RnRJack - 2017-01-16 1:11 PM I'm constantly in this argument with people, I have always fed my horses alfalfa as their primary source of hay, from yearlings to geriatrics's and have never noticed a difference from ones on straight Bermuda that went to alfalfa. I have a colt that I was told not to feed alfalfa to because it will make him hot or buck.... he is a poor drinker so I give him the Bermuda hay with a bucket of alfalfa cubes so he gets some water intake. I would really like to feed him straight alfalfa with my whole oat program but now I'm skeptic..... anyone?

Vickie - 2017-01-16 4:28 PM  Chew on some yourself and see what happens. 

Southtxponygirl - 2017-01-16 5:36 PM


I have never chewed on alfalfa myself, so what happens if you chew on it? 

Bear - 2017-01-16 5:48 PM I tried that once. I got gas pains that lasted a little while. After that, someone said something funny and I laughed real hard and I pooped my pants a little.

winwillows - 2017-01-16 6:18 PM

Here is what happens.
Most people know that grass hays are higher in starches and sugars than alfalfa. So it would stand to reason that you would get more excitability from straight grass hay than from alfalfa. But, grass hay has a faster transit time through the hind gut than alfalfa does. As a result, it is not typically as well digested as alfalfa. This means that a certain amount of that starch and sugar will not be digested in the short time it is in the hind gut, and will pass through to end up on the ground. My prior research has shown that adding alfalfa to a grass hay diet slows the hind gut allowing more time for the grass hays ( and it's starch and sugars )to be digested. So, in this case the grass hay, not the alfalfa is the source of excitability. It was just not being digested well before.
So, if this is the case, why does this not happen in every horse? If the grass hay is the only high starch and sugar source, most horses will tolerate the added NSC without a significantly noticeable change in behavior. However, if you are adding an additional grain based concentrate, the combination of the two sources of starches and sugars can be enough to create a problem. In effect, the increased efficiency caused by the addition of alfalfa means that a higher percentage of the total NSC being fed is absorbed. The result in this case can be a hot horse.
I have often taken grain based feeds out of the diet, and replaced it pound for pound of quality alfalfa hay or alfalfa cubes. There is less difference in calories than you might think, and the roughage based calories found in the alfalfa source is lower in NSC, safer and fits more naturally in the horses digestive system. If additional calories are needed I uses RG or SRB or a combination depending on hay quality to hit usable energy levels without significantly changing the total amount of NSC in the diet. Hope this helps.
Win

Bear - 2017-01-16 5:48 PM


I tried that once. I got gas pains that lasted a little while. After that, someone said something funny and I laughed real hard and I pooped my pants a little.

RnRJack - 2017-01-16 8:17 PM


This was very informative thank you, makes sense, so I AM feeding Bermuda hay and alfalfa so should I just switch to one or another? My plan was to take him off the 14% fat and 12% textured feed he's on and switch him back to whole oats like I did before. Is this a better idea then having the quality feed with high fat and protein content? With the whole oats I also supplement a daily vitamin, beet pulp, coco soya oil, ground flax.

winwillows - 2017-01-16 6:18 PM

Here is what happens.
Most people know that grass hays are higher in starches and sugars than alfalfa. So it would stand to reason that you would get more excitability from straight grass hay than from alfalfa. But, grass hay has a faster transit time through the hind gut than alfalfa does. As a result, it is not typically as well digested as alfalfa. This means that a certain amount of that starch and sugar will not be digested in the short time it is in the hind gut, and will pass through to end up on the ground. My prior research has shown that adding alfalfa to a grass hay diet slows the hind gut allowing more time for the grass hays ( and it's starch and sugars )to be digested. So, in this case the grass hay, not the alfalfa is the source of excitability. It was just not being digested well before.
So, if this is the case, why does this not happen in every horse? If the grass hay is the only high starch and sugar source, most horses will tolerate the added NSC without a significantly noticeable change in behavior. However, if you are adding an additional grain based concentrate, the combination of the two sources of starches and sugars can be enough to create a problem. In effect, the increased efficiency caused by the addition of alfalfa means that a higher percentage of the total NSC being fed is absorbed. The result in this case can be a hot horse.
I have often taken grain based feeds out of the diet, and replaced it pound for pound of quality alfalfa hay or alfalfa cubes. There is less difference in calories than you might think, and the roughage based calories found in the alfalfa source is lower in NSC, safer and fits more naturally in the horses digestive system. If additional calories are needed I uses RG or SRB or a combination depending on hay quality to hit usable energy levels without significantly changing the total amount of NSC in the diet. Hope this helps.
Win

RidenFly - 2017-01-17 4:10 AM

I noticed alfalfa giving extra energy to horses that were naturally hot anyway. its probably a non issue if you're regularly riding your horse.  But I believe it is a case by case basis, and call me crazy, but our summers here are over a hundred degrees and susperstition, instincts or whatever you want to call it, I don't feed anything but grass when its that hot outside, and I keep alfalfa to a minimum when I know the higher energy horses aren't going to be ridden much.  Just my own quirky ways ? I guess, but I also feed extra during colder days/nights so the feeding helps keep a horse's body working and warm. 

?No one else mentioned the weather part of the consideration, and now I'm wondering if I'm the only one that changes feed due tot he weather. LOL

Bear - 2017-01-16 5:48 PM I tried that once. I got gas pains that lasted a little while. After that, someone said something funny and I laughed real hard and I pooped my pants a little.