Feeding alfalfa hay and pasture to the average horse will most likely result in significant weight gain. However, forage (hay and/or pasture) should be the backbone of a horse’s diet, with at least two-thirds of the diet being some type of forage. Alfalfa is an excellent forage for most livestock, but the forage quality of good alfalfa hay and pasture exceeds the nutritional needs for most horses. The average adult horse (lightly worked or ridden) needs about 10% crude protein in its diet. The crude protein in most good-quality alfalfa hays and pastures vastly exceeds 10%. Although feeding excess protein to horses does not result in any short-term health problems, it can lead to strong-smelling urine (a concern if the horses are stalled in a barn) and can contribute to weight gain. If buying hay, hay with higher protein levels usually demands a higher price. Numerous horse owners are paying premiums for protein that is not needed by their animals.

Alfalfa hays and pastures also have higher digestible energy (DE) compared to grass hays and pastures. DE is used to balance the energy portion of a horse’s diet. Again, feeding alfalfa hay and pasture to the average horse will probably cause it to gain weight. Horse health problems tied to excessive weight gain include Cushings, metabolic syndrome, laminitis or founder, and insulin resistance. The potential for excessive weight gain is the major drawback for feeding a high quantity of alfalfa to horses. Mares that are lactating or in late-term gestation, or horses that are in an intensive training program, would most likely benefit from adding some alfalfa to their diets because of the increased energy.

Calcium (Ca) and Phosphorus (P) are critical to bone and tissue formation in horses. For the average adult horse, the Ca:P ratio should be between 3:1 to 1:1. A benefit of having alfalfa as part of your forage is that alfalfa hays and pastures tend to have higher calcium levels relative to phosphorus, and have higher Ca levels than most grass hays and pastures. It is important to have your forage and grain tested to ensure the Ca:P is adequate and never inverted, especially in young, growing foals.

Not only will horses gain weight on pastures with a high quantity of alfalfa, but there are also pasture management practices to consider. Horses are selective grazers and some research studies have shown that horses prefer alfalfa over grasses in a pasture. In a mixed grass – alfalfa pasture, horses will actually choose to continuously graze the alfalfa, while leaving the grasses. However, most varieties of alfalfa will not withstand continuous grazing and will be short-lived in a pasture. To extend the life of alfalfa in a pasture, choose a variety that is recommended for grazing and make sure to rest the pasture and allow regrowth.

Bottom line, alfalfa is an excellent forage, but should not be fed (as the sole forage or in high quantities) to the average adult horse because of the potential for excessive weight gain and the negative health effects tied to weight gain. Feeding alfalfa (not usually as the sole forage, but in higher quantities) can be useful for classes of horses that require additional energy, including lactating mares and horses in intensive training programs.

Krishona Martinson, PhD
Extension Educator
University of Minnesota Extension
763-767-3842
bjork026@umn.edu

Here’s what we found from a couple of sources:
Switchgrass should be harvested with conventional haying equipment after the top growth has completely died back. This will occur from mid- to late October in most regions, according to a USDA grant-funded entity called the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
A single harvest of switchgrass in late fall or early winter results in the highest sustainable biomass yields and good stand persistence from year to year, several studies have found. Moisture should be 15% or less to facilitate quick baling and transport, and to ensure a higher-quality feedstock. Switchgrass co-fired in coal plants is burned at 12-13% moisture. Contact the processing plant to determine the size of bale it will accept. Many research programs have utilized 3 x 4 x 8’ rectangular bales with some success, as these are easier to transport than small squares. Be sure to leave about a 6” stubble after harvest. Forage research has shown that leaving stubble helps to trap snow, thereby protecting the root crowns from winterkill.
For more on using switchgrass as a bioenergy crop, visit: http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/switchgrass.html#establish

A silage pile's highest point, or apex, should be no higher than the maximum reach of your unloading equipment, says Kansas State University professor emeritus and silage expert Keith Bolsen. If the apex is too high, silage near the top of the face will be undercut during feed-out, resulting in an overhang that's a hazard for people working beneath it.
But before you make a pile, you should predetermine its size and shape, Bolsen says. Proper dimensions ensure that the silage can be packed uniformly throughout the pile, and that the daily feed-out rate will be sufficient to prevent deterioration on the face. To minimize the risk of deterioration, he recommends that at least 12" of silage be removed daily after feeding begins, regardless of the time of year.
Once pile height is set, the width is determined by the slope of the sides. The maximum recommended slope is 1:3 – a foot of rise for each three horizontal feet. So if the pile is 10' high at the apex, a 1:3 side-slope ratio results in 30' of silage on each side, or a 60'-wide pile.
The 30% maximum slope is crucial, says Bolsen, because steep sides are dangerous for tractor drivers, and the silage doesn't get adequately packed.

For more on silage piles, visit http://hayandforage.com/mag/silage_perfect_piles/index.html.

You can feed it a few days after ensiling it, says Mike Hutjens, University of Illinois extension dairy nutritionist. But corn silage quality is optimal if the crop is stored in a bunker, upright silo or bag for three to four months. Feeding it three to four weeks after ensiling is better than feeding it a week after, he adds. For more on the subject, read "Slow-Cooked Silage" in the September issue of Hay & Forage Grower.