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Why is alfalfa hay a more desirable feed for dairy cows than timothy hay?

Billy Foster says 2016-07-12 06:19:01 (CST)



The obvious higher protein would be valued but I think the increase in calcium would be of a bigger benefit.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

JerryHicks says 2016-07-13 07:16:44 (CST)



Contains more protein and also more calcium and phosphorus.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

K.C. Fox says 2016-07-13 09:03:13 (CST)



why do some people say never feed alpha to your horses?


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Todd NE WY says 2016-07-13 20:40:34 (CST)



KC

I think it has to do with the calcium being hard not he kidneys over time.

Todd


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Todd NE WY says 2016-07-13 22:41:10 (CST)



meant to say hard on the kidneys


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

JerryHicks says 2016-07-14 06:00:54 (CST)



All the old farm books I have say alfalfa is an excellent feed for horses, with the caveat that when it is fed, less is actually needed, as most grown horses don't need the high protein. In the area I grew up in, it was was mostly poor shaley sand rock type soil and alfalfa wouldn't grow, but from time to time, mainly in drought years, someone would go to Ohio and buy a truck load of good alfalfa hay. We'd feed it to the horses and cut it with straw or corn fodder. A lot of the old timers would tell me that when you feed your horses alfalfa you don't need to feed any grain. I remember one year when I was about 16, I was working as a tour guide at the riding stables of our local state park. We had gone and got a load of real green alfalfa and were feeding it twice a day to about thirty head of riding horses. They all got the squirts and it kept me just about as busy cleaning stalls as riding. The other thing we noticed, though, was that as long as we fed the good hay, the horses didn't bother to graze along the trail. Very few of the tourists were real riders, and they mainly just sat on the horse and watched the scenery. We had a lead guide and a back guide to keep them moving and just sorted herded them around the trail. It was a constant hassle to keep certain horses moving as they'd want to stop and pick. With the alfalfa, we didn't have that problem.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

JerryHicks says 2016-07-14 06:01:52 (CST)



I forgot to add, one other reason that folks say "don't feed alfalfa to a horse" is because of the blister beetle. You have to really check your hay to make sure it is clean.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

vince mautino says 2016-07-16 17:49:31 (CST)



Some areas do have the blister beetles and certain areas can get a lot of calcium. By far the biggest reasons are.

Horses do not need that much protein.

A person tend to over feed when feeding alfalfa.

When you cut back and feed the right amount, the horse get done quick and then go look for something else to chew on or mischief to get into.

Some horses get high on it like a kid on a sugar high.

All these are worse when feeding a mule on it


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum


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