alfalfa for horses: the high-quality hay for horses

The high-quality hayfor horses

A L F A L F A

Glenn E. Shewmaker University of Idaho Dan Undersander

University of WisconsinLaurie M. Lawrence

University of Kentucky Garry D. Lacefield

University of Kentucky

Alfalfa is often the pre-ferred forage for horsesbecause of its highquality, high digestibility,and good roughage

value. Well-preserved alfalfa hay shouldbe the foundation of a feeding programfor young growing horses, recreationalhorses, and active horses. This publica-tion describes the horse’s digestivesystem and nutritional needs and howto select alfalfa hay. It provides informa-tion on purchasing, storing, and feedingalfalfa hay; and uses science to discussmyths and realities of feeding horses.

The horse’s digestive system

Horses evolved as grazing animals.Compared to most other non-ruminant species, the horse has a

relatively small stomach, a normal-sizedsmall intestine, and an enlarged hind gut(figure 1). This arrangement makeshorses better adapted to grazing contin-uously than to eating one or two largemeals a day. Compare the size of a horse’sstomach (figure 2) to the volume of haya horse will consume in a day, and it’seasy to see why horses should be allowedaccess to forage throughout the day.

Food—especially forage—passes rela-tively rapidly through the stomach andsmall intestine, but can be retained formany hours in the hind gut (cecum). Thehind gut is populated by a diversemicrobial population that digests thefibrous components of hay and pasture.The horse’s digestive tract is generallynot as efficient at digesting fiber as thedigestive tract of a cow or sheep.However, for high-quality hays such asearly bloom alfalfa hay, the difference ismuch smaller than for lower quality hayssuch as late-maturity grass hays.

High-quality hay (or pasture) can be anexcellent source of nutrients for mostclasses of horses, and in most casesshould be the predominant type of feedin a horse’s diet. However, some classesof horses will require supplementationof their diet with a concentrate. A con-centrate feed can be a plain grain suchas oats or corn, or it can be a commer-cially manufactured mixture of grainsand other feed ingredients. Concentratefeeds are higher in energy than haybecause the cereal grains contain morenonstructural carbohydrates, especiallystarch.

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A L F A L F A

rectum

bladdercecum

spleen

stomach

esophagus

small intestine

colonliver

heart

trachea

Figure 1. The digestive tract and internal organs of the horse.

Figure 2. A model of a horse’s stomach from an 1100-lb horse shownnext to the daily ration (15 lb) of hay. Because of their relatively smallstomachs, horses are better adapted to eating forage all day longinstead of eating one or two large meals each day.

In horses, starch can be digested in thesmall intestine and absorbed as glucose.Research has demonstrated that whenlarge amounts of starch are fed, thecapacity of the small intestine to digestthe starch will be overloaded. The undi-gested starch is moved on to the largeintestine where it is fermented.Fermentation of starch in the large intes-tine is less energetically efficient thandigestion and absorption from the smallintestine. More importantly, fermenta-tion of excess starch in the large intes-tine can result in digestive problemssuch as diarrhea, colic, and, in severecases, founder.

When an 1100-lb horse consumes ameal containing more than 2.0–2.5 lb ofstarch, there is potential for some undi-gested starch to reach the large intes-tine. Cereal grains vary in starch content,so the actual amount of grain that canbe fed without starch by-passing to thelarge intestine will vary also. Corn cancontain 60–70% starch whereas oatscontain 45–55% starch. Many commer-cially manufactured feeds will have astarch content of 45–55%, althoughfeeds with lower amounts of starch arebecoming more available. If a horse isfed a concentrate containing 50% starch,the amount that could be fed in a singlemeal with minimal starch by-pass to thelarge intestine would be 4.4 lb. There-fore, when the daily concentrate intakeexceeds 10 lb, the concentrate should bedivided into three meals per day.

Meeting the nutritional needsof horses

Horse nutrient needs change withage and production state. Veryyoung horses usually require the

most nutrient-dense diets because theyare growing rapidly. The diets have to benutrient dense to meet the animal’s highnutrient requirements and limited intakecapacity. As horses age, diets that areless nutrient dense are usually required.Lactating mares and horses with strenu-ous physical activities have much higherrequirements than horses that are keptat maintenance or are used for lightrecreational riding.

Table 1 shows the approximate amountsof several nutrients required by horses indifferent physiological stages on a dailybasis. These values may need to beadjusted for specific horses, particularlyif they are exposed to unusually hot orcold weather. For some nutrients, theapproximate dietary concentrations are

also shown. These concentrations arebased on average expected feed intakesof the horses in each physiological class.

To accurately determine the appropriatedietary concentration for a nutrient, it isnecessary to know the feed intake of thehorse. For example, if a horse consumes25 lb of feed per day and it requires 2 lbof crude protein, then the feed mustcontain 8% crude protein (2 ÷ 25).However, if the horse only consumes 20lb of feed per day, then the feed mustcontain 10% crude protein to providethe needed crude protein each day.Most horses will consume at least 2 lb offeed (forage and concentrate, 90% drymatter) for every 100 lb of body weight.However, if very low-quality forage isfed, feed intake might be less.Conversely, if highly palatable feed isoffered, intake may increase. Somehorses, especially lactating mares andgrowing horses, may consume 3 lb offeed per 100 lb of body weight.

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T H E H I G H - Q U A L I T Y H A Y F O R H O R S E S

Class Digestible

of horse energy** Crude protein Calcium Phosphorus

Mcal/ lb/ % in g/ % in g/ % in day day diet day diet day diet

Recreational 20 1.8 10 25 0.30 18 0.20

Pregnant 20 1.9 11 37 0.45 28 0.35

Lactating 28 3.1 13 56 0.55 36 0.35

Weanling 16 1.9 14 35 0.70 20 0.40

Yearling 20 2.1 13 35 0.50 20 0.30

PerformanceModerate 26 2.2 11 32 0.35 24 0.25

Heavy 32 2.9 12 40 0.35 30 0.25

*Expressed as total daily intakes or dietary concentration on a 100% dry matter basis.

**Digestible energy = (gross energy of food) – (energy lost in feces)

Source: Adapted from NRC (1989) “Nutrient Requirements of Horses”

Table 1. Recommended nutrient intakes for horses with an expected mature body weight of 1100 lb.*

Typical dry matter intakes (per 100 lb ofbody weight) for horses are shown intable 2. Also shown are the amounts ofdry matter from forage and concentratein typical diets. Forage should be thecornerstone of horse diets, comprisingthe largest part of the dry matter intakeas a guard against energy-dense feedssuch as starch, to meet the need forlarge particle size for fiber requirement,and for continuous supply of nutrients.These guidelines for feed intake are bestapplied when mid-maturity forage isused. When early-maturity forage isused, the amount of concentrate in thediet can usually be reduced, whereaswhen late-maturity forage is used, moreconcentrate will be necessary.

Mature horses used forrecreational activitiesMany horses are used for recreation(which includes weekend riding, occa-sional showing, and similar activities)where the horse is exercised at a low tomoderate intensity for less than 5 hoursa week. In general, these horses have lowto moderate nutrient requirements andnutrient deficiencies are relatively rare.Typically, the biggest nutritionalproblem facing these horses is excessnutrient intake, especially calories, whichcan result in obesity.

Table 3 shows two diets using alfalfa haythat will meet, or slightly exceed, theneeds of a mature 1100-lb horse usedfor recreational riding. Both diets meetthe nutrient needs of the horse, butwhich diet is best? One considerationmight be cost. Another considerationmight be total feed intake. Total feedintake is highest when diet A is used. Thelower feed intake with diet B could bean advantage if you have a picky eater.However, diets with low feed intakesoften mean more idle time for thehorses (especially those confined installs or small paddocks) and increasedpotential for stall vices such as woodchewing. Because these diets use alfalfahay as the forage source, they providemore protein and calcium than arerequired for recreational horses. Mostnutritionists agree that exceeding theprotein and calcium requirements is notharmful for normal healthy horses.

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Total dry Forage Concentrate

Class of horse matter intake (lb) intake (lb) intake (lb)

Recreational 2.00–2.25 2.00–2.50 0.00–0.25

Pregnant (last trimester) 1.75–2.00 1.50–1.75 0.25–0.50

Lactating 2.25–2.75 1.50–2.25 0.50–1.25

Growing 2.25–2.75 1.50–2.00 0.75–1.25

Working 1.75–2.50 1.00–1.75 0.75–1.25

Source: Adapted from NRC (1989) “Nutrient Requirements of Horses”

Recreational horse* Lactating mare**

Diet A (lb) Diet B (lb) Diet A (lb) Diet B (lb)

Bud stage alfalfa hay 0 19 18 0

Full bloom alfalfa hay 24 0 0 8

Mature timothy hay 0 0 0 7

Commercial concentrate** 0 0 8 13

Salt Free choice Free choice Free choice Free choice

* Note that diet B for a recreational horse provides feed intake below 2 lb /100 lb of body weight.

** Using a typical commercial concentrate formulated for lactating mares containing at least14% CP, 0.9% Ca, 0.7% P, 30 ppm Cu, 80 ppm Zn, and 0.3 ppm Se.

Table 2. Expected dry matter intakes by horses (lb DM/100 lb of body weight).

Table 3. Example diets that meet the needs of recreational horses* (1100 lb)and lactating mares (1100 lb).

When good- to high-quality forages areoffered free choice, some recreationalhorses will get fat. These forages are notonly more digestible and more nutrientdense than later-maturity forages, theyare also usually more palatable, sohorses will eat more. An 1100-lb geldingoffered early (1⁄10 bloom) alfalfa hay freechoice might consume as much as 25 to30 lb per day! This would exceed hiscalorie requirements by about 50–60%and could result in a weight gain of 150to 200 lb in a year! To keep horses attheir ideal weight, it’s best to feed themlower-quality hay or limit their access tovery high-quality hay.

BroodmaresGood nutrition plays an important rolein reproductive efficiency and is a keycomponent of broodmare management.Broodmares in early gestation havenutrient requirements at, or just slightlyabove, maintenance, and may be feddiets similar to those recommended forrecreational horses. However, after about8 months of gestation their nutrientrequirements increase. If additionalnutrients are not available from the diet,mares will mobilize their own bodystores to meet the needs of fetal devel-opment. As shown in table 2, feed intakein pregnant mares may fall below 2 lbper 100 lb of body weight near the endof gestation. This reduction in feedintake may require an adjustment to thediet to ensure that nutrient needs aremet. Once a mare foals, her nutrientneeds increase greatly compared to ges-tation (table 1). Again, if nutrientdemand for milk production is not met,the mare will mobilize body stores.

Body condition (fatness) can affectreproductive efficiency in mares. A con-dition scoring system has been devel-oped for horses that scores horses from1 to 9, where 1 is an extremely thinhorse and 9 is an extremely fat horse.Horses in moderate body condition(condition score = 5) have ribs that arenot visible, but can be easily felt and areeasier to breed than mares with bodycondition scores below 5. Mares with abody condition score of 6 have a reserveof fat that can be used if the weatherturns cold or if they are unable toconsume enough feed to meet theirrequirements in late gestation or lacta-tion. There is no advantage to havingextremely fat mares.

Table 3 shows two diets for lactatingmares with differing hay maturity. Notethat as the nutrient content of theforage decreases from bud alfalfa to fullbloom alfalfa and timothy, it is necessaryto feed more concentrate, and in somecases it is necessary to feed a highly for-tified concentrate. Depending upon thecost of the hay and the grain, one dietmay be much more economical thananother. When concentrate portionsexceed 10 lb per day, divide and feed itin three separate meals to minimizehealth problems.

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Figure 3. This mare is in moderate body condition (score = 5).Mares thinner than this are more difficult to breed.

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A L F A L F A

Growing horsesNutritional programs for growing horsesfocus on promoting steady, even growthand optimal skeletal development.Nutrient deficiencies and imbalancescan result in developmental orthopedicdiseases that may affect the ability of ahorse to perform as an athlete. Mostfoals will start to eat solid food shortlyafter birth and will be able to consumeenough forage and concentrate to meettheir nutrient needs at weaning, whichusually occurs around 4 to 6 months ofage. Young horses should be fed high-quality forage, which is high indigestibility and nutrient density tomeet the needs for tissue growth.

Average daily gains for horses at 6, 12,and 18 months of age would beexpected to be about 1.5–2.0 lb/day,0.75–1.0 lb/day and 0.5–0.75 lb/day,respectively. As foals age, their rate ofgrowth slows, although most horsescontinue to grow through their first 2years. Table 4 shows typical feedingprograms for weanlings and yearlings,based on dry matter intakes of2.25–2.75% of body weight. The dietsshown use alfalfa hay. One of thebenefits of using high-quality alfalfa is areduced need for concentrate in thediet. If a grass hay is used, then the needfor concentrate is usually increased, andthe concentrate must contain high levelsof protein.

Performance horsesNutrient needs of performance horsesare affected by the type and duration ofthe exercise they perform. Exercise burnsup calories, so meeting energy needs is aprimary concern. Race horses and horsesthat work for several hours a day mayhave calorie requirements that are twiceas high as a horse at maintenance. Table5 shows some example diets that meetthe needs of performance horses. Notethat when mature grass hay is used, thehorse must consume more concentrateto meet its energy needs. Feedinghigher-quality hay and less grain shouldlower the potential for colic or otherdigestive disorders.

Moderate work Intense work


1⁄10 bloom alfalfa hay 0 5–6 0 7–9

Full bloom alfalfa hay 16–18 0 15–18 0

Mature timothy hay 0 10–12 0 6–8

Commercial concentrate** 7–8 8–10 11–13 12–14


* Usually the higher amount of hay will be fed with the lower amount of concentrate. When dailyconcentrate intakes exceed 10 lb, the concentrate should be divided into three separate meals.

** Using a commercially manufactured concentrate feed formulated for performance horses thatcontains approximately 12% CP, 0.7% Ca, 0.5% P, 20 ppm Cu, 60 ppm Zn, and 0.3 ppm Se.

Table 5. Example diets that meet the nutrient needs of horses (1100 lb) performing moderate and intense work.*

Weanlings Yearlings


1⁄10 bloom alfalfa hay 6–8 0 9–15 0

Full bloom alfalfa hay 0 5–7 0 10–14

Commercial concentrate** 6–9 7–9 6–9 7–10


Expected daily feed intake 14–15 11–13 18–24 18–24

Body weight 475–600 475–600 600–880 600–880

* Based on dry matter intakes of 2.25–2.75 lb/100 lb of body weight. In most cases, the loweramount of forage will be fed with the higher amount of concentrate. As horses grow, the amount offorage in the diet is usually increased. These diets will produce a moderate rate of growth.

** Using a typical commercial concentrate formulated for growing horses containing at least14% CP, 0.9% Ca, 0.7% P, 30 ppm Cu, 80 ppm Zn, and 0.3 ppm Se.

Table 4. Example diets that meet the nutrient needs of weanlings and yearlingswith an expected mature body weight of 1100 lb.*

Some horse owners have concernsabout the level of protein and calciumpresent in high-quality alfalfa hay. Thereis no research evidence that high-protein diets hurt performance. Whenalfalfa hay is used, the amount of proteinin the concentrate fed for performancehorses can be as low as 10 or 12%.However, if a low-quality grass hay is fed,a higher level of protein in the concen-trate will be necessary.

Owners and trainers of horses used forracing, three-day eventing, and otherstrenuous activities often report thathorses do not eat enough to maintaintheir body weight. A key to increasingfeed intake in these horses is to use palat-able feeds. High-quality hay is more palat-able than low-quality hay. As shown infigure 4, the dry matter intake of horsesfed high-quality alfalfa (34.1% NDF) isconsiderably higher than for horses fedmedium-quality Matua bromegrass(61.4% NDF) or low-quality timothy haywith seed heads (74.4% NDF).

Adding some legume hay (alfalfa or redclover) to a horse’s diet of grass hay andconcentrate may also increase total hayintake, as shown in figure 5. When horseshad access to the legume hay for 1 hour,they consumed approximately 4.5 lb ofthe legume and then consumed 16.5 lbof timothy during the remainder of theday. When only timothy was available,timothy intake was the same (16.5lb/day). By adding the 4.5 lb of legumehay, total digestible energy intake of thehorses was increased by about 4–5 Mcal(thousands of calories) per day. For aperformance horse, this would comprisea 12–15% increase in daily digestibleenergy intake. Another way to look atthe addition of some legume to the dietwould be to evaluate how much con-centrate it could replace. In this case, theadded legume hay could replace about3 lb of concentrate.

Alfalfa: An ideallegume hay

Alfalfa is the most important foragelegume grown in the United States.It is the most widely adapted peren-

nial forage legume. It has the highestyield potential and the highest feedingvalue of all adapted forage legumes.Alfalfa is a versatile plant that can beused as a high-quality feed for horsesand livestock, as a soil improver, and forhuman consumption (sprouts, etc.).

Alfalfa and/or alfalfa–grass hay is themost important hay in the U.S. horseindustry. Although predominantly fed asbaled hay, it can also be fed as choppedhay, cubes, or pellets. It is palatable andthe hay of preference for horses. Qualityalfalfa hay has high protein, energy,vitamins, and minerals. Alfalfa is highlydigestible and usually contains more cellsolubles, less cellulose and hemicellu-lose, higher protein, lower fiber, andhigher relative feed value (RFV) thangrass (figure 6).

Alfalfa is also considered an ideal horsehay because of availability. It is the onlyforage that is produced and sold inevery state.

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Figure 4. Horses eat more alfalfa than grass hay.Source: Voluntary intake of three hays adapted from Guay et al., 2002.

Figure 5. Horses consume more forage when legumes areincluded in the diet.Source: Cassill, unpublished data.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Matua brome Alfalfa Timothy

dry

ma

tte

r in

tak

e (

lb)

CP = 15.5% NDF = 61.4%

24.9% 34.1%

4.1% 74.4%

0

5

10

15

20

25

ha

y in

tak

e (

lb)

timothylegume

Diet 1 Diet 2

How stage ofgrowth affectsforage quality

Of all the factors affecting quality ofalfalfa hay for horses, the stage ofmaturity at harvest is the most

important and the one where manage-ment decisions can have the greatestimpact. As the alfalfa plant matures fromthe vegetative stage to flowering, theamount of fiber increases, while crudeprotein and digestibility (TDN) decrease(table 6). Early cut alfalfa hay is also morepalatable and is consumed in largerquantities. This hay is usually leafier andhas finer stems, which results in bettertexture (softer to the touch).

Classification ofalfalfa hay

Forage quality represents the total ofthe plant constituents that influencea horse’s consumption and use of

the feed. Forage testing is done toestimate the quality for livestock. Hayclassification is based on fiber compo-nents, an estimate of energy content,and crude protein. Forage should betested so it can be allocated to theproper class of livestock. Purchased hayshould be selected based on the qualityyour horse needs and price. Typically, theseller is responsible for sending haysamples to a laboratory for testing. (For acurrent list of certified laboratories, visitthe National Forage Testing Associationweb site at www.foragetesting.org.)

Physical characteristics of high-quality hayLeafiness — High-quality hay contains ahigh percentage of leaves. Leavesprovide 50–75% of the digestible matter,75% of the protein, and 90% of thecarotene (relates to vitamin A content)found in hay. Any leaf loss reduces thenutritive value of hay.

Color — A bright-green color indicatesproper curing and high carotenecontent and usually indicates theabsence of weathering, mold, dust, orheat damage. However, color may bedeceiving and overrated. In general,color is more important to the personwho is buying-selling-feeding than it isto the horse, as the horse is color blindand cannot distinguish green frombrown.

Foreign material — Weeds and otherforeign material (wire, dirt, rocks, sticks,insects) lower the palatability andfeeding value of the hay. The presence ofblister beetles indicates a high probabil-ity of the toxin cantharidin, which is verydangerous to horses.

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A L F A L F A

Maturity TDN (%) CP (%) ADF (%)

Pre-bud 65 21.7 28

Bud 62 19.9 31

1⁄10 bloom 58 17.2 34

1⁄2 bloom 56 16.0 38

Full bloom 54 15.0 40

Mature 52 13.6 42

Abbreviations: TDN = total digestible nutrients,CP = crude protein, ADF = acid detergent fiber. All valuesare expressed on a dry matter basis.

Source: Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle, NationalAcademy of Science, Publ. 1349.

cellulose 26%

ADL lignin 9%

hemicellulose 11%

cell solubles 54%

cellulose 29%

ADL lignin 5%

hemicellulose 27%

cell solubles 39%

Table 6. Change in alfalfa quality with advancingplant maturity.

Figure 6. Mid-bloom alfalfa has higher forage quality than early-bloom orchardgrass.Source: Neal Martin, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center.

Mid-bloom alfalfa

RFV 125—35% ADF, 46% NDF RFV 125—34% ADF, 61% NDF

Early-bloom orchardgrass

Odor and condition — Odors in hay,such as musty or rotten odors, indicatelower hay quality that is more objection-able to horses than to other livestock.These odors result from storage of haythat is too moist or weather damaged.Dust also reduces hay value.

Forage quality terms and definitionsLaboratories analyze forages bychemical analyses or near infraredreflectance (NIRS) methods. A forage testtypically includes measurements ofmoisture, crude protein, acid detergentfiber, neutral detergent fiber, and totaldigestible nutrients. Each term is definedbelow:

Moisture — Hay moisture content isimportant because the higher themoisture content, the lower the drymatter and nutrient contents per poundof feed. A high moisture content (above15%) increases the likelihood of molddamage during storage.

Crude protein (CP) — Determined bymeasuring the nitrogen content of thesample and multiplying by 6.25, sinceprotein in forages contains about 16%nitrogen. The general quality of hay isclosely associated with crude protein,and both are related to stage of maturityand leafiness.

Acid detergent fiber (ADF) — ADF isthe percentage of highly indigestibleplant material present in the forage. Itcontains cellulose, lignin, and silica. ADFis a useful predictor of energy anddigestibility of forages. Low ADF valuesmean higher energy value anddigestibility, therefore low ADF valuesare desirable.

Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) — NDFrepresents all of the structural or cellwall material in the forage. NDF is par-tially available to animals. NDF is closelyrelated to animal intake of the forage: asNDF increases, intake decreases. LikeADF, low NDF values are desirable.

Total digestible nutrients (TDN) —TDN represents the total of all digestiblenutrients in the forage. It may be thesum of measured quantities or less accu-rately estimated from ADF.

Alfalfa products

Alfalfa is harvested, stored, and fed tohorses in many package sizes andshapes: hay in small, medium, and

large rectangular bales; round bales;stacks; cubes; pellets; and haylage/silage.

Small rectangular bales — Balesweighing 40–80 pounds are readilyavailable, conveniently sized, and easy tohandle. Most horse owners prefer smallrectangular bales that can be easilydivided into individual portions (flakes).Price per ton for small rectangular balesis usually higher due to the extra timeand labor involved in harvesting andincreased transportation costs.

Large hay bales (round and rectangular) — These bales generallyweigh over 500 lb each and offer costsavings for horse owners. The reducedlabor of large package haying equip-ment for making various size rectangularand round bales and stacks have greatlyincreased the availability of these typesof bales. One of the drawbacks to largebales is that they do require equipmentto move.

Round bales (figure 7) are not recom-mended for horses. They are difficult tobreak apart or unroll by hand. Allowinghorses to feed on the entire balewithout a feeder can mean up to 40%waste. Further, large round bales that arestored outside have much higheramounts of mold and dust along with ageneral “low quality” reputation.

Large rectangular bales are becomingvery popular in the commercial hayindustry and will likely become morereadily available than small rectangularbales. They can be efficiently moved andstored and break apart into 30–40 lbflakes for feeding.

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Figure 7. Up to 40% of the hay will go to waste if round bales are notplaced in a feeder.

Cubes — Alfalfa cubes (approximately11⁄2 inches x 2 inches) are made fromcoarsely chopped alfalfa hay. They aresimilar to long-stem hay in digestibleenergy, crude protein, calcium, andphosphorus levels. Though more expen-sive than hay, cubes offer the benefits ofbeing less dusty, easily handled andtransported, requiring less storage spacethan hay, and less waste because ofreduced selectivity. However, it is impor-tant to control the amount fed toprevent horses from developing diges-tive disorders or becoming overweight.When cubes are the major source offeed, horses are more likely to developstall vices such as wood chewing.

Pellets — Like cubes, pellets are madefrom chopped hay, although they aremore firmly ground and pressed intosmaller units (usually around 3⁄16 to 1⁄2

inches in diameter). Alfalfa pellets can bean excellent source of nutrients and arebest used to supplement lower-qualityhay and to extend short hay supplies.They should never be fed as the solesource. Some long-stem hay is necessaryto reduce the incidence of wood chewing.Incidence of gastric rupture from exces-sive intake has been reported. In addition,some horses have choked on pellets byeating too fast. Horses should be closelymonitored when feeding pellets. Pelletsare more expensive than hay.

Silage/haylage — Silage/haylage isplant material that has been fermentedin a silo or plastic bags or wraps. Anexcellent feed for horses, its use in theUnited States has been limited due toavailability, difficulty in handling, lowquality, problems with mold andammonia, and tradition. Introduction ofbaleage has caused some producers toreconsider, but it is presently not used toany extent within the industry.

Differences in cuttings

Which cutting of alfalfa or alfalfa-grass should I buy? This is acommon question among horse

owners. To address this question, wemust first recognize that there is morevariation in quality within cuttings thanamong cuttings. First cutting is often dis-criminated against because rainyweather frequently delays harvest andinterferes with curing, so that plants areat a more-advanced stage of maturityand the resulting hay is lower quality.Also, it is not uncommon to have moreundesirable weeds in the first cutting.Second and later cuttings may be ableto be cut on time and have better hay-making weather; however, weather-related problems can occur on anycutting.

The most important question to ask isnot “which cutting?” but what was thestage of maturity when harvested, arethere any undesirable weeds, and whatis the quality analysis?

Preservatives

Preservatives (organic acids, yeastcultures, enzymes, etc.) have longbeen used to permit baling alfalfa

hay at higher moistures to prevent moldgrowth. Organic acids, with the mostcommon being buffered propionic acid,have proven effective in preserving haycontaining up to approximately 25%moisture. Research has shown that,where horses were offered a choice,acid-treated hay was not as palatable asuntreated; however, after a short condi-tioning period, horses will consumeacid-treated hay. Limited research hasshown that acid-treated hay is safe forhorses as long as no mold or dust ispresent.

Blister beetles

Blister beetles (ash gray, black,margined, and striped) contain can-tharidin, a toxin that can irritate and

blister internal and external bodytissues. As few as 25 beetles consumedby a small horse may kill it, while largerhorses may suffer serious internaldamage. Blister beetles are a seriousproblem in the South and West and areoccasionally a problem in the UpperMidwest. Beetles typically clustertogether and therefore may affect only afew bales from a field. Blister beetlestend to be more of a problem in latesummer than in spring or early summer.The beetles are more likely to be presentduring years when large numbers ofgrasshoppers occur because the larvalstages of blister beetles develop ongrasshopper eggs.

Blister beetles are attracted to floweringplants and weeds. Therefore, harvestingalfalfa before it flowers will help tominimize beetle populations in the hay.Also, avoid conditioning hay as thecrushed beetles remain toxic. Hay har-vested without conditioning allowsbeetles to crawl off onto the ground.Certified blister-beetle-free hay is avail-able in some areas.

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Figure 8. Blister beetles in hay can causesevere internal damage and death.

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Purchasing andtransporting hay

Most of the problems relating tobuying and selling hay stem frompoor communication between

the buyer and seller. The hay buyershould have a clear understanding ofwhat kind of hay they wish to buy andshould clearly communicate this to theseller. Traditionally, few horse ownershave used a hay test or asked for specificprotein and energy levels. Lacking thisobjective analysis, it is not uncommonfor a load of hay to be rejected at thebarn because of difference in “percep-tion” between buyer and seller on whatconstitutes high quality, early cut, green,leafy hay. In addition, terms such as dust-free, mold-free, weed-free, and free ofinsect damage, dirt, spoilage, and otherforeign material are subjective since allhay has these factors to some extent.Poor communication during thepurchase may readily lead to frustration,loss of sale, and loss of a hay supply.

We have observed that better communi-cation exists when: 1) there is a hay test,and 2) both parties know and under-stand hay test report results.

Horse owners need to decide how muchhay they need (refer to table 2). Thestorage available will determine whetheryou can purchase your entire hay needsat one time or make several purchases atdifferent times as storage spacebecomes available.

One area of buyer-seller communicationproblems concerns bale weight. Horseseat hay by the pound, not by the bale. Toensure that you have enough hay foryour horses, it’s critical to buy baled haybased on total weight rather than onnumber of bales. Otherwise, you mayfind yourself needing to buy additionalhay much sooner than expected.

Many sources of hay are available—indi-vidual producers, hay brokers anddealers, feed and seed stores, hay associ-ations, auctions, and the internet. Eachsource can supply quality hay at fairprices. Conversely, problems can existwith any source. Rely on sources thatprovide a quality product, fair prices,consistent supply, and proven trackrecord.

Hay storage

Storage of alfalfa hay in a barn or hayshed is the best option to preservethe quality. Covering bales with vinyl

or plastic tarps is next best. Tarps mustbe firmly tied down and edges set outfrom the stack to allow water to dripaway from the stack. Store bales wherewater will drain away from the stack.Place bales on a crushed-rock pad, woodpallets, or tires to break the contactbetween the hay and the soil orconcrete. Moisture from the ground canruin as much hay as leaving the topuncovered.

Feeding hay

Before feeding, inspect hay for dust,mold, or other contaminants. Moldyhay should never be fed to horses as

they may develop a respiratory allergy tothe hay. The most severe form of thisproblem is referred to as chronic obstruc-tive pulmonary disease, or heaves. Horseswith heaves suffer permanent lungdamage. These horses are usually unableto be exercised and thus are not usefulfor many physical activities. Symptoms ofheaves (coughing, difficulty breathing)may be minimized by controlling dustand mold in a horse’s environment. Threecommon management techniquesinclude good ventilation, soaking hay inwater to prevent dust, and using haycubes instead of long hay as a foragesource.

Hay may be fed in racks or tubs, or it maybe placed on the ground. Putting hay ina rack or a tub usually reduces waste,especially when groups of horses are fedtogether. When hay is fed on the groundto a group of horses, 20–40% of the haymay be wasted. Waste will be greaterwith late-maturity grass hay that is low inpalatability. When alfalfa is fed on theground, leaf loss may be high. This is sig-nificant because the leaves contain themost nutrients. When using hayracks or

mangers, be sure they allow enoughspace for all horses in an enclosure to eatcomfortably at the same time. If there isinadequate space, some horses will beexcluded or injuries may occur as theycompete for space. The rack or mangershould be placed in a location thatallows safe and easy access for horsesand humans. Hay racks that tip overeasily are unsafe, as are feeding devicesthat horses can jump into (such as somecattle feeders). Hay feeders must becleaned regularly to prevent the buildupof material that can mold when wet.

Large round bales may be used forhorses under some circumstances.Unless they are placed in a feeder, theamount of waste from a round bale maybe relatively high (up to 40%). Largeround bales that have been storedunder cover are safe to feed if they aremold free. Bales that have been storedoutside may be used if the outer,weather damaged layer is first removed.Twine or netting must also be removed.Round bales are most effective forfeeding large groups of horses wherethe hay is consumed rapidly. Roundbales that stay in the paddock forseveral days are likely to become wetand moldy.

When hay is fed in pasture or paddockto several horses at the same time, it ishelpful to group horses by physiologicalstate. This will allow the appropriatematching of the nutrient needs of thehorses to the amount and quality offorage offered. For example, if a 600-lbidle pony and a 1200-lb pregnant mareare allowed access to the same hay, it islikely that either the pony will beoverfed or the pregnant mare will beunderfed. In most situations, very high-quality alfalfa hay should not be fed freechoice. Because it is highly palatable andnutrient dense, free access often resultsin obesity in horses with moderate tolow nutrient requirements (most horseskept for recreational purposes). A betterhay choice for these horses would be fullbloom alfalfa hay or an alfalfa-grass mix.

Myths and realitiesMyth: The excess protein in alfalfa hay

will damage the kidneys.

Reality: Normal healthy horses canmetabolize and excrete the extraprotein in alfalfa hay withoutdamaging their kidneys. However,horses consuming high-protein dietsmay drink more water and producemore urine as part of the normalexcretion process. All horses shouldhave access to clean water at alltimes.

Myth: Alfalfa is too rich for horses.

Reality: As with any feed, the nutrientcontent of hay should be matched tothe nutrient needs of the horse. Early-maturity alfalfa hay is very nutrientdense and is suitable for mares andgrowing horses. If fed to recreationalhorses, the intake of early-maturityalfalfa hay must be restricted. Late-maturity alfalfa hay is less nutrientdense and is suitable for horses withlower nutrient requirements.

Myth: The calcium content of alfalfa istoo high, especially for younggrowing horses.

Reality: Calcium has been fed at morethan five times the requirementwithout detrimental effects, providedthe phosphorus level is adequate.

Myth: Alfalfa makes horses cough.

Reality: Any hay (alfalfa or grass) thatcontains dust or mold may make ahorse cough. Horses should onlyreceive hay that is free of dust and

mold. Ventilation in the feeding areacan greatly reduce the effect of dustin hay on horses.

Myth: Preservative-treated hay isn’t safefor horses.

Reality: Most preservatives applied tohorse hay contain organic acids thatare the same as those found in thehorse’s gastrointestinal tract.Application of preservatives helpsproduce mold-free hay. Initially, somehorses may prefer hay without pre-servative, but if they are not given achoice, horses will consume thesame amount of preservative-treatedand non-treated hay.

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National Alfalfa Alliance100 N. Fruitland, Suite BKennewick, WA 99336509-585-6798www.alfalfa.org

Horse photos on front and back pages: Phil Schofield, University of Idaho

alfalfa for horses: the high-quality hay for horses

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