alfalfa pellets

[blob99]

My barn is no longer feeding alfalfa.

One of my horses is a large pony with a high metabolism (he’s not one that puts on weight super easily) and a sensitive system (can get gassy). I had found a good balance with him to keep weight on tummy happy by feeding him limited grain and adding additional calories through alfalfa.

With alfalfa no longer an option, I’d like to supplement him with additional calories through forage if possible. I would love to give beet pulp or cubes, but my barn won’t soak anything. So, I was thinking pellets might be an option? But I’m wondering if those might also need to be soaked? I’ve seen pellets given soaked and unsoaked, but I’ve never used them for one of my horses and don’t know a lot about them.

He’s on 12 hours of pasture a day and has unlimited coastal hay both in pasture (though there’s plenty of grass) and in his stall. So he is still getting plenty of long stem forage–just not something as calorie or protein dense as the alfalfa.

[skipollo]

I’ve given my horse alfalfa pellets unsoaked, and he did fine with them. I used the Standlee brand mostly. I tried another brand once from a different feed store, but they were kind of dusty/powdery? The Standlee pellets were never dusty, and he never had a problem eating them.

[JB]

I’m not sure if the pellets you’re referring to are alfalfa or beet pulp

If alf, then assuming he has no trouble chewing things, unsoaked alf pellets are fine. MOST of them are relatively soft, similar to most pelleted feeds. So you’d just need to make sure the ones you can get are like that.

If you’re referring to beep pellets, those things are hard and need to be not just soaked, but longer than shreds.

[BayBondGirl]

I’ve fed alfalfa pellets for a long while, but maresy would happily eat herself sick on alfalfa hay and doesn’t really like the pellets. She tolerates them at best, because for a while it was all she got, and more recently we just dump them in with the soaked BP (her fave). Ours are also very dusty, but that’s not an issue when they are moistened by the BP. She was entirely uninterested in the cubes.

[TB2trk]

I use Standlee pellets as well. Their products are always clean. I soak mine but maybe you could top dress with rice bran oil? Always so frustrating when barns are less than accommodating…

[NaturallyHappy]

I agree, Standlee are clean and softer than many others. I have horses who will eat those, but not others.

[blob99]

Thanks, all–I will look into the standlee pellets and hopefully my guy will eat them. He did once lick bute out of a feed tray before I could add any grain to it–so something tells me he may not be a very picky eater!

@JB yes, I meant alfalfa pellets! I definitely don’t plan to feed BP pellets (or shreds) dry.

[mmeqcenter]

I’ve fed alfalfa pellets dry many times before with no issues.

[trubandloki]

Just going to repeat what has been said - if your horse has no problem with pelleted feed of the same size and texture then you should be fine feeding alfalfa pellets.

I have not found Standlee pellets to be guaranteed to be dust free. They are my typical buy and the last two bags I have bought (different times) have both been very dusty.
I think it is just the luck of the draw, sometimes you get the processing crumbles and sometimes you do not.
Heck, I once had a bag of the Purina Nicker Maker treats that was more treat dust than whole treats.

[carman_liz]

Standlee is amazing, and usually has coupons you can stack with tractor supply emailed discounts. Would it be more cost effective to buy your own alfalfa to mix with his regular hay, or top his grain with oil or a cool calories supplement though?

[BayBondGirl]

@blob99

He did once lick bute out of a feed tray before I could add any grain to it–so something tells me he may not be a very picky eater!

Can you please have him reach out to my mare via webinar for a session on this :lol: For one that’s so food motivated, she sure can be picky when it’s meal time!

[sparkygrace]

For years I have feed my ponies or horses alfalfa pellets mixed with a small amount of rice bran making sure to keep the calcium/phosphorus levels balanced. I normally don’t soak them. I don’t feed anything with oats or corn. Along with good quality hay and their supplements, they thrive and have gleaming coats. None of my horses or ponies have had a problem eating them, in fact, they come running when it’s time to eat.

[mmeqcenter]

@carman_liz

Would it be more cost effective to buy your own alfalfa to mix with his regular hay, or top his grain with oil or a cool calories supplement though?

Depending on location, bagged alfalfa pellets/cubes can be significantly cheaper than bales of alfalfa. If OP’s horse is getting coastal hay, there’s a good chance they’re in one of those locations, like here in Florida. 50-lb alfalfa cubes = $13-15. 50-lb alfalfa bale = $23+

[JB]

@sparkygrace

For years I have feed my ponies or horses alfalfa pellets mixed with a small amount of rice bran making sure to keep the calcium/phosphorus levels balanced. I.

If you feed mostly or all grass forage, they are often low in Ca, so the additional Ca from the alf is a good thing. Adding Phos is only good if the grass is also low in it, which is not as common, but can happen

[blob99]

@carman_liz

Standlee is amazing, and usually has coupons you can stack with tractor supply emailed discounts. Would it be more cost effective to buy your own alfalfa to mix with his regular hay, or top his grain with oil or a cool calories supplement though?

I haven’t looked into the price breakdown. But, also the barn won’t feed different hay. I could feed it myself, but I’m not out there every day. I don’t think oil alone would make up for the calories I’d like to make up, but maybe cool calories or something like that could if he doesn’t take to the pellets

[carman_liz]

@blob99

I haven’t looked into the price breakdown. But, also the barn won’t feed different hay. I could feed it myself, but I’m not out there every day. I don’t think oil alone would make up for the calories I’d like to make up, but maybe cool calories or something like that could if he doesn’t take to the pellets

Forage is always more important than grain IMO, is he losing weight with the different hay? If not you may just want to give it some time. Also does his pasture have good grass coming in on top of the hay he gets in the field? Alfalfa has a higher protein which if he does not need the excess protein, if he drops lbs a timothy pellet or additional hay in his stall may help.

What type of grain is he getting and how much? Again higher protein and more nsc may make him slightly more energetic and burn thru more calories than if he was on a lower protein/nsc feed and hay.

Finally does he get 1 or 2 buckets of water in his stall and does he drink all of it? You could always say with the second bucket, please only fill it a quarter up and dump his pellets in it when he eats. A timothy or mix pellet will break down very fast in the water and a normal sized water bucket will give him the room to lick it clean. Of course you will want to clean it out every couple days, but its an option over asking staff to soak if they do not like soaking stuff. Beet pulp pellets take forever to break down and would not be a good option in that case.

[blob99]

@carman_liz Yes, he’s losing weight with the loss of the alfalfa hay–it was big part of his protein and calorie in take. He gets free choice hay–so giving him more is not an option, he gets all he can eat, it’s just not calorie dense hay. And yes, I would prefer to up him with forage rather than grain–which is why I am planning to add the alfalfa pellets. He is out 12 hours a day with plenty of grass. Between the grass and the free choice hay (both in pasture and in the stall) he has plenty of long stem forage, it’s more about replacing the calories lost.

They have automated waters, so a second bucket with some water in is something that would be dependent on me being there twice a day a day to fill it up. So, that isn’t realistic for my current schedule. Yes, soaked beet pulp or cubes would be my ideal choice, but given that’s not possible, I will try the pellets.

[paintedpony]

I have always had an awareness that cost of hay was great in some areas, but not until this thread did I do the math to truly comprehend.

I am always a little curious when I hear people are rationing hay, feeding heavy grain base, or bothering with cubes or pellets, or hay stretcher, and think " just feed hay, it is easier and cheaper". I am blessed to pay $5 Canadian, or $3.57 US (delivered to my barn) for perfect Alfalfa in 50 lb bales. Very nice grass hay $3.50 C or $2.50 US (we had to pick up and return the wagons and unload). Using rates posted by others, my alfalfa would cost $32 C/bale. Wow, I would not be putting full bales in stall feeders.

Promise: I will read hay concerns with new eyes.

[mmeqcenter]

@paintedpony

I have always had an awareness that cost of hay was great in some areas, but not until this thread did I do the math to truly comprehend.

I am always a little curious when I hear people are rationing hay, feeding heavy grain base, or bothering with cubes or pellets, or hay stretcher, and think " just feed hay, it is easier and cheaper". I am blessed to pay $5 Canadian, or $3.57 US (delivered to my barn) for perfect Alfalfa in 50 lb bales. Very nice grass hay $3.50 C or $2.50 US (we had to pick up and return the wagons and unload). Using rates posted by others, my alfalfa would cost $32 C/bale. Wow, I would not be putting full bales in stall feeders.

Promise: I will read hay concerns with new eyes.

Yep, it’s shocking. I boarded my whole life in Ohio but sometimes provided my own hay, and then I moved to Florida to have my own farm (screw ice and snow). I knew going into it that hay was more expensive down here, but WOW it’s insane exactly just how much more expensive it really is.
Interestingly enough, far more boarding barns here in FL provide free-choice hay as their standard, though, as compared to Ohio.

OP sounds like alfalfa pellets are your best bet. I hope they help!

[BayBondGirl]

@paintedpony

I am blessed to pay $5 Canadian, or $3.57 US (delivered to my barn) for perfect Alfalfa in 50 lb bales.

:eek: Where in Canada do you live?! I’m in BC and one of our local places has 80lb alfalfa bales for $24.

Once upon a time I used to source my own hay and was lucky to get grass hay for $7/bale (I had to pick up and stack!) but they were as light as air. I am so thankful that I do not have to go through that anymore!