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Greg B
Lv 7
Greg B asked in PetsHorses · 1 decade ago

Feeding Dehydrated Alfalfa?

Does anyone have any experience feeding dehydrated alfalfa? This is new to me.

I've been trying to add just a slight bit of weight to my Dutch Warmblood. I tried increasing his grain and his coastal hay rations, but he won't eat all of the coastal. So, I reworked his feeding plan to take into account feeding some alfalfa to see if he would finish all that. I used the feeding plan guide in the Pony Club A manual to account for the calories, protein, calcium, and phosphorous that he would need. The feed store was out of standard bales of alfalfa, but they did have this dehydrated alfalfa. I had never heard of this before, but I figured it was worth a try.

Now, the dehydrated alfalfa is supposed to be more compact and nutrient dense than standard alfalfa hay, but the bag has no feeding directions, and it does not tell me how many pounds of the dehydrated would be equivalent to the number of pounds of hay needed according to the feeding plan.

Does anyone know if there is a standard conversion factor or equivalency factor I can use to calculate how much dehydrated alfalfa to use? For now, I am introducing it slowly, but I need to know where stop increasing the ration.

3 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    This looks like it could be helpfullish

    http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/ap42/ch09/final/c9s09...

    This article compares a alfalfa hay with dehydrated alfalfa pellets along with a couple other irrelevant things.. it's for cattle but it can still be useful probaby.. possibly kinda antiquated though (It's like 20 years old).. you might have to click manual download. Mine downloaded by istelf though and it was didn't cause issues

    http://jas.fass.org/cgi/reprint/68/9/2901?maxtosho...

    Hmm... I found this, but it's referring to timothy I think "FEEDING: Feed at 1.5 to 2% total body weight per day. Feeding in a bucket or feed tub, preferably at ground level is recommended. "

    http://www.ontariodehy.com/tab02-07.htm

    Oh here is some alfalfa directions.... "Feed by weight, not volume. Feed 1% to 2% of body weight. Individual horse needs will vary."

    http://midvalleymillinghaypellets.com/12-percent-s...

    Hm, well, I hope those helped at least somewhat. I mostly answered because all you got was gallop (pfft, that gallop girl.. don't mind her LOL ;-) and so I wanted to answers, and I am trying for 3 BAs from you in a row hehe .... that is if you choose me. if you don't I'll just vote for myself. LOL.

  • carra
    Lv 4
    4 years ago

    Dehydrated Alfalfa

  • gallop
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    I found this site which may be helpful.................

    http://www.alfagreensupreme.com/pages/horses2.htm

    Source(s): 57 years with horses
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