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  Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
   
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | Where is it safe to buy alfalfa from? Anyone know? Thanks. |
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 Party Girl
Posts: 12293
Location: Buffalo, Wyoming | I would say the less humid climates. They usually come out when there is a lot of moisture. Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Utah you should be pretty safe. |
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Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | There's someone trying to sell some from Arkansas and I thought that was one of the dangerous states, but wasn't 100% sure. |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
| Yes, the high country western states irrigated alfalfa cannot be beat! I've never seen any bug whatsoever in this hay. A few rocks, but I get those in my more locally cut hay too. A small western bale is usually in the 75 lb range, and the bales I get are only medium at 130-150 lbs. Then they have the big bales at I don't know what weight, but prob half ton-ish.
I swear this stuff is to horses what hot fudge sundae's (with protein powder and super vitamin supplment added) is to us humans - they gain weight just looking at it!
There are some big outfits in those states that send this stuff world wide, so I bet there is at least one retailer in LA. |
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Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | lonely va barrelxr - 2014-02-25 10:13 AM Yes, the high country western states irrigated alfalfa cannot be beat! I've never seen any bug whatsoever in this hay. A few rocks, but I get those in my more locally cut hay too. A small western bale is usually in the 75 lb range, and the bales I get are only medium at 130-150 lbs. Then they have the big bales at I don't know what weight, but prob half ton-ish.
I swear this stuff is to horses what hot fudge sundae's (with protein powder and super vitamin supplment added) is to us humans - they gain weight just looking at it!
There are some big outfits in those states that send this stuff world wide, so I bet there is at least one retailer in LA.
I'm wearing my pot socks today and it makes me smile everytime I think of them :)
I think I'll pass on the Arkansas deal. Thanks. |
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 Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | Just buy UNCRIMPED alfalfa and you're safe. Blister beetles only like the live plant. Once it's cut and dry they will vacate it. The danger in the crimped hay is the the beetle is killed in the crimping process and thus, cannot leave and is baled with the hay and potentially ingested. |
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 Canine Carryout Queen
Location: Oklahoma | Uncrimped hay is much safer ... however just because its not crimped doesnt mean its safe. We bale our own hay and dont crimp. Its safe until about june (1st cutting or so) after that ... when the grass hoppers come out, so do the beetles. Anything baled during the summer has bugs in it -- crimped or not. The beetles live off of the grass hopper larvae. so a great chance if you have grass hoppers you have blister beetles too.
I never know why people say Colorado alfalfa is safe ... and I do know a lot of people get CO alfalfa hauled in ... but I also know a handful of people who have had horses get BB poisoning and die off of CO alfalfa.
There are a ton of articles online if you do a search :) |
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Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | How about Wisconsin? Is Wisconsin safe? |
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Canine Carryout Queen
Location: Oklahoma | LRQHS - 2014-02-25 10:36 AM How about Wisconsin? Is Wisconsin safe?
Ive never heard of any up north .. Iowa, Wisconsin, MN, etc :) |
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Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | Runnin < C > - 2014-02-25 10:44 AM LRQHS - 2014-02-25 10:36 AM How about Wisconsin? Is Wisconsin safe? Ive never heard of any up north .. Iowa, Wisconsin, MN, etc :)
Blister beetles or alfalfa??? |
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 Water Weight Barbie
Posts: 6829
Location: Oz, Kansas | I always try to buy the first cutting, if not, then I will buy it only if they spray it. I buy from a friend who I trust that also sells his hay to my vet. I would be leary buying from a stranger in a high infested state. |
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Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
| LRQHS - 2014-02-25 10:46 AM Runnin < C > - 2014-02-25 10:44 AM LRQHS - 2014-02-25 10:36 AM How about Wisconsin? Is Wisconsin safe? Ive never heard of any up north .. Iowa, Wisconsin, MN, etc :)
I'm sure they cut alfalfa just about everywhere. I don't know that I'd pay a premium price and freight for anything other than western alfalfa tho. You have to buy such a large quantity to make it worth the fuel charges, then if it isn't what you were hoping for, or there are beetles, you'd be sol.
Google McCracken Hay Company, or western alfalfa for sale, and see what you find.
You know it's true that if it's sounds too good that there's something black and gunky somewhere in the deal. |
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 Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | I got some really good hay from South Dakota. |
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Canine Carryout Queen
Location: Oklahoma | LRQHS - 2014-02-25 10:46 AM Runnin < C > - 2014-02-25 10:44 AM LRQHS - 2014-02-25 10:36 AM How about Wisconsin? Is Wisconsin safe? Ive never heard of any up north .. Iowa, Wisconsin, MN, etc :)
Lol Beetles. Theres plenty of alfalfa up north :) |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| Runnin < C > - 2014-02-25 10:30 AM
Uncrimped hay is much safer ... however just because its not crimped doesnt mean its safe. We bale our own hay and dont crimp. Its safe until about june (1st cutting or so) after that ... when the grass hoppers come out, so do the beetles. Anything baled during the summer has bugs in it -- crimped or not. The beetles live off of the grass hopper larvae. so a great chance if you have grass hoppers you have blister beetles too.
I never know why people say Colorado alfalfa is safe ... and I do know a lot of people get CO alfalfa hauled in ... but I also know a handful of people who have had horses get BB poisoning and die off of CO alfalfa.
There are a ton of articles online if you do a search :)
The eastern side of Colorado is about like Kansas and OK. You have to buy your alfalfa from the Western Slope or high elevation to avoid the bugs. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3104
Location: Arkansas | Definitely don't buy alfalfa from Arkansas.
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 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | LRQHS - 2014-02-25 10:46 AM Runnin < C > - 2014-02-25 10:44 AM LRQHS - 2014-02-25 10:36 AM How about Wisconsin? Is Wisconsin safe? Ive never heard of any up north .. Iowa, Wisconsin, MN, etc :)
SD alfalfa is good stuff. Its too dammmmm cold for those little buggers. |
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 The best bad guy on the internet
Posts: 3519
Location: Arizona | AZ has no blister beetles...not even sure what those are. LOL. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 915
Location: SE KS | LRQHS - 2014-02-25 10:11 AM
There's someone trying to sell some from Arkansas and I thought that was one of the dangerous states, but wasn't 100% sure.
As far as I know yes, that is a danger state. I'm in SE KS & around here you get the 1st cutting n that's it for horses. They talk like from the northern climates you can do a 2nd cutting
But I don't touch the stuff either way, Bermuda works just as good!!
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | lhighquality - 2014-02-25 3:19 PM LRQHS - 2014-02-25 10:11 AM There's someone trying to sell some from Arkansas and I thought that was one of the dangerous states, but wasn't 100% sure. As far as I know yes, that is a danger state. I'm in SE KS & around here you get the 1st cutting n that's it for horses. They talk like from the northern climates you can do a 2nd cutting But I don't touch the stuff either way, Bermuda works just as good!!
I feed 1st thru 3rd cuttings with no problems. That is if we're lucky enough for a 3rd cutting. |
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