Alfalfa Hay-Horses

[toletiquesbysam]

We've normally just gotten the Brome grass big roll for our horse for the winter but heard soo much about alfalfa thought we might try that as well for this year. The place we get our brome roll also offers alfalfa rolls 1st or 2nd cuttings. Which is better for horses, 1st or 2nd cutting?

 

[texasgal]

A whole roll of alfalfa??? Do they eat free choice.. LOL.

Alfalfa is so expensive down here that I try to make a bale last just long enough it doesn't mold..

Love it though~!

 

[toletiquesbysam]

I give 3-4 flakes a feeding (2x daily) p/horse of the brome grass and thought I'd just mix the alfalfa 1/2 and 1/2 with the brome. We'd store it in our barn so hopefully like the brome it would stay dry/mold free.

 

[lockedhearts]

Second cutting is usually not as stemmy. My horses eat any cutting of alfalfa like it is candy.

 

[mominoz]

If you get it I believe you'd want 2nd cutting because of the risk of Blister beetles, they can get into alphalfa hay and just 6 will KILL a horse. Ask the farmer how they try to prevent Blister Beetles, if they dont' know anything about Blister Beetles I'd pass. During the hay shortage here in the SE a couple years ago some people shipped in Alphalfa hay from framers who didnt' do their homework and some horses died from Blister Beetles in it. Also a few years ago some got in some bags of cubes and some died from it.
Also it is very high in protein and rich and many horses get too fat or high octane on it. Many equine nutritionist say only a race horse needs it . It also is very high in calcuim and it can mess up their phosphorous ratio---can contribute to some imbalances ... good grass hay is best...........

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Are you planning on allowing them to free-feed on the alfalfa?

Alfalfa is something that many people DO NOT suggest free-feeding, a performance horse only needs a few flakes of it.

Stick with your usual hay if you are allowing them to free-feed off of a roundbale.

-Kim

 

[fowler_chick]

we feed pm6 grass, the only alfa the horses get is in pellit form.

 

[toletiquesbysam]

Quote:
No they would not be free-feeding on the alfalfa. They would get flakes of it along with the brome grass.

 

[katrinag]

If you are still feeding other grass hay you will be just fine. I usually increase the alfalfa in the winter time.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Quote:
No they would not be free-feeding on the alfalfa. They would get flakes of it along with the brome grass.

Good. They should be fine then. As for first or second cut, I don't have any suggestions. I know that the second cut seems more fine instead of course, but as far as nutrition or blister beetles go, I'm unsure.

-Kim