She was probably using speech to text and Siri (or whatever) thought she said 7 (instead of 17). And she didn’t bother to proofread before hitting Reply.
And no, I am not a KS apologist.
4 Likes
That is the likeliest explanation but she didn’t edit her post to correct it and it still has the whole “majical” feel to it. Which I guess is part of her marketing mystique. Along with Arizona alfalfa - more magic!
2 Likes
Speaking of magical Arizona alfalfa, I wanted to add my own correction.
I mentioned that my longtime friend, the owner of a large feed store in SoCal, used to tell me that any alfalfa that was a tad sketchy was sold (sometimes given) to the dairy farms the next town over. After reading what was offered here regarding dairy cow alfalfa vs. horse alfalfa, I spoke with her. She explained that it didn’t go to dairy cows, but “cow” cows or beef cattle.
So, in the interest of the subject of this thread, I wanted to share that some of us here (* cough *) can admit when they’ve learned something. 
28 Likes
Sorry. Feeling dumb. LOL. I’m not a cow person, what is the difference?
Beef cows have 1 job: gain weight (and/or make babies). Any kind of digestible calories are useful to gain weight and make more meat. All ruminants can digest lower quality forage compared to horses… they can eat that slightly moldy hay, the stemmy stuff, the really rough roughage, ensiled fodder, etc. Things that would make a horse colic are utilized efficiently by the microbes in a cow’s (or sheep’s, or goat’s) rumen. Those lesser-quality forages support them well enough to make baby cows with modest lactational needs, or grow those calves to a point when they will be finished out to butcher weight (either on prime grass, or grass-fed grain-finished).
Dairy cows work the same way. But because they are producing HUGE amounts of milk, their caloric requirements are much higher. If you don’t feed them well enough, you won’t get the milk quality or quantity desired by the market. If you want high protein milk, or high milk-fat milk (for butter, cheese, cream, etc) you need VERY nutritious feed. It must be tasty and easily digestible so those cows will voluntarily consume LOTS of it and make the best, and the most, milk possible. That’s why “dairy alfalfa” is premium, the best of the best, because to meet what we demand on our milk shelves in the grocery store. Alfalfa is high in calcium and protein, that the cow needs for her milk. Of course they don’t “only” get alfalfa, their ration includes lots of other ground feedstuffs mixed together to provide optimum nutrition…but lactating dairy cows aren’t getting the less-than-horse-quality hay.
43 Likes
Thanks
To follow on everything that EventerAJ said, you can also taste various foodstuffs that a dairy cow has eaten in her milk. My sister has had a handful of Jersey milk cows over the years and made the mistake once of feeding some of her horse hay that had molded. Apparently the resultant milk was moldy tasting 
9 Likes
Yep, my brother lives just south of Ocala and said it was 39° F yesterday (Wed) morning at 8:30 AM. He is a lifelong Floridian, so is used to those occasional winter cold snaps but they still come as a shock to his system.
Makes me wonder - do all those folks who go to FL for the winter show season take sheets or blankets with them for their horses “just in case”? I know some years back when a bunch of Floridians fled to my area to escape a late hurricane, they were begging for folks to lend them sheets and blankets because it was much colder here at night than what their horsies were used to.
They do! We always pack up a ton of blankets just in case. And sometimes they come in handy!
One of my favorite things about it getting cold in Florida is the “Falling Iguana Forecast” that comes on the news sometimes. It warns residents that iguanas are prone to falling out of the trees they are in when it is too cold - and you have to watch out for them!
8 Likes
Absolutely.
You need to pack warm clothes for both horses and people.
You might not need them all the time, but when you need them, you need them.
6 Likes
Aren’t those considered invasive species? They weren’t around when I lived in FL. And if they are, why aren’t they collected at that point and disposed of?
Ha. A truly invasive species is about impossible to eradicate because they thrive in a niche and often even end up being a significant part of an altered ecosystem.
We have Himalayan blackberry, reed canary grass, starlings and giant bull frogs that honestly can never all be eradicated.
5 Likes
Well darn, I learned something new. (I don’t live anywhere near Florida so this does not affect my daily life, but cool to learn something new.)
2 Likes
You won’t find them in Ocala, too cold. Iguanas are a south FL thing. They are invasive and a nuisance, and certain public places pay hunters to remove them. Like Python Cowboy. I admit, I love the dog’s enthusiasm!
Wow. this DHH topic has really taken a life of its own, hasn’t it? 
7 Likes
Iguanas. Who knew?
Not me.
I see that Kate Shearer has not followed up on her statement that she is here to answer any questions
7 Likes
Yes they are. There are too many at this point to round up but it is encouraged that they be “eliminated”
When possible. Most people don’t want to do that though. They are edible , some restaurants serve them.
1 Like
@Scribbler, I’m Chair of our county Conservation District, a state organization. I know invasives. I also know you have to do what you can, when you can, to at least keep them in check. A frost/freeze that slows those things down seems like a wonderful time to collect and dispose of them.
4 Likes
I stand corrected.
Two days after proclaiming we have no iguanas in Ocala, my best barn kitty caught, killed, and ate the first iguana I’ve ever seen in central FL. 
It was a cold day, I’m sure the lizard was suffering from cold weather paralysis, but I have no idea how this reptile found its way to my farm. I’m surrounded by farmland (peanuts) with minimal trees on the property. This iguana was pretty small (rat-sized) and unlikely to have traveled long distance. Perhaps a stowaway from a south-FL vehicle?
15 Likes
They are up here now?!
1 Like
