Re: Feeding Alfalfa

[Susan Evans Garlinghouse <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Hi Gail,

I've had good luck with the consistency and quality of the grass
(bermuda) hays available here in So Cal, and prefer it to the grain hays
primarily because my horses will waste alot of the grain hay, but clean
up the bermuda.  Since in my area (I'm out in San Dimas almost into San
Bernadino county), grass and grain hays cost the same, it works out
cheaper to feed the hay that gets wasted less.  Also, I prefer the
nutritional profile of bermuda a bit better than the grain hays.  And
lastly, when I've tried to feed grain hays in the past, I've had some
problems with consistent quality---one load will be lovely, the next not
much better than straw.

However, if you can get good grain hay in your area, then the ration
you're feeding sounds fine, although you might consider cutting down the
alfalfa from 50/50 to about 25% alfalfa and 75% grain hay.  Even poor
quality alfalfa is higher in protein than the grain hay and is still
pretty excessive in calcium.  Yup, the horses love it because of the
protein---protein tastes good, so they gobble it up even though it's not
always the optimal diet for them.

Good luck!

Susan G

Gail Fuhrman wrote:
> 
> Hi Susan,
> 
> I always enjoy your posts.  I was wondering what you would consider a good
> diet for horses in So. Cal.  I live in Malibu and feed alfalfa with
> multi-grain hay, half and half--Alfalfa PM and Grain Hay AM.  I supplement
> with beet pulp.  I have an old retired Thoroughbred that I give all
> Alfalfa, but the others get the half & half treatment, and they are used
> for NATRC and Endurance.  What do you think of the grass hays now being
> sold?  My current alfalfa is really poor quality but the grain hay is good.
>  I can see, though, that the horses seem to prefer alfalfa, or consider it
> a treat.
> 
> Thanks for your help.  Gail