Alfalfa Hay

[Team1roper]

Hello everyone
Yesterday I bought 4 big Alfalfa square bales and this will be the first time for me to feed alfalfa. I was looking for advice on how much alfalfa a horse or a cow should get once they have been started on the hay.
normally I feed coastal hay but that is hard to find right now at a good price.
The man that sold me the hay suggested I start with about 5 lbs a day per head but didn't suggest the final feeding ratio.
I would appreciate any advice

 

[Shelly]

Is it pure alfalfa? Only reason I'm asking, is I've always been told by my father-in-law who was around horses most of his life that you should NEVER feed pure alfalfa to horses.

 

[Team1roper]

The alfalfa is closer to pure than mixed

 

[Manitoba_Rancher]

I would start them out darn slow on it, we were feeding some pretty strong alfalfa hay to some horses this fall and lost one with colic.

 

[Team1roper]

what about the cattle how do they handle the alfalfa
My cattle are used to oats and bermuda grass and feed stuffs
any idea on what the max total poundage a day should be

 

[Mrs.Greg]

Like MR said start real slow with feeding to BOTH cattle and horses..its known as a hot feed.Cattle could bloat if over fed too much too soon.

 

[RoperAB]

Just gradually shift your horses over to the alfalfa and you should not have any troubles.
I feed my active horses all the free choice alfalfa they can eat. Its the only feed that will keep weight on them.
Hey make sure it has no blister beetle in it. I guess there is a lot of blister beetle in Texas? Anyway thats what I read in Bill Freemans book.
Also im in Alberta so this isnt really an issue for me but I have been lead to believe by reading that book of Bills that feeding straight alfalfa in hot climates isnt the best thing to do with horses because it aparently causes them to mind the heat more?

 

[RoperAB]

Like MR said start real slow with feeding to BOTH cattle and horses..its known as a hot feed.Cattle could bloat if over fed too much too soon.

If he is feeding baled hay to cattle he should not have any trouble with bloat.
Its only when the alfalfa is still on the field and not harvested that nitrogen can be a problem. Example in the mornings if you have a dew on the field the nitrogen will be way higher than what it would be later on in the afternoon.

 

[Mrs.Greg]

Like MR said start real slow with feeding to BOTH cattle and horses..its known as a hot feed.Cattle could bloat if over fed too much too soon.

If he is feeding baled hay to cattle he should not have any trouble with bloat.
Its only when the alfalfa is still on the field and not harvested that nitrogen can be a problem. Example in the mornings if you have a dew on the field the nitrogen will be way higher than what it would be later on in the afternoon.

Yes i realize that but was thinking about introducing a hot feed to animals not used to it may cause bloat,we've never lost one eating baled alfalfa but have a nieghbor that did.