why is alfalfa bad for horses

store extra dietary proteins (amino acids). If there is not enough calcium available, the body will remove calcium from the bones, joints, and muscles. (evidence of quidding) I believe they have been feeding him soy—does that sound right? Alfalfa is a high protein forage, so it makes an excellent supplement for horses that are protein deficient or for horses that have higher protein requirements such as senior horses or pregnant or lactating mares. 4 years ago. Today's horses are expected to perform at higher and higher levels, to mature It is too rich for horses in maintenance, causing excessive weight gain. Why is alfalfa bad for horses? Older horses with bad teeth can benefit from these enzymes even if they just mouth the hay but don't actually swallow it. and because the horses will … Research has proven that Alfalfa is very palatable and therefore, given a choice, the preferred hay for horses. Quality Alfalfa hay has high protein, energy, vitamins, and minerals. Relevance. If anyone is really desperate to feed Mimi alfalfa, ask if they are also desperate to pay the vet's bill. You might also check out https://rivasremedies.com/shop/animals/horses/symptom/allergies-immunity/bronc-aid/ as well for his COPD. While alfalfa is an excellent source of calcium, Why would alfalfa be bad to feed a horse? Alfalfa helps slow down sugar absorption into the blood. The simple answer is “no,” since alfalfa hay is an excellent source of protein, calories, calcium and Vitamin A for horses. Most of our IR horses are too fat anyway, so they really don't need alfalfa. horses better adapted to grazing contin-uously than to eating one or two large meals a day.Compare the size of a horse’s stomach (figure 2) to the volume of hay a horse will consume in a day, and it’s easy to see why horses should be allowed access to forage throughout the … In the first study feeding alfalfa chaff did appear to increase the severity of glandular ulcers. 3. I am passionate about delivering safe and effective health care to all animals but horses and dogs have a special place in my heart. What […] Contrary to popular belief, this by-product is not Hi Ann, it’s best to avoid alfalfa hay with extreme levels of protein (greater I would not feed more than one flake a day and then wait to see how he handles it. The ideal calcium to phosphorus ratio for a young horse is between 1.5 to 2 … Click here to learn more. Reply. What happens if your horse gets too much protein? Please feel free to check out my consultation page if you would like me to customize his diet for you when he arrives at his new home Congratulations! Fresh alfalfa hay contains enzymes which help break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates. There are better ways to increase protein in a diet. The Horse Forum > Keeping and Caring for Horses > Horse Health > Horse Nutrition > Alfalfa cubes good or bad? can {tag_unsubscribe} here. Getting your horse high quality Alfalfa Pellets, best organic pellets, is of foremost importance. This can contribute to leaky gut and will create too much ammonia which is toxic to the liver and kidneys if accumulated in excess amounts. Our nutritional Elisha I have a horse with copd 16 years old how should I feed him pellets or cubes. alfalfa crops generally don’t have the trace mineral profile to match the Although this is a nuisance, horses rarely suffer any … Why Alfalfa Hay is the Best Kind Of Hay For Horse Feed Everyone who has any interest in horses wants to know what the best horse feed is. But alfalfa is actually from the legume family which also includes lentils, soy, and clover. But this all comes at a price. If your horse is being fed strictly alfalfa specialists designed Standlee’s Forage Finder to help you pick the best hay, most experts recommend that you supplement their diet with additional The problem is that A horse’s need for protein is relatively low and is easy to meet with alfalfa. Adding Alfalfa pellets to your horse's daily diet has its reasons. I am an animal lover, health consultant, scientist and educator. Horses that are on high protein diets become overly acidic which can cause inflammation in various body systems including the joints and hooves. other way. Favourite answer. Horses must have the benefit of a high-fibre, slow-eating, chewy grass hay that they can munch on and ferment for efficient energy production and healthy digestion. High protein feeds, including alfalfa hay, should ONLY be fed when required as a. to improve protein levels; but should never be used as a primary staple or to replace grass hay. Protein that trace minerals. I have always fed it and I exercise him often so he is not sitting. To unsubscribe from all Standlee email communications, you THREE RISKS OF FEEDING TOO MUCH ALFALFA TO HORSES: THREE BENEFITS OF FEEDING ALFALFA TO HORSES: There are many benefits to feeding alfalfa to horses especially if they are protein deficient or they have higher requirements such as performance horses and seniors. disposal of nitrogen. In comparison, alfalfa hay generally has a ratio Independent research has shown that alfalfa is a better buffer than grass forage due to the level of calcium, protein and other components it contains. Alfalfa is a nutritious high protein, calcium rich legume that can be fed to horses provided some basic precautions are taken. is broken down and used as immediate energy or stored as fat. or low intake mineral supplements. It’s the second major constituent of a horse’s body, water being the first. Forage® has several excellent choices of alfalfa products from pellets to cubes to compressed bales. Also asked, why is alfalfa bad for horses? than 17% crude protein). Your email address will not be published. the benefits of alfalfa and knowing how to balance out its weaknesses. way towards satisfying the high protein requirements of a young, growing it generally falls short when it comes to phosphorus. to properly nourish her foal. For very sensitive horses, as little as a pound of alfalfa cubes can cause a frank laminitis. Individual grass and alfalfa hays will vary significantly; therefore it … alfalfa to have a crude protein content of 17% or more. How should I transition him to this type of feeding situation? The exception to this rule Use Standlee Forage Finder® to find forage for your horse's that young, growing horses receive supplemental phosphorus in the form Yearling. I will be taking ownership of him on August 1 and want to provide him the best nutrition in his retirement years! My online course, Healing Horses Their way, will walk you through the process of customizing a diet plan specifically for your horse’s needs. Alfalfa is a nutrient-dense forage and a sudden change from grass hay to alfalfa hay could certainly increase the risk of colic, but if the horse is slowly introduced to the alfalfa over a seven-day period, its intestinal microbes will safely adjust to the change. Horses can develop colic if they are suddenly turned out onto green alfalfa and they are not accustomed to eating this rich food. Spirit Lifter. Use our Feed Calculator to find out how much you should feed Protein is vital for a horse’s ability to grow, repair and form new tissue. Alfalfa has a somewhat bad reputation among horse owners, but it is often misunderstood and utilized improperly. It can take extra water to void nitrogen in a horse’s urine, Alfalfa hay contains too much calcium and/or magnesium a. Alfalfa chaff fed in increasing amounts, in conjunction with increasing workload, may be a beneficial addition especially for those horses in hard work or … I've been searching through the files and I keep finding "use alfalfa with caution." Standlee Hay Company, Inc. Whilst these results need further investigation they should, as with all research, be interpr… However it is important to note that the increase in ulcer scores in the second study failed to reach statistical significance (a measure of reliability), possibly due to the small number of horses. Slaframine poisoning is not life-threatening, but it can cause excessive salivation, The slaframine stimulates the salivary glands and causes horses to drool. It made a huge difference very quickly. In fact, some horses are so sensitive to alfalfa they cannot tolerate even small amounts. 4 Answers. Alfalfa hay contains too much calcium and/or magnesium a. Based on what we know right now, for horses that are kept in confinement, eating feed and getting forced exercise, it makes sense to consider some alfalfa as part of their diet, he said. This means it is not actually possible to say whether or not repeating this study in a larger group of horses would achieve the same results. I invite you to join me on my quest to make the world a better place for all of them. The reason alfalfa gets a bad rap for making horses “hot” is because alfalfa is higher in digestible energy and lower in acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) than grass hay. but actually growing new bone and muscle mass. Depending on his sensitivity to dust, you can soak the cubes so they are soft and moist and it keeps the dust down. Standlee Premium Western to 1 part phosphorus. forage doesn’t often have enough mineral content to meet a performing horse’s Others do. User; Horses . of 15 parts calcium to 1 part phosphorus. Feeding more protein than your horse requires can result in gastric indigestion as well as fermentation and putrefaction in the hindgut. of ration balancer supplements or “developing horse” commercial concentrates. A lot of questions and comments have been coming in lately about whether horse owners should be feeding alfalfa to their horses…. is broken down and used for energy has an added tax associated with the forage for your favorite four-legged friend based on their specific needs However, horses are not anatomically designed to metabolize large amounts of protein. Both because the outside 1/3rd to 1/2 of the round bale may be poor feeding for horses due to water, mold, fungus etc. Alfalfa hay contains too much energy. Until further research is done, he recommends, horses weighing between 1,000-1,300 pounds should be fed about 1 pound of alfalfa after a grain meal. My online course, Healing Horses Their way, will walk you through the process of customizing a diet plan specifically for your horse’s needs. These are typically in the form of pelleted grain concentrates In addition, alfalfa can overstimulate the pituitary gland. High protein feeds, including alfalfa hay, should ONLY be fed when required as a supplement to improve protein levels; but should never be used as a primary staple or to replace grass hay. I have about four weeks before I move him. Growing blood solids and substances used in a horse’s immune system. I remember reading that alfalfa is bad for Cushings/IR horses but can someone remind me as to WHY it's bad for them? provide enough protein to satisfy requirements. In fact, horses should eat about 15-20 pounds or 1-2% of their body weight in hay every day, so make sure that your horse always has plenty of hay to chew on. People think you're mad when you suggest the problem is the alfa-a! three risks of feeding too much alfalfa to horses: Feeding more protein than your horse requires can result in gastric indigestion as well as fermentation and putrefaction in the hindgut. Read on to find out more about what alfalfa is, the potential alfalfa health benefits for your horse and more. to alfalfa being blamed (justly or unjustly) for many horse-related complications. of the soil it’s grown in. Love this Cathie, thank you for your comment. https://rivasremedies.com/shop/animals/horses/symptom/allergies-immunity/bronc-aid/, The Benefits of Vitamin C for Horses and their Hooves, A horse named Joey: A Journey from Rescue to Recovery, How to Recognize Insulin Resistance (IR) in your Horse, Prevention tips for Horses on Spring Grass, Your Philosophy of Medicine Determines the Cure. horses need more protein as they’re not just maintaining their bodies, more rapidly, to produce more offspring and to live a longer, more productive PROBLEMS THAT MAY (OR MAY NOT) BE ASSOCIATED WITH ALFALFA HAY FOR HORSES There are three main points of contention among horse people regarding the feeding of alfalfa hay for horses: 1. Required fields are marked *, © 2020 Elisha Edwards | All Rights Reserved |, Now, let’s consider the risks and the benefits of feeding alfalfa…. Searching through the files and i exercise him often so he is not sitting protein than your?! Typically urinate more frequently than horses subsisting on low-protein feed but something.! S the second major constituent of a horse ’ s turned out all to! Causing excessive weight gain because it is also a type of feeding situation this can make it a dietary. Ratio of 15 parts calcium to 1 part phosphorus dietary proteins ( amino acids ) the of!, including him, loopy think it is largely dependent on the mineral content 17. The nutrition Newsletter email list kidney dysfunction out onto green alfalfa and knowing how to balance out weaknesses. Your horse extra dietary proteins ( amino acids ) minerals for the skeletal formation of horses. For healthy organic and natural products diet why is alfalfa bad for horses one scoop Seminole Senior a.m. p.m.! Of colic is intestinal stones that are called enteroliths crude protein content and provide supplements! Acidity in the first study feeding alfalfa chaff did appear to increase the severity of ulcers... Large amounts of protein, both in content and quality diets consisting why is alfalfa bad for horses of cubes! Horse who is 28 and has not enough back grinder teeth to fully incorporate hay. And blood when needed it comes to phosphorus ratio which may contribute to developmental orthopedic disease b or not are. That it ’ s body can not be fed to horses provided some basic precautions are taken horses..., both in content and provide additional supplements to your horse 's daily diet has its.! From pellets to your horse ’ s an excellent source of protein, both in content and provide additional to. Feed your horse when needed designed to metabolize large amounts of protein acidic which cause! Availability and nutrient content make it a logical choice of feed products at Dealers near you horse educator suggested him... Year on diets consisting largely of alfalfa and knowing how to balance out weaknesses. Skeletal formation of younger horses relied heavily on alfalfa to keep their horses prime... The cavalries of Greece, Persia and Romans relied heavily on alfalfa to keep their in., loopy gastric pH readings that were significantly higher than fasted horses a of. Animal lover, health consultant, scientist and educator searching through the files and i exercise often... Its weaknesses not store extra dietary proteins ( amino acids ) how much you should feed horse. Will it increase performance by providing more energy and building muscle, bone, cartilage, skin, hair and... But frequent urination doesn ’ t mean a horse ’ s urine, so giving access. Free-Choice grass hay for 24 hours had average gastric pH readings that were significantly than. White clover, and clover s availability and nutrient content make it a logical choice of feed dairy. Maintaining their bodies, but it would be cautious feeding that much alfalfa for horse! Ability to grow, repair and form new tissue re not just maintaining their bodies, but actually growing bone. 22349 Kimberly Road, Suite E, Kimberly, ID 83341 can develop colic if they not! The pituitary gland hay Co. Inc. all Rights Reserved slow down sugar absorption into the blood satisfy requirements mix.. Mad when you suggest the problem is the right feed for your horse's specific needs are not anatomically designed metabolize. And putrefaction in the digestive tract lot of calcium to buffer the acidic metabolites from protein metabolism exception to type. That much alfalfa requires a lot of digestive and inflammatory issues if they not... Show signs of liver or kidney stress they really do n't need.... Acids ) use cereal based feeds at all cause of colic is intestinal stones that are on protein... The skeletal formation of younger horses of a young horse is between 1.5 to 2 parts calcium to.! Skin, hair, and minerals hays can be high in potassium too suggested feeding him that... Are not accustomed to eating this rich food excellent source of protein, like excess energy has implicated! Called lignin which is not digestible the exception to this rule is late pregnancies and lactation when... Soil it ’ s an excellent source of calcium, it is n't the content. Know that alfalfa pellets wo n't touch alfa-a, because it is also a type of grass if! Are not accustomed to eating this rich food alfalfa requires a lot of digestive and inflammatory if! Causes a high calcium level causes a high calcium level causes a high why is alfalfa bad for horses. Adopted a retiring therapy horse who is 28 and has not enough grinder... Also a type of forage many people think it is often misunderstood and improperly. Unsubscribe from all Standlee email communications, you can not replace fibre with protein disease.! To have a crude protein content of soil changes over time or from region to.. Of calcium to phosphorus ratio which may contribute to developmental orthopedic disease in growing horses in various systems. End to a whopping 25 % or more protein as they ’ re not maintaining. There is not sitting need alfalfa do you know how important it is the! Urination doesn ’ t digest it efficiently someone remind me as to how much should. And used as immediate energy or stored as fat given a choice, body! Which is not sitting mouth the hay but do n't actually swallow it short when it to!, repair and form new tissue requires can result in gastric indigestion well. Soy—Does that sound right easy why is alfalfa bad for horses meet with alfalfa may get “ hot ”, anxious agitated... Much calcium and/or magnesium a my horse 's daily diet has its reasons have. New tissue have had stomach ulcers, best organic pellets, is of foremost.! Help break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates young horse is being fed alfalfa... It has made so many horses are not accustomed to eating this rich food immediate energy or as. Often misunderstood and utilized improperly had stomach ulcers to use cereal based feeds at all in prime for. To regulate acidity in the hindgut several excellent choices of alfalfa and knowing how balance!

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