Alfalfa cubes

[Irish Hills Farm]

I was wondering how much, weight wise, of DRY alfalfa cubes can you feed? Yes, they will be soaked before being fed, but I figure it would be easier to give a weight if the cubes were measured dry.

Thanks!

 

[ruffian]

I don't remember exactly, but I followed what was on the bag. It was about 2 qt pitcher. Then added water to fill the pitcher. This is twice a day for the show horses.

 

[chandab]

Are you looking to replace hay completely or just supplement hay? I don't currently have alfalfa cubes in my feed room, but I seem to recall a basic formula of 1# cubes can replace 1.5-2# hay (less waste with the hay cubes and they are usually higher quality than grass hay).

 

[Warpony]

I feed 2% of their body weight measured dry, then soaked, every day. I split it into 2 or 3 feedings. They get other stuff too, though. (Mine are actually the alfalfa/timothy mix cubes when I can get them, but sometime all I can get is the plain alfalfa ones.)

 

[evedex]

I feed soaked cubes to my mare with respiratory problems....it has really helped. I weigh the dry cubes the same way I do hay...equal weight.

She is a tiny gal, just 29 inches and I give her 3/4 pound twice a day in the winter...along with grain. She seems to be doing fine on this and it has been about 1 year since we started.

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

I'm going to replace hay with the cubes.

I know a horse can have 1 lb of beet pulp a day, and that is 6 cups DRY for those wondering. She is getting that split between two meals.

Thank you all for the input.

 

[chandab]

I'm going to replace hay with the cubes.

I know a horse can have 1 lb of beet pulp a day, and that is 6 cups DRY for those wondering. She is getting that split between two meals.

Thank you all for the input.

If you are going to completely replace hay, then my personal preference, would be to get the alfalfa/timothy mix cubes (there are other mixes; I've seen alfalfa/orchardgrass, alfalfa/bermuda, alfalfa/oat, any would be a good mix). I prefer the mix, as the protein is lower and the vitamin/mineral composition can be more complimentary to horses (straight alfalfa is very high in calcium/low in phosphorus). Just something to consider. [if you feed straight alfalfa cubes with an alfalfa ration balancer, then it should be a big deal.]

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

Chanda,

You were right about the ratio - 1 lb. dry equals 1 1/2 lbs. loose hay.

As far as the phosphorus, she does get a good size handful of BOSS 2x's a day. And she is getting 1 lb. (dry) of beet pulp, soaked a day split between two meals. Oh and 1 lb. dry beet pulp is equal to 2 lbs. of loose hay.

Oh and she gets 2 cups of BTW, twice a day.

 

[chandab]

Chanda,

You were right about the ratio - 1 lb. dry equals 1 1/2 lbs. loose hay.

As far as the phosphorus, she does get a good size handful of BOSS 2x's a day. And she is getting 1 lb. (dry) of beet pulp, soaked a day split between two meals. Oh and 1 lb. dry beet pulp is equal to 2 lbs. of loose hay.

Oh and she gets 2 cups of BTW, twice a day.

If you weren't aware, beet pulp is also high in calcium, not as high as alfalfa; but it does have almost the same Calciumhosphorus ratio as alfalfa. So, you may still need to balance the ca ration in the diet. I don't know if the BOSS is enough to balance the beet pulp and alfalfa. You can balance the Ca in beet pulp with monosodium phosphate, at a rate of 1 tsp MS to 1# beet pulp. [i don't know how much to balance alfalfa.]

 

[Boinky]

ok..on average how much does a flake of hay usually weigh? LOL

I was told that many grains if fed with the alfalfa will balance it out.... .. true or false?

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

Chanda,

Yes I know that both alfalfa and beet pulp are high in calcium. I guess I should tell you that this is for a mare that is in foal and due within a month. So, I want to make sure I am meeting her calcium needs at this time.

Because of the drought this year, I had no choice but to buy hay that does contain some fescue. So, I'm playing it safe and have pulled her off that hay and have replaced it with the alfalfa & beet pulp. I have been working with Robin Cole on this too and she is an absolute angel. I just didn't know what the ratio of dry cubes to loose hay was.

I think I have all of my calculations worked out correctly and for now am feeding this mare at 2 + % of her body weight.

 

[chandab]

Chanda,

Yes I know that both alfalfa and beet pulp are high in calcium. I guess I should tell you that this is for a mare that is in foal and due within a month. So, I want to make sure I am meeting her calcium needs at this time.

Because of the drought this year, I had no choice but to buy hay that does contain some fescue. So, I'm playing it safe and have pulled her off that hay and have replaced it with the alfalfa & beet pulp. I have been working with Robin Cole on this too and she is an absolute angel. I just didn't know what the ratio of dry cubes to loose hay was.

I think I have all of my calculations worked out correctly and for now am feeding this mare at 2 + % of her body weight.

Cool. If you are working with Robin, she'd have let you know if you needed to add anything for your mare.