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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
 
Location: Oklahoma | I'm thinking about putting my horses on free choice alfalfa once they finish up this Bermuda grass bale. The gelding at home is getting 3-4 flakes a day right now and the other gelding is already on free choice while he's away tredding. They both just looks so much better when on straight alfalfa and I could probably even take the older gelding off feed completely. Would it be economical (aka not wasteful) to put a 3x3x8 sized bale in a round bale feeder? It would be completely covered from the elements. How do you feed the big bales? |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 306
Location: Albany, Georgia | Following...I'm thinking of doing the same. |
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  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
  
Location: Riding Crackhead. | We put up good quality alfalfa that is very rich. I won't/can't put them on it free choice or I'd have sick horses. |
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 That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| We do it with some of our horses. We have a square ton bale feeder and put it around the bale of hay to hold it in. In the middle of winter when we are a bit wetter we will put a tarp on it and only uncover one end, to protect from moisture. But they eat it fast enough that it isn't really a big deal. Lots of people around here do it. |
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 Party Girl
Posts: 12293
Location: Buffalo, Wyoming | We usually feed free choice alfalfa. If we cannot get a big bale in a feeder will fork off as much as we can and just put more in as needed. My horses have and always will be in on alfalfa, they look so much better. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| You might have to pop the strings on the big square to fit it all in the round feeder - but it is not a big deal.
My horses were on free choice alfalfa when I was in college - they lived in the dry lot herd bull pen with the ranch horses, and yes, they were fat, sassy, and looked great. |
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 Swiffer PIcker Upper
Posts: 4015
Location: Four Corners Colorado | I've fed free choice alfalfa off and on for almost 20 years without much of a problem just make sure you get a mineral for it. Buckeye makes one.
Also introduce it slowly, I always set it up so I can pen them off of it when we first start, I let them eat for longer and longer periods of time till I can leave them 12 hours without anyone looking bloaty. |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Thanks everyone! Will it go bad sitting out for an extended period of time (as in a month or longer)? It wouldn't get rained on, but it does get pretty humid on some some days. Since grass is growing right now that's what they prefer, but until we get more grass fenced off they'll have their little lot ate down pretty quickly... is a big bale just too much for two? |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | We can be wet here in the Hill Country of TX so I don't put out a 3X3X8 bale if I know thats going to be the case. I will pull off the large flakes and throw them to the horses and goats that way. I wasn't to fond of messing with the big bales in the past. Now they seem to work way easier for us. I can even break the large flake in half and push it into my super sized hay bags.
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