Deciding whether or not to feed horses alfalfa is a tough row to hoe for most farmers and horse owners. Many myths surround alfalfa’s use, and horse owners often underutilize or misuse it, even though it’s a high- quality horse feed.

Ultimately, alfalfa is preferred forage for horses because it digests easily, is high in fiber and contains many essential nutrients. It is characterized by high protein, phosphorus and calcium levels. A firm grasp of alfalfa myths and the truths behind them will ensure horse owners make informed decisions about what to feed their brood.

Is alfalfa too rich for my horse’s diet?
Alfalfa is an excellent source of protein that easily can be added to almost any horse’s feeding regimen. But the hay’s high protein level has led many owners to believe it is too nutrient-rich for their horses. In reality, alfalfa is lower in many nutrients than other fresh-growing pasture grasses which constitute the majority of most equine diets.

As with any feed, nutrient content of hay should be matched to the dietary needs of each horse. Protein is essential to tissue growth, generally at 8 to 10 percent in the diet of a healthy adult horse. Higher levels are important for broodmares and young, growing foals.

Both foals and broodmares can benefit from young alfalfa. Early maturity alfalfa is soft, leafy, palatable and highly rich in nutrients. As the plant matures, however, it grows thick and woody, and its nutritional value and palatability decrease.

Mid- to late-maturity alfalfa is more suitable for horses used for light recreation, and they can meet most of their nutrient requirements on a diet of this plant.

For adult horses, an alfalfa-grass mixture may prove to be the ideal solution. This combination provides a horse with all the nutrients of alfalfa while balancing calcium and protein intake to ensure the horse’s gut is filled with enough bulk.

Remember: The key to an equine diet is balancing bulk and nutrients. Horses eat for energy and digestive track health resulting from gut fill.

Can too much alfalfa cause bloat?
As myths go, the idea that alfalfa contributes to bloat in horses is inflated. It likely stems from the fact that alfalfa can cause bloat in cattle due to the layout of their intestinal tract. In cattle, micro-organisms in their rumen, or paunch, produce gas as they digest forages. Usually, cattle purge gas by burping up cud and re-chewing it. When alfalfa is ingested, froth develops that traps gas in the paunch. This leads to a bloated appearance.

Horses, on the other hand, don’t have the same intestinal layout. Once eaten, alfalfa passes through a horse’s stomach and small intestine where it’s partially broken down by enzymes and acids. There’s less chance for gas trapping in the large intestine because the plant is in this semi-digested state before it reaches the large intestine.

Still, experts say slowly integrating alfalfa into a horse’s diet helps prevent gastrointestinal problems.

Won’t my horse get kidney damage from consuming alfalfa?
There’s no evidence to suggest a moderate excess of protein is detrimental to equine health, even though alfalfa may provide more protein than healthy and low-activity horses need. Protein is composed of amino acids containing hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon. When horses eat more protein than they need, they burn up the hydrogen, oxygen and carbon as energy, and the excess nitrogen is excreted in urine.

Horses eating alfalfa or other high-protein diets typically urinate more frequently than horses subsisting on low-protein feed. But frequent urination doesn’t mean a horse’s kidneys will be damaged. Only if a horse has a pre-existing kidney disease will the high protein in alfalfa provoke kidney dysfunction.

In order to promote regular urination, provide continuous access to water so horses can flush excess nitrogen from the body. Horses fed alfalfa with only limited access to water may produce thick, brown urine, a sign the kidneys are not at optimal health. Also, if you notice excessive urine or an ammonia smell in your barn, you may want to cut back on alfalfa to decrease protein intake.

What about colic?
Most people don’t want to risk having a colicky horse, so when this rumor began, it stuck. Very few horse owners who believe this have ever experienced it. Still, some horses are predisposed to colic, especially obese ones. It’s probably wise to avoid feeding alfalfa to overweight animals.

Most feed-related cases of colic have resulted from feeding alfalfa incorrectly. It’s richer in protein and energy, and so it should be limit-fed. Alfalfa shouldn’t be a free choice food, but rather it should be offered to horses in a fixed amount. As alfalfa is higher in nutritional content, less alfalfa hay is required to meet a horse’s nutritional requirements. Horses provided too much alfalfa often will eat more than they need nutritionally to satisfy their need to fill their gut, which can result in obesity.

Switching abruptly from a mature-grass hay to an alfalfa hay diet can, however, cause colic in horses if they aren’t given time to adjust. When changing from low-quality to high-quality feed, the digestive system needs time to adapt. Slowly introducing alfalfa into a horse’s diet over a one- to two-week period may help prevent colic.

Isn’t alfalfa difficult to harvest?
Thanks to the latest advances in tedding, alfalfa actually can be harvested quickly and efficiently. Tedding speeds the curing process by fluffing hay and spreading it. Tedding also can shave off up to one day of the typical three- to five-day curing period.

Alfalfa can be sown in the spring or fall and grows best in well-drained soil. Tedding also is necessary for the first cut in the spring and last cut of the fall due to ground moisture. Tedding can sometimes be skipped in the summer, except during periods of high humidity and thunderstorms, which make tedding a necessity.

In most climates, alfalfa is cut three to four times a year, but yields vary regionally and with stage of maturity when cut. Total yields are usually 4 tons per acre, but have been recorded as high as 16 tons per acre. Later cuttings improve yield but reduce nutritional content.

Leaf loss is the biggest drawback of tedding alfalfa. If too much time passes between cutting and tedding, leaves can dry and break off. Leaf loss is minimal if tedding occurs within two hours after cutting.

Doesn’t alfalfa lose nutritional value after one year?
Take a look at the alfalfa in your barn. If it has been stored in a dry environment, it’s suitable for feeding for a long period of time after harvesting. Alfalfa’s nutritional value remains relatively constant whether a horse eats it two months or two years post-harvest.

Long-term storage does increase the dryness of hay in some instances. Dry hay tends to be more brittle, so more may be wasted during feeding. Hay that has been in storage for longer periods is more prone to dust, too. This is likely due to increased dryness.

It’s okay if alfalfa has a bit of mold on it, right?
The most important quality of alfalfa – or any other horse hay – is cleanliness. If alfalfa contains dust or mold, it probably will cause your horse to cough. A cough is neither normal nor insignificant, and it can lead to permanent lung damage.

Chronic lung damage, also known as “heaves,” will affect a horse’s ability to breathe normally and exercise. Further, if a horse is sensitized to dust or mold, it may react when clean alfalfa is fed. Moldy hay also may have other harmful health effects, so it’s important moldy hay is never served as part of equine cuisine. As long as you keep your alfalfa dust- and mold-free, it’s no more likely to make your horse cough than any other hay.

At the end of the day, incorporating alfalfa into the equine diet allows horse owners to customize their animals’ nutritional intake. Becoming educated about alfalfa and a horse’s overall dietary needs allows you to take the reins of your horse’s health.  FG

Dennis Skibo
President
Pequea Machine, Inc.