Ideal for all classes of horses as well as those with shortages or poor hay quality. Alfalfa Hay. But alfalfa also isn’t for every horse—when making a decision about whether to incorporate alfalfa into your feeding program, it’s important to be informed about its strengths and weaknesses. Alfalfa Hay for Horses. Alfalfa has lower indigestible fiber than grass hays. Productive, well-managed pastures can provide most of the feed requirements of horses for the least cost. Fact: Alfalfa is no more likely to cause an allergic reaction than any other type of hay. Most horses will readily consume alfalfa hay. Generally, horses eat between 1 1/2-2 lbs. High in protein and minerals, Alfalfa hay is a high-energy feed source for cattle, horses and sheep. A horse fed Alfalfa as part of its daily ration will meet its need for protein while receiving essential vitamins and minerals. As a rule, protein requirements decrease with age. For young, growing horses, two minerals, calcium and phosphorus, are vital for proper skeletal formation. Horses typically enjoy alfalfa. Selecting alfalfa hay with moderate protein content and providing additional diet fortification with minerals, help make this a balanced forage for horses. Horses that received free-choice grass hay for 24 hours had average gastric pH readings that were significantly higher than fasted horses. Couple a complex set of mineral requirements with forages which are often marginal in mineral content, and we have the potential for performance problems. Feeding alfalfa is a safe way to build muscle tone. But the excess protein does not harm the kidneys. Mature horses use protein to maintain body tissues and synthesize antibodies, blood, hormones and the like, rather than build new masses of muscle and bone associated with growth. … Research into equine ulcers has revealed that 90% of racehorses, more than 50% of performance horses, and as many as 37% of pleasure horses suffer from gastric ulcers. Molds growing in the bales can cause respiratory tract symptoms, but the same molds can –– and do ––grow in any type of hay. Good pasture alone is sufficient to meet all of the nutritional requirements for many classes of horses. If a horse is in training or working hard, its calorie needs increase. Here are some benefits of alfalfa hay you should know. As a practical recommendation, select alfalfa hays which do not contain extremely high levels of protein (greater than 17% crude protein). Alfalfa Hay Buffers Stomach Acids and Helps Ulcer-Prone Horses. That is a stunningly large amount of the horse … Alfalfa is usually lower in ber, higher in energy, higher in protein and higher in calcium than grass hays. Alfalfa is high in calcium and protein—both of which have a buffering effect on the acid in the stomach. Introduction 2. Moldy grass hay or moldy alfalfa hay both cause airway irritation when mold dust is inhaled.” Take-Home Message The horse industry is full of misconceptions about alfalfa. A horse that is converting excess protein to calories will drink more water, to aid that ltering, and will have urine with a strong ammonia smell, as the nitrogen is excreted as urea. Horses being fed large quantities of plain grains such as Bluebonnet Feeds Race Horse Whole Oats or wheat bran will probably be consuming way too much phosphorus; the addition of alfalfa will balance out the Ca:P ratio to healthy proportions. If you’re not sure how much to feed your pregnant or highly active horse, ask its vet for advice. This class of carbohydrates includes starch, water-soluble sugar, and fructan. The exception to the relationship of age and protein requirements is for late pregnancy and lactation, when the mare has increased protein requirements for proper nourishment of the foal. After water, the major constituent of the horse’s body is pro- tein. High-quality, properly fenced pastures are one of the best and least expensive sources of summer feed for a horse. This trace mineral fortification typically comes in the form of pelleted grain concentrates or low intake mineral supplements. As a trend, the trace mineral profile (copper, zinc and selenium) of alfalfa is marginal when compared to the trace mineral requirements for growing and performance horses. The amount of protein supplied by alfalfa can go a long way toward satisfying the high protein requirements of young, growing horses. A typical horse weighing 1,100 lbs. Safely fed to horses for thousands of years, Alfalfa’s high protein, fiber, vitamin and mineral content all … This is because Alfalfa Hay meets most protein and nutrition needs with a smaller quantity than most Grass Hays do. Alfalfa hay is all we do. It’s green and leafy, and horses love it, but alfalfa hay also has a bit of a bad reputation in the horse world. Because it is higher in energy and protein, using alfalfa makes it easier to meet those needs with minimal or at least lower levels of supplementation. Therefore, the younger the horse, the greater the protein requirement when expressed as a percentage of total diet. Alfalfa has a neutral thermal nature which means it does not create a heating or cooling effect in the body. Consequently, protein is essential for growth, and for the repair and formation of new tissue. It is highly digestible and usually contains more digestible nutrients than grass hays, such as timothy and orchardgrass. High pH readings (less acidic) in hay-fed horses should be expected since forage consumption stimulates saliva production which naturally buffers acid. I used to feed my arab alfalfa plus grass hay in the winter to keep weight on him. Alfalfa is tasty to horses. Alfalfa is the most common legume hay for horses. Alfalfa fed with a careful eye to the proportions of the whole diet, and the energy needs of the horse, will not create excess energy. Quality alfalfa hay has high protein, energy, vitamins, and minerals. In the case of mature horses, free-choice alfalfa hay will certainly provide enough protein to satisfy requirements. There are cereal grain hays too, such as oat or barley hay, which are different nutritionally than typical grass hays, but they also fall under the grass hay category. Alfalfa provides a significant amount of calories; however, an excess of calories in any form, whether from alfalfa, grain or oil, without the exercise to burn them, can result in an excessively energetic horse. Standlee® has several excellent choices of high quality alfalfa products including compressed bales, chopped alfalfa and pelleted and cubed products. A well-kept pasture also is the most natural and healthy environment for exercise and rest. Alfalfa hay can be an excellent source of calories for horses who need help in gaining weight, or whose exercise demands require additional energy sources. Below are a few reasons why alfalfa is still used for horses today. Alfalfa typically has a thicker stem and lots of leaves. Alfalfa Hay for Horses . ©2020 Standlee Premium Products, LLC® All Rights Reserved. Horses fed to appetite consumed 17 to 25% more cubed alfalfa than long-stem hay. Alfalfa Round bales. 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