Alfalfa pellets

[Marsha Cassada]

I got a bag of pellets, as I'm out of alfalfa hay for a while. The bag has no directions for how much to feed. What amount does anyone here feed who uses this product?

 

[dalvers63]

a lot can depend on brand. I THINK a lb of pellets = 1lb of hay but I'd look on the website to confirm. I feed Haystacks special blend and my mini get 1 c twice a day along with 2.5lb of hay.

 

[chandab]

pellets and cubes can replace baled hay pound for pound. So, if you feed 1# of hay you feed one pound of pellets; you might be able to feed a little less, as there is no waste with pellets, but could be some waste with hay.
Are they getting grass hay in addition to the alfalfa hay?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

pellets and cubes can replace baled hay pound for pound. So, if you feed 1# of hay you feed one pound of pellets; you might be able to feed a little less, as there is no waste with pellets, but could be some waste with hay.
Are they getting grass hay in addition to the alfalfa hay?

I offer them grass hay but they are on pasture right now, until things green up. I just looked at the bag I bought and it has a bunch of minierals added. I don't want that so I need to look for another brand. Does Standlees have extra stuff in it?

 

[Cayuse]

Pretty sure Standlee alfalfa pellets have nothing added. I fed the Standlee timothy pellets for quite awhile and they had nothing added. I think the ingredients would be listed if you look it up on the Tractor Supply website. My pony loved the Standlee bagged hay bales and ate it like candy but he was allergic to something in it :-(.

 

[chandab]

I offer them grass hay but they are on pasture right now, until things green up. I just looked at the bag I bought and it has a bunch of minierals added. I don't want that so I need to look for another brand. Does Standlees have extra stuff in it?

No Standlee does not have anything extra added, perhaps some bentonite as a binder, but no vit/min.
What brand did you get with added minerals?

 

[LostandFound]

I feed some. I try to soak them though, they are very hard and I have heard they can choke on them.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

The brand is something my local feed store carries. The horses gobbled them up! I will look for Standlees when I go to a larger feed store. It's been a long time since I weighed their alfalfa portion so I can't remember. I need to get more scientific about this.

 

[candycar]

Standlee pellets weigh 4oz per cup. Most pellets I've tried weigh about the same per cup.

 

[Willow Flats]

I use the Standlee pellets for Rocko which I get at Tractor Supply here. The nice thing about soaking it is that it adds weight to it so it is really filling. I just cover it with the water and leave it sit till it is no longer sloppy. He loves it.

 

[LostandFound]

If you are going to go by weight, would you use the before water or after water weight?

 

[Willow Flats]

If you are going to go by weight, would you use the before water or after water weight?

Before which is the actual weight of the food they are getting. The water is just a bonus.

 

[chandab]

Most pelleted feeds and forages I've weighed have been about 5oz per cups, so roughly 3 cups per pound. This is just a drop in the bucket for the feeds I've weighed and kept track of. If anyone is interested in the pictures I took of several feeds with weights for various volumes, I can share them here.

 

[Becmar]

Small pellets are not bad. I feed cubes at one time (un-soaked) and had a horse almost die. It got stuck in his throat. With the vet on the phone over an hour away.. I put a hose up his mouth until the cube dissolved (as the are pretty fast) and blow out his nose. Was the scariest thing!!!!

Always soak and break them up. DO NOT feed the large pellets and if you can soak the pellets overnight that is better if they are soft.

 

[MaryFlora]

I feed pellets, Marsha, along with an equine senior pelleted feed. The minis get a total of 1.5# (a 50/50 split) twice a day for a total of 3# daily, plus free access to upland grass hay.

Now that Spring seems to be sauntering in, I will slowly cut back to their summer ration which is 1# twice a day plus hay and limited pasture.

My youngest mini, Tinker, is 16 with the remaining three ranging from 20 - 24.