Should I feed my horse alfalfa pellets?

Should I feed my horse alfalfa pellets?

Alfalfa pellets for horses usually come in fifty-pound bags and can be found at almost any feed store. When fed in conjunction with alfalfa cubes and beet pulp they are more beneficial. If you feed them with a long-stem fiber source, the pellets can replace calories lost when hay is unavailable or scarce.

Is alfalfa good for older horses?

The digestive system in older horses tends to be less efficient at processing and absorbing nutrients. Older horses often have difficulty eating hay because their teeth are either worn down or missing. ... Coleman has found that mixed grass-legume hay, such as orchard-alfalfa or timothy-alfalfa, is often a good choice.

What is the best feed for older horses?

Good quality grass hay and corn or a complete pelleted ration for mature (not aged) horses are the feeds of choice. Avoid legumes (alfalfa and clover), wheat bran and beet pulp due to high calcium (legumes, beet pulp) or phosphorus (wheat bran) content.

Can you feed a horse too much alfalfa pellets?

Alfalfa cubes and pellets can cause colic. If allowed, horses eat more alfalfa cubes and pellets than is healthy. And pellets are concentrated alfalfa hay, which also increases the risk of colic.

Will alfalfa pellets make a horse hot?

Alfalfa hay will make a horse hot, or crazy. Not so, if fed appropriately. 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.

Will alfalfa pellets help a horse gain weight?

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.

Is timothy or alfalfa better for horses?

Generally speaking, grass hay such as Timothy has less nutrition than alfalfa, and that can be a good thing for a grazing animal. Remember that horses are supposed to nibble continuously for good digestion and general contentedness. For this reason, it is better for forage to be lower calorie and less rich.

How do you fatten up a senior horse?

Adding Weight on Thin Senior Horses

1. Feed 1% of a high-quality forage daily (based on body weight).
2. Offer a complete feed specifically designed for senior horses with higher digestible fiber at a minimum of 0.5% body weight.
3. Feed a senior horse more frequently, at least three times daily.

•3 Jul 2019

How much grain should I feed my senior horse?

Do not feed less than 0.6 pounds per 100 pounds body weight of Equine Senior® horse feed per day when fed with hay to meet minimum daily requirements of protein, vitamins and minerals.

Which is better for horses hay or alfalfa pellets?

Will alfalfa pellets put weight on 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.

What can I give my horse instead of alfalfa?

By removing the alfalfa hay and replacing it with a small amount of alfalfa pellets and split peas, the protein quality is improved while keeping the overall content close to the requirement. Alfalfa is often sprayed with buffered propionate (also known as propionic acid) to retard spoilage if baled during wet or humid conditions.

How long do you soak alfalfa pellets for a horse?

How long do you soak alfalfa pellets for horses? Soaked alfalfa cubes are easier to eat, and they contain more nutrients than grass hay. Before feeding an older horse, soak the cubes for 10 to 30 minutes, or until they’re soft and soupy.

What happens if a horse eats too much alfalfa?

Elevated insulin can create inflammation with the feet and the IR horse is particularly vulnerable because his insulin level is already elevated. It’s easy to overwhelm the horse with too much protein when feeding alfalfa hay because on average, alfalfa has more than twice the amount of protein as grasses.