Alfalfa Pellets

[mydaddysjag]

So, Im starting conditioning the horses, and tweaking the feed program a little. Domingo is currently on Nutrena sweet feed mixed with oats, and grass hay, and currently probiotics since we just got him home a few days ago. I'm going to give him some time to settle in, then I'd like to change his feed program around. Nutrena just isn't readily available in my area, I found one place that will order it for me, but it's an hour away. I have stores close to me that sell Purina, Blue Seal, and of course tractor supply who carry Dumor.

I have previously had good results with the minis on Strategy and grass/alfalfa mix hay. What's hard is I board my horses, and having my own stash of hay doesn't usually work. Other horse owners want to give their horse a flake or two of hay as a treat, and end up using my nice alfalfa hay. We've even went through having my hay in a different place than the regular hay and it still comes up short. Sometimes different people feed hay at night, and they don't know what's what and just use whatever hay is open....

I've done soaked alfalfa cubes before, and the grass hay at the barn so it worked out like a grass/alfalfa mix, but honestly I don't like feeding the cubes. I try to make everything as simple as possible for the barn owner, as she gives me a good deal on board ($50 a month per horse)

I haven't used alfalfa pellets, but was wondering if any brands are small enough that they don't need soaked to be fed? This would be ideal for me as I could pre measure them and just put them in the ziplock bags with the grain that I pre measure for each meal.

Actually, if you have any pictures of alfalfa pellets I would love if you could post them so I could see the size. I'm just afraid im going to purchase a bag and not want to use them, then be stuck with them.

 

[kaykay]

we feed alfalfa pellets and love them. Ours are very small they kinda look like rabbit food size. I never soak them and have never had anyone have trouble eating them. I mix it with their pelleted feed

Kay

 

[Becky]

I've been feeding alfalfa pellets for around 20 years as the main staple of my horses' diet. They are 1/4" inch pellets and that's what you can ask for at your feed store. They do not have to be soaked and are the same size as most of your pelleted feeds.

 

[Genie]

Reble feeds alfalfa cubes so she may be able to share her experiences.

 

[Charlotte]

We use the 1/4" alfalfa pellets too. Just one thing to consider, if the alf pellets are your primary source of fiber the horse still needs more 'chewing time'. So for his mental well being give him some hay to chew on too....a high quality grass hay would be my recommendation.

Charlotte

 

[Leeana]

Keep in mind strategy does have some alfalfa in their pellets already (i dont think enough to make a huge difference though), my hay is mostly alfalfa anyway so i do not feed the extra hay source but i know the brand of alfalfa pellets that TSC carry they are larger pellets.

 

[Tenltraining]

You can use some pellets but I firmly agree with Charlotte that the horses still need some hay. Horses were made to chew long stemmed roughage, (Hay or grass) so they do need a little of that too to help their digestive system. You dont have to feed a lot of it on your show horse but horses do need hay twice daily anyway. They digest their grain better if they have hay in their diet. I would not mix oats with your commercial grain as you are messing with the vitamins and minerals and by mixing your feeds you are not going to be accurate on what they get that way. Oats are more of a starch but not much on the vitamins and minerals. So just stick to a commercial feed like the strategy. If he is a bit heavy just cut his feed back 10% at a time and see how he does. Feeding a bit of Alfalfa pellets will raise his protein too, but most horses love them and they are good for them. With a little hay added heck be a happy horse! Laura

 

[mydaddysjag]

I was defiantly still going to give him regular grass hay to munch. I just can't do grass/alfalfa mixed regular hay, for my previously mentioned reasons. What I wanted to do was give him the regular grass hay, then figure out how much alfalfa pellets he needs, then just bag them in with his grain. That way although I cant feed a grass alfalfa mix hay, he is still getting alfalfa in his diet (just wouldn't be his loose hay)

I'm defiantly switching him over to strategy once hes settled in a little more. Probably going to start switching him gradually next week. I just wanted to keep him on his previous diet for a week or so to try to prevent digestive upsets while he was settling in.

 

[Connie P]

Here is your photo of Alfalfa Pellets!

 

[mydaddysjag]

ConnieP, that's the size I'm looking for. Do you know what brand they are?

Also, he had previously been getting 1/2 flake of second cutting alfalfa mix hay. Right now hes getting 1/2 flake of 1st cutting grass hay, mainly because the hay supplier where I board ran out, and they had to purchase off of two places to get enough for winter. Long fiasco, but the second cutting hay for spring/summer is supposed to be there this week.

Like I said before, its just impossible to keep actual grass/alfalfa mix baled hay just for my horses, so I'm going to have to feed some of the grass hay they supply, then add some alfalfa pellets.

If he is used to getting 1/2 flake alfalfa mix hay how many lbs of alfalfa pellets should he be getting?

And yes, hes starting switching to strategy by monday.

 

[midnight star stables]

How much of these pellets do you feed? Like 50% of that horses' hay ration? How much would the average be - 1 cup, 1/2 a pound, what? - and for what size of horse are you feeding?

If he is used to getting 1/2 flake alfalfa mix hay how many lbs of alfalfa pellets should he be getting?

Ditto!

 

[mydaddysjag]

Any input on if I'm feeding Strategy and 1/2 flake of second cutting hay, how much alfalfa pellets I should add to the diet to balance it as if Im feeding a alfalfa/grass mix hay?

 

[mydaddysjag]

Anyone?

 

[Alex]

I would do half and half. So if you were feeding 1/2 lb flake it would now be 1/4 lb grass hay 1/4 lb alfalfa pellets.