Does anyone feed alfalfa hay in your horses diet? If you do, what kind of horse and what do you do with your horse? Is it more for performance horses or growing horses or broodmares? I only have a easy keeper morgan right now that I worry about getting cushings so I don't think I would dare feed her this. I bought the land so I can establish a small morgan breeding farm – but should I reseed this with a different crop?
(I just bought an existing farm with 15 acres in established alfalfa hay with minimal grass mixed in)
I can get it tested by a deparment of some sort right? Do I mail it in somewhere or Cooperative Extention?

I like half alfalfa half grass. When I go to straight alfalfa however I shoot for lower RFV (relative food value) ratings than the top qualtiy. Top qualtiy has RFV's ranging from 150 to 250. These are a little too hot for a horse not used to it. However I can get alfalfa with a little sunbleaching with RFV's closer to 100 or even a little lower. I stay with low RFV's due to sunbleaching and not mold or excess stemminess.

I have never had any trouble with feeding this alfalfa. The only trouble I have ever had was a pregnant mare who coliced when the only alfalfa I could get (In fact the only hay I could get that year) had RFV's in the 120's. I saved my mare but she rolled on my leg and I missed a day of work because of it.

BTW

In some parts of the country you must watch the blisterbugs in alfalfa. They can kill a horse pretty fast. My supplier gets his hay from Nebraska (northern part) where it is just north of the bugs' range.

Filed under: alfalfa hay

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