's hard to 'pick out' the pellets. Plus they'll blend in with the grain and you can 'sneak' them into them until they get the flavor for them back!

And I feed the same amount per horse that you've indicated. About 2 pounds per horse, so I think you're doing fine!

I actually do that. *fail* I have my feed prepared the night before in a bag and I shake it all up to mix it. They still dig all the good stuff out. They're crafty and I think they know it. I'd hate to have to mix in something sugary to make them eat it, but I think I'm going to have to! They end up wasting my feed.

How much should be fed for adults? (200-350lbs)

 

[Ashley]

Your over doing your hay. YOu have them on 24/7 round bale and alfalfa pellets. Its overkill and not needed. They probably arent eatting them because they prefer the bale.

The only horse of mine that gets both is my old gelding and thats because he cant eat hay but I let him have access to it so he dont get to bored. The other horses that are on round bale dont get any grain.

 

[mydaddysjag]

Ashley, I believe in a previous thread she said she feeds the alfalfa pellets because her baled hay is low quality, and she feeds them to supplement the low quality hay.

 

[Minimor]

I would say when they do get hay and grain, 1% of their body weight would be good for the alfalfa pellets. 2 lbs might be a bit much--especially when they are not keen on eating the pellets anyway. Were they eating the pellets better before, or have they never been keen on them? Perhaps try a bag of alfalfa cubes instead, and see if they eat those better.

For whatever reason, I've never had horses that much cared for alfalfa pellets. We used to feed cubes to our Morgans & they ate those good (dry). We tried giving them pellets and they didn't want them. In that instance the pellets and cubes were both made by the same company, a local mill that at the time made both pellets and cubes. I've tried another brand of pellets since & the horses preferred to not eat those either. Not sure what the difference was--the last variety was so nice & green, and smelled very much like fresh alfalfa to me. My minis simply aren't keen on either pellets or cubes--they will pick at cubes and not touch the pellets at all. That's why I suggest trying a bag of cubes & see if they are any more popular with your horses.

I was reading the label on a bag of cubes just on Friday, and it suggested 1% of body weight for the daily ration.

 

[Tremor]

Your over doing your hay. YOu have them on 24/7 round bale and alfalfa pellets. Its overkill and not needed. They probably arent eatting them because they prefer the bale.

The only horse of mine that gets both is my old gelding and thats because he cant eat hay but I let him have access to it so he dont get to bored. The other horses that are on round bale dont get any grain.

I bolded the part that I'm replying to. We've done that exact same thing for five years. It doesn't work for us. We've had horses come out of the winter severely underweight even in the spring/summer when they were on pasture.

I would say when they do get hay and grain, 1% of their body weight would be good for the alfalfa pellets. 2 lbs might be a bit much--especially when they are not keen on eating the pellets anyway. Were they eating the pellets better before, or have they never been keen on them? Perhaps try a bag of alfalfa cubes instead, and see if they eat those better.

For whatever reason, I've never had horses that much cared for alfalfa pellets. We used to feed cubes to our Morgans & they ate those good (dry). We tried giving them pellets and they didn't want them. In that instance the pellets and cubes were both made by the same company, a local mill that at the time made both pellets and cubes. I've tried another brand of pellets since & the horses preferred to not eat those either. Not sure what the difference was--the last variety was so nice & green, and smelled very much like fresh alfalfa to me. My minis simply aren't keen on either pellets or cubes--they will pick at cubes and not touch the pellets at all. That's why I suggest trying a bag of cubes & see if they are any more popular with your horses.

I was reading the label on a bag of cubes just on Friday, and it suggested 1% of body weight for the daily ration.

Again I bolded the parts that are my key points in my reply.

Awesome! I had been feeding all of my youngsters 1% before and they did pretty good. I guess the ones that were having the most difficulty eating were the ones that didn't require the 2lbs, but my bigger yearling and adults could eat that lickity split. Looking that the 1% I need to bump my adults up.

 

[Katiean]

I actually do that. *fail* I have my feed prepared the night before in a bag and I shake it all up to mix it. They still dig all the good stuff out. They're crafty and I think they know it. I'd hate to have to mix in something sugary to make them eat it, but I think I'm going to have to! They end up wasting my feed.

How much should be fed for adults? (200-350lbs)

I soak my feed and the surgery stuff I add is the equate fiber (so they don't get sand colic) that is orange flavored. It also makes everything kind of sticky. But it is the sweet they need to eat what I feed them.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I soak my Alfalfa pellets overnight in cold water, as I do the Beet Pulp- this is for my convenience and no, from over forty years of doing this, so long as it is not warm the BP does not go off and the AP never seem to go off, but I am sure they must do eventually!

I feed the AP as mush, and mix it well with the grain and then with the BP- they can be fussy.

I am not yet feeding hay but feel as you do that they need extra. I feed just over 2lbs between four and they all get plenty- although they are getting loads of BP (twice the amount by volume not weight) and loads of grass hay chaff with a guaranteed protein of 16%