Equine Feed Calculator Fortunately, horses do quite well on a forage based diet of hay along with minerals and good clean water. I found this to be very puzzling since alfalfa is low in sugar and starch, even lower than most grass hays. Grass hay falls short of meeting the nutrient requirements of high production life stages, but is an excellent filler for horses that require bulk in the diet. Most good grass hay (oat and rye) is 10-12% protein and 45% TDN and will have a 2 to 1 Ca/P ratio. Always have your hay analyzed so you can match the grain supplementation to your horse’s needs. Bales– the typical horse owner feeds Alfalfa in ~50 pound square bales. Duren also doesn’t recommend feeding straight alfalfa to endurance horses due to its protein and calcium content. Feeding rates recommended for concentrate feeds are based on feeding with good quality grass hay. Good alfalfa can be 18-20% protein and 55% TDN or energy. of hay per day. High-quality (“dairy”) alfalfa supplies 20 to 25 percent more calories per pound than grass hays, although the difference is much smaller for more mature cuts of alfalfa. The diuretic and laxative effects may be useful in a weight loss plan, but they are generally used to help to increase weight. If a horse is in training or working hard, its calorie needs increase. Good quality hay should be bright green in color with little fading. Overweight. Adding Alfalfa Cubes to Your Horse’s Diet Start by replacing 1/4 of your horse’s old feed with … 2015-41595-24254 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The short answer is yes, it is perfectly acceptable to feed your mares alfalfa hay. Alfalfa hay may not be the best feed for all horses in all situations, but it contains nutrients needed for many classes of horses. For example, a 1,100 pound horse requires at least 11 pounds of roughage. Clearly, weighing hay is the most effective way to measure the correct amount. Based on what we know right now, for horses that are kept in confinement, eating feed and getting forced exercise, it makes sense to consider some alfalfa as part of their diet, he said. Until further research is done, he recommends, horses weighing between 1,000-1,300 pounds should be fed about 1 pound of alfalfa after a grain meal. early bloom alfalfa hay, the difference is much smaller than for lower quality hays such as late-maturity grass hays. For variety in the diet, I found timothy and orchard grass pellets, and then a few pounds of alfalfa pellets for protein. This work is supported by New Technologies for Agriculture Extension grant no. The quality of the hay will determine how much is needed and if supplemental grain should be added. This need can be met by supplying Alfalfa as half of a horse’s roughage. Feeding horses Alfalfa reduces or even eliminates the need for supplements which often have a … But, it's essential to know that Alfalfa pellets won't replace hay. The optimal compromise for higher forage quality and dry matter yield of alfalfa is to harvest the first cutting at the late-bud to first-flower stage and to make subsequent cuttings at 32-to-35 day intervals until late August or early-September, often referred to as a “4 summer-cut system.”13 мая 2010 г. Alfalfa can be an excellent addition to most horses’ diets, even for those that are insulin resistant (IR). For the horse who might have some respiratory sensitivities, fines can be mixed into a meal or wet down slightly, but, in general, the particles are much too large to actually be inhaled into the lungs. If good quality baled Alfalfa isn’t available, substitute Alfalfa pellets or cubes. Your hay analysis should show the DM content of your forage. of hay per day. A horse needs a fairly small amount of protein per day. The optimal compromise for higher forage quality and dry matter yield of alfalfa is to harvest the first cutting at the late-bud to first-flower stage and to make subsequent cuttings at 32-to-35 day intervals until late August or early-September, often referred to as a “4 summer-cut system.”13 мая 2010 г. Alfalfa hay may not be the best feed for all horses in all situations, but it contains nutrients needed for many classes of horses. It can be detrimental, however, to horses with impaired kidneys or liver. Alfalfa hay and timothy hay are different nutritionally. Feeding a foundered or prone-to-founder horse usually means a magnesium/chromium supplement, with or without an amino-acid supplement, and an essential (as in Omega 3) fatty acid supplement. early bloom alfalfa hay, the difference is much smaller than for lower quality hays such as late-maturity grass hays. I've been feeding my mare one flake of alfalfa … Alfalfa cube is a highly nutritional feed option for horses. Geriatric horses can also become especially hard keepers during the cold months as they use energy to keep warm. Most hay is dispensed in flakes; however, the amount of hay in a flake can vary greatly, depending on the size of the flake and the kind of hay. A bleached, yellow, brown or black color may indicate aged hay, mold or poor storage conditions. If you are feeding 100% hay and your hay contains 90% DM (or 10% moisture), your 1000 lb horse should be fed 20 lb of hay (18 lb DM/0.9) straight from the bale each day. Alfalfa cubes are handier than hay flakes as they are much … While feeding extra protein is wasteful, a high-protein diet in itself does not hurt a healthy horse. If using good quality alfalfa hay, reduce the amount of Purina feed recommended by 1/2 to 1 lb/day. Alfalfa contains higher concentrations of protein and calcium compared to timothy hay (Table 1). Grass hay falls short of meeting the nutrient requirements of high production life stages, but is an excellent filler for horses that require bulk in the diet. Horses require fiber in their diet for the gut to function normally It is recommended that the diet contain no less than 1 percent of body weight of roughage such as hay, pasture, etc. 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. Alfalfa is very palatable to horses, so they tend to waste less of it compared to grass hay. Flakes are a thin, easy to separate rectangular portion of a horse bale. Good pasture alone is sufficient to meet all of the nutritional requirements for many classes of horses. A well-kept pasture also is the most natural and healthy environment for exercise and rest. Getting your horse high quality Alfalfa Pellets, best organic pellets, is of foremost importance. Many myths surround alfalfa’s use, and horse owners often underutilize or misuse it, even though it’s a high- quality horse feed. of their body weight. They carry alfalfa pellets and that's what I'll have to use until they get more. Required fields are marked *. Nutritional value. The amount and type of hay fed relates to the other feeds you use and the use of your horse. To sustain a healthy weight, a horse needs to consume a daily ration of 2 to 3 percent of his body weight each day; of that, at least 1.5 to 2 percent needs to be some form of forage. Therefore, the key to feeding older horses is to use high quality protein from sources like alfalfa, soybean … You’ll now be able to calculate the approximate number of flakes you should feed your horse daily. After observing the horse for a period of time, the amount fed may be increased or decreased by 10% to obtain the desired body condition and weight. 1 Flake timothy hay [email protected] x 4 flakes per day = 20 pounds per day x 800 calories = 16Mcal (16,000 calories) 1 Flake Alfalfa hay [email protected] x 4 flakes per day = 12 pounds per day x 1000 calories = 12Mcal (12,000 calories). Horses fed to appetite consumed 17 to 25% more cubed alfalfa than long-stem hay. For horses housed and fed outside in the more severe winter climates, it is strongly recommended that forages be offered in feeders located under a three-sided shelter. In addition, some older horses with reduced liver and kidney function find it difficult to excrete waste products associated with eating too much protein. Nutritionally speaking, however, they are very different. THREE RISKS OF FEEDING TOO MUCH ALFALFA TO HORSES: Feeding more protein than your horse requires can result in gastric indigestion as well as fermentation and putrefaction in the hindgut. Feeding rates recommended for concentrate feeds are based on feeding with good quality grass hay. A typical horse weighing 1,100 lbs. Storage condition and age have a significant effect on vitamin content of hays. When a horse refuses alfalfa hay products completely, then substituting other types of hay or soaked beet pulp without molasses with small amounts of Purina ® Equine Senior ® may entice the horse to eat more feed. Your email address will not be published. At the same time, p… When should I cut my horse’s alfalfa? High-quality (“dairy”) alfalfa supplies 20 to 25 percent more calories per pound than grass hays, although the difference is much smaller for more mature cuts of alfalfa. Feed grass hay, possibly a little alfalfa hay, or rinsed sugar beet, BUT stay away from corn, oats, barley, and especially stay away from sugar as molasses. It can be detrimental, however, to horses with impaired kidneys or liver. Your email address will not be published. Try putting your alfalfa bale on an empty feed bag before you open the bale, and feed the small pieces that fall out in the feed trough or bucket. Most of these horses are owned and managed for recreation or sport rather than for profit. should eat approximately 16 pounds of alfalfa cubes per day. For gut health and welfare reasons, she says owners should offer forage at no less than 1.5% of the horse’s body weight per day on a dry matter basis, unless a … A mature horse can eat 3% of its body weight daily. This can also lead to weight loss since the old horse is not given adequate access to feed. Answer. Adding horses to, or taking horses out of, a pasture containing an old horse changes the herd dynamics and sends the old horse to the bottom of the pecking order. Alfalfa hay may not be the best feed for all horses in all situations, but it contains nutrients needed for many classes of horses. The common vegetable oils used in horse feeds are corn oil, soy oil and flax oil (linseed oil). Bales– the typical horse owner feeds Alfalfa in ~50 pound square bales. When it comes to feeding your horses you know how important it is for me to look out for healthy organic and natural products. Remember to feed in as many small portions as possible. Take 1-2% of the horse’s body weight and divide this by four. The amount of alfalfa cubes you feed a horse is dependant on the size and workload of the animal. They are not just fed to fill the tummy up but to treat several health issues as well. One of the main expenses in owning a horse is feed. More myths are associated with feeding horses than with feeding most other animals, in part because an increasing number of horse owners are unfamiliar with the basics of horse nutrition. This is only a rough guide. Grass hay falls short of meeting the nutrient requirements of high production life stages, but is an excellent filler for horses that require bulk in the diet. Generally, horses eat between 1 1/2-2 lbs. That’s 30 lbs of hay per day for a 1000 lb horse. Alfalfa horse feed contain nearly three times as much calcium as grass. High-quality, properly fenced pastures are one of the best and least expensive sources of summer feed for a horse. Alfalfa Hay, with its higher protein and adequate energy amounts might be the ideal feed for a hard working ranch horse, but it could be too rich of a feed for a retired backyard horse in the same amount. Nutritional value. The horses’ age, activity level, breed, and stage of life can all have a tremendous affect on the amount of feed that they require. Adding Alfalfa pellets to your horse's daily diet has its reasons. Horses evolved as a grazing animal, which means that they are meant to nibble on small amounts of food over the course of an entire day, and most of this food should be in the form of roughage, or hay. Horses can normally eat 1.5-2% of their body weight in hay, which equates to 18-24 lbs. With the alfalfa cube, the forage is coarsely chopped and then mechanically compressed into a 1.25 by 2-inch cube. Is alfalfa hard on horses’ kidneys? However, some hays may be deficient in an essential nutrient or, depending on the breeding status and activity level, some horses may need more or less hay in order to be in good body condition. Ultimately, alfalfa is preferred forage for horses because it digests easily, is high in fiber and contains many essential nutrients. Hay for ponies should be good quality grass hay. Adding Alfalfa pellets to your horse's daily diet has its reasons. For the horse who might have some respiratory sensitivities, fines can be mixed into a meal or wet down slightly, but, in general, the particles are much too large to actually be inhaled into the lungs. In general, feed hay twice a day; limit alfalfa to one-half of your roughage; and feed grain according to body condition and use of the horse. The quality of the hay will determine how much is needed and if supplemental grain should be added. Alfalfa seeds and sprouts, however, contain the non essential amino acid canavanine, which does interfere with the metabolism. Good alfalfa can be 18-20% protein and 55% TDN or energy. These individuals have problems processing and excreting protein and should be kept on a very low-protein diet. The difference between alfalfa hay and the alfalfa cube is the size of the package. … Duren also doesn’t recommend feeding straight alfalfa to endurance horses due to its protein and calcium content. If the horse is unable to chew alfalfa hay, substitute alfalfa cubes or pellets soaked in water during the initial refeeding period. If your horse falls into the at-risk category, consider these diet changes. Protein, which is used for energy, has the added tax associated … Alfalfa is also very high in calcium (5 to 1 Ca/P ratio). Roughly 3/4 to 1 pound of digestible protein (DP) will meet most horses’ daily requirement. Heavily pregnant or lactating mares, and young rapidly growing horses, benefit from alfalfa… Horses kept outdoors will have higher energy requirements and the higher energy forages such as alfalfa or … Horses also have a fiber requirement and tend to get bored when roughage (hay) is limited. I have two Quarter Horse broodmares, one 11 and one 17 years old. So if a flake weighs about four pounds, you’ll need to feed your one thousand pound horses five flakes every day. For my horses, I feed grass hay (1 1/2-2% of their body weight per day), alfalfa at 10% of their body weight per day, pasture and an herbal mineral supplement to make up for the nutritional deficiencies in the hay. How much alfalfa hay do you feed a 1,200 pound horse and how often? This can contribute to leaky gut and will create too much ammonia which is toxic to the liver and kidneys if accumulated in excess amounts. It is also an important component of hoof horn and research by the Royal Dick Vet School showed that including alfalfa in the … If good quality baled Alfalfa isn’t available, substitute Alfalfa pellets or cubes. A simple formula to decide how much alfalfa to feed will enable the caretaker to monitor this intake. Your pony probably won't need the nutrition provided by alfalfa and clovers. Not all older horses are hard keepers. Because of this huge drought in Texas, they are having to get their hay out of state and they're having some problems. Both are reining-bred, and both are easy, easy keepers. Therefore when horse owners use alfalfa cubes in a diet for horses, the cubes replace hay of … Productive, well-managed pastures can provide most of the feed requirements of horses for the least cost. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Calcium is crucial for structural integrity of bone. It is … Our feed store is out of alfalfa hay and will be for sometime. But, it's essential to know that Alfalfa pellets won't replace hay. He maintained his weight on pasture and 1% of his body weight in pellets in the growing season, and then 1.5% of his body weight in pellets in the winter. If using good quality alfalfa hay, reduce the amount of Purina feed recommended by 1/2 to 1 lb/day. After observing the horse for a period of time, the amount fed may be increased or decreased by 10% to obtain the desired body condition and weight. Horses can normally eat 1.5-2% of their body weight in hay, which equates to 18-24 lbs. Try putting your alfalfa bale on an empty feed bag before you open the bale, and feed the small pieces that fall out in the feed trough or bucket. Well, that all depends on the horse’s size, age and work load. This will give the appropriate poundage of alfalfa to give the horse daily in addition to grass hay. Getting your horse high quality Alfalfa Pellets, best organic pellets, is of foremost importance. Timothy, high-quality grass hays, and 50% alfalfa mixes make good forage for older horses, Ralston says. Ponies need only the fraction of the feed that horses do. The average thousand-pound horse who relies on hay for all their forage typically eats fifteen to twenty pounds of hay per day. When it comes to feeding your horses you know how important it is for me to look out for healthy organic and natural products. Heavily pregnant or lactating mares, and young rapidly growing horses, benefit from alfalfa… These fodders, which are more energy and nutrient dense than many grass hay, are often too rich for a pony. Canola oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil and palm oil are also used, but less frequently. The basic principles of feeding laminitic horses are well-established: Avoid high-sugar and … Can I feed them all-they-can-eat alfalfa hay? … After years of working with horses, it appears that it may, in fact, lead to laminitis in some horses. Horses that are fed alfalfa cubes tend to eat all the cubes provided, whereas horses fed long-stem alfalfa hay will sort through the hay and not eat all the hay offered. 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