FAQ

Do you have to soak alfalfa pellets for horses

The pellets can be fed dry, but many horses prefer them to be soaked in water and fed as a mash. For young horses, old horses, and those with dental issues, soaking the pellets first may be a necessity. Horses can be sensitive to diet changes, so always make any diet change slowly.

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Can you feed alfalfa pellets to horses dry?

Alfalfa cubes can be fed dry, and your preference may even be to do so, since it reduces the mess a little bit: no alfalfa cube mash to have to clean from buckets, stall walls, and even the horse himself.

Do you add water to alfalfa pellets?

When feeding hay pellets, I do a ratio of 2:1, cold water to pellets. This works for alfalfa, timothy, or orchard grass pellets. Alfalfa pellets tend to be a bit drier (depending on the weather when and where they were made) so I soak them for 5 hours to get them to completely break down.

Can you feed a horse straight alfalfa pellets?

You can add alfalfa pellets or cubes to a grass hay diet for the same effect. Alfalfa is also suitable for horses prone to gastric ulcers, because the extra calcium acts as a buffer against stomach acid.

Do horse pellets need to be soaked?

Some say that without proper soaking, it will expand in a horse’s stomach and cause colic or ruptures. Others worry it might swell during mastication and cause choking. Even the manufacturer labels tend to recommend a minimum of 30 minutes soaking prior to feeding.

Can you feed alfalfa pellets without soaking?

The pellets can be fed dry, but many horses prefer them to be soaked in water and fed as a mash. For young horses, old horses, and those with dental issues, soaking the pellets first may be a necessity.

Will alfalfa pellets put weight on a horse?

Alfalfa is higher in calories and protein than grass hays, which makes it an excellent choice to help to add weight to a thin horse. If your horse tends to be wasteful with his hay, he may eat more when offered alfalfa hay cubes or pellets.

How do you feed a horse alfalfa pellets?

Usually 15-20 lbs per day of alfalfa or timothy pellets for a 1000# horse. pellets daily over 2-3 weeks. Put the pellets in a bucket, cover with warm water, and then dump them into a large muck bucket and feed immediately.

Can alfalfa pellets cause colic?

Any feed material can cause a digestive impaction if it is consumed rapidly. Many horses are safely fed diets consisting solely of alfalfa pellets without problems. However, poor quality alfalfa pellets or a rapid change to an alfalfa pellet diet can contribute to colic symptoms.

Is alfalfa hard on horses kidneys?

Alfalfa (lucerne) products, whether hay, cubes, or pellets, are not known to cause kidney problems in horses.

How long can alfalfa pellets soak?

I have found alfalfa pellets need to be soaked in between five and six hours to fully break down. In the winter months, I soak them overnight so they are ready to be fed the next day. However, this is not possible during the warmer months in Arizona due to pellets getting hot and molding while being soaked.

How much water do I put in horse pellets?

Wet your horse’s feed at a ratio of 2 parts feeds to 1 part water. This can increase the hydration status of your horse. 2. Offer a wet mash, every day, of soaked beet pulp shreds or pellets, timothy forage pellets or alfalfa forage pellets.

How much alfalfa should I feed my horse?

How much alfalfa hay do you feed a 1,200 pound horse and how often? Horses can normally eat 1.5-2% of their body weight in hay, which equates to 18-24 lbs. of hay per day. The quality of the hay will determine how much is needed and if supplemental grain should be added.

What happens if a horse eats too much alfalfa?

Excess protein, like excess energy has been implicated as a cause of developmental orthopedic disease in growing horses. 3. Alfalfa hay contains too much calcium and/or magnesium a. The high calcium level causes a high calcium:phosphorus ratio which may contribute to developmental orthopedic disease b.

Can alfalfa pellets cause laminitis?

Some people, though, just don’t want to feed alfalfa — they believe it causes laminitis. After years of working with horses, it appears that it may, in fact, lead to laminitis in some horses.

Does alfalfa cause colic in horses?

Rich alfalfa hay can also cause colic, so we recommend feeding a grass hay or grass/alfalfa mix. Changes in management or a horse’s routine can be stressful and contribute to colic risk as well. Water is also very important, as a horse with minimal exercise needs to drink 4-5 gallons a day to remain healthy.

How do I fatten up my skinny horse?

If you aren’t feeding any grain, try adding a grain product meant for working or performance horses. These grains will contain higher levels of protein and fat that will aid in body weight gain. … Not enough calories

  1. Rice bran.
  2. Flax seed.
  3. Vegetable oil.
  4. Dried granular fats.

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