Feeding alfalfa when it is cold

[Lynette Helgeson <helgeson@lansford.ndak.net>]

Maureen Mathisen wrote:
> 
> I have heard the stories about alfalfa hay for years too, but
> almost every person I know has the best luck with it--it's better than
> grain and they tolerate it well.  In winter, it is the ONLY feed which
> keeps weight on when it gets cold.Because I teach full-time, it is also

Got to argue with you there. We have 12 horses, ranging from weanlings
to 20 years old and we do not feed any alfalfa. My husband is totally
against feeding it to horses, he says it is a cattle feed, not a horse
feed. We live in North Dakota and it gets down to -20 to -30 F below
quite a bit and sometimes down to -40 F, (and sometimes the wind chill
can get down to -100 f below). We also can have a long winter which can
range from Oct. to June. And we feed the majority of our horses just
hay. And our horses stay fat. So fat that I have to ride the extra
weight off of them in the spring. The only ones that I grain in my
growing colts and my 20 year old. All the rest get just hay with no
alfalfa and no grain. And they not only keep their weight on they gain
weight. So know you know someone that has good luck with hay! :-)

Lynette 
today we are having a heat wave and it got up to 12 f above.