Is Chopped Alfalfa Good For Horses?

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. It’s especially helpful for a hard keeper because of its high palatability—horses love to eat it.

How much chopped alfalfa do you feed a horse?

Alfalfa cubes are more appropriate either for lactating mares or growing horses and as a partial forage substitute. While up to 15 lbs or more can be fed per day, as little as 2 to 6 lbs of cubes per day can be used as a “hay extender” if only poor quality hay is available in limited quantities.

What cut of alfalfa is best for horses?

Second Cutting
This is the most common cutting of hay that horse owners give to their horses, and for a good reason. It is greener and more substantial, with more leaves and a sweet smell. This hay contains a lot of protein and fat, so it is excellent for horses that exercise.

How do you feed chopped alfalfa?

FEEDING TIPS:
Replace existing hay on a 1 to 1 basis with Standlee forage. Chopped forage is often mixed with the grain portion of a diet to slow the rate of intake of grain. It is also utilized as a highly palatable carrier for medications for sick animals. Never feed moldy or insect infested forage to horses.

Will alfalfa fatten up a horse?

Alfalfa is higher in calories and protein than grass hays, which makes it an excellent choice to help to add weight to a thin horse. If your horse tends to be wasteful with his hay, he may eat more when offered alfalfa hay cubes or pellets.

Does chopped alfalfa need to be soaked?

Chopped hay doesn’t need to be soaked, but it can be helpful to add water right before feeding to reduce dust or fine particles. Chopped hay should not be as dusty as straight fines. Last, you may also want to consider transitioning to a complete or forage-included feed.

Can horses eat alfalfa every day?

As long as your horse is working at light levels, it benefits from eating small portions of alfalfa hay. But too much alfalfa can cause serious health issues.

Is alfalfa hard on horses kidneys?

Answer. Alfalfa (lucerne) products, whether hay, cubes, or pellets, are not known to cause kidney problems in horses.

How much alfalfa does a horse need a day?

The daily dry matter intake of an adult horse performing light work should be about 1.8% of its body weight each day. At least 65% of this amount should be forage. In other words, a 1,000 lb horse should be fed 18 pounds of dry matter each day.

What is the healthiest hay for horses?

Alfalfa, white clover, red clover and birdsfoot trefoil are common types of legumes, with alfalfa being the most popular choice. Benefits: Legumes are higher in protein and calcium than grass hay, and may also provide more energy and a higher level of total digestible nutrients, such as vitamin A.

How much alfalfa should I feed my 1000 pound horse?

15-20 lbs per day
For a horse who eats little hay, however, you will need to feed his entire ration as pellets. Usually 15-20 lbs per day of alfalfa or timothy pellets for a 1000# horse.

Can horses choke on chopped hay?

Often horses will choke on hay, pasture, or beet pulp. These chokes are not as easily resolved and require medical intervention. The most commonly seen cases of choke are food obstructions. Anything that interferes with the horse’s ability to chew or swallow predisposes for choke.

Can you overfeed alfalfa?

Overfeeding of alfalfa hay and other feeds can lead to excess energy intake, but the high levels of protein and calcium of alfalfa hay by themselves have not been shown as individual factors in developmental orthopedic disease. Work – Nutrient requirements for work increase in proportion to energy requirements.

What puts weight on horses fast?

What is the fastest way to put weight on a horse? High fat, high protein grain combined with a rich alfalfa hay can quickly put weight on a horse, if there is not an underlying medical condition.

What do you feed a horse to build topline?

Feed high quality protein
To build topline you must provide the building blocks your horse needs to make muscle. Using feeds with protein provided by soybeans, lupins, faba bean or canola meal will give your horse access to good quality sources of protein, which builds muscle.

Is grass or alfalfa better for horses?

Overall, grass lacks in nutrients, but it is a very common choice among horse owners. Some horses can be allergic to Alfalfa and so grass is the better option.

Can you feed chopped hay to horses?

Chopped hay can be fed in a bucket, corner feeder or outside in a feed trough — easier than feeding baled hay. There’s little to no waste, it’s tasty and easily chewed, and it’s available during times of drought and hay scarcity.

Can horses eat wet alfalfa?

Alfalfa and orchardgrass need to soak for 60 minutes to reduce K to recommended levels prior to feeding HYPP horses. While soaking reduces K, neither alfalfa or orchardgrass is a good option for HYPP horses. Both of these forages are naturally high in K.

Can horses choke on alfalfa cubes?

It’s important to note, however, that dry alfalfa cubes are known to cause choke with certain horses, usually with horses who have a habit of bolting their food. If your horse tends to eat too quickly, or if he’s new to the idea of alfalfa cubes, you may have to at least spray down the cubes before feeding them.

Can too much alfalfa cause laminitis?

Alfalfa hay can cause horses to founder and develop laminitis due to the excess nutrients provided by the high quality hay if too much is fed. If switching from grass hay to alfalfa, generally less alfalfa is required to provide the same nutrients present in the grass hay.

Is timothy or alfalfa better for horses?

Alfalfa hay is typically higher in protein and essential nutrients than timothy hay, making Alfalfa a better option for more active animals that need a high-protein diet. Alfalfa also has more calories per pound than timothy, so it’s generally the preferred choice of sport horse owners.