is hay and alfalfa the same thing

When we hear the word mulch, we often think of the wood chips that are so common in decorative landscaping. Since this legume has many proteins and minerals, it makes the Alfalfa hay a very high source of nutrients. In addition, sun bleaching reduces palatability and carotene content. Alfalfa hay and timothy hay are different nutritionally. Let David Woods Hay Service help you distinguish those differences! Grass Hays are generally lower in overall nutrition than alfalfa hay, but this makes grass hay ideal to meet the needs of filling a horse up and making them feel full, while still meeting their nutrient needs. Oats can be grown for hay or oats and straw. Determining the stage of maturity in grasses and legumes is easy before harvesting. Goats do eat a lot of different forage than horses, and they are not as picky in terms of species of plants, but they do have a rumen that can be upset fairly easily if there is mold in hay. Cover crops are "green manures" when a gardener turns them into the soil to provide organic matter and nutrients. In other words, we intended to grow grain (like wheat) for food, and straw is just one of the leftover byproducts. These proteins and particles are attacked by slime producing rumen microbes, which cause a buildup of stable foam. Since straw contains very few (if any) seeds, it can be used in the garden without fear of spreading weeds (or grain crops) everywhere. During harvesting, how you handle, cure, and store the hay affects the leafiness as the leaves shatter from the stem while raking and baling. Alfalfa hay may not be the best feed for all horses in all situations, but it contains nutrients needed for many classes of horses. LOL. Thats a shame. Alfalfa hay is high-protein legume hay from the pea family. What Is Straw and How Is It Made? The same industry reports that alfalfa is the #1 forage crop for horses. What does it mean when you call a Mexican mighty kong? Hay is basically a grass that is cut green, then dried and baled. Hay is mostly used as animal feed (fodder), since it contains more nutrients than straw. We support community service, animal rescue organizations and the advancement of veterinary care to ensure we leave a positive mark on the world. Communities Served (exceptions apply) Arvada, Aspen Park, Broomfield, South Boulder, Conifer, Evergreen, Gilpin County, Golden, Idaho Springs, Lakewood, Morrison, Pine, Shaffers Crossing, Wheat Ridge. No sweet feed or grain ever. Since straw has no seeds from weeds, it has a wider variety of uses in the garden. This pollen travels in the wind to fertilize the female parts of the grass. Theyre one of those people who think goats can eat anything. Only buy round bales that have been stored inside. When referring to it as a form of grass, it is a cut grass that has been cut then dried for the purpose of becoming an animal feed or food. You can learn how to grow potatoes in straw bales in my article here, and you can learn about growing tomatoes in straw bales in my article here. In a bale of leafy alfalfa hay, the leaves cling to the stem and appear soft and pliable, while the less green bale appears very stemmy. Alfalfa is a legume hay in the pea family and is sometimes called lucerne. . The best grass that makes quality Timothy hay grow in areas with cool springs and dry summer times. adroll_version = "2.0"; But alfalfa hay is not the best for all animals. Cereal crops include wheat, rye, rice, oats, barley, and other grain crops. The Calcium in Alfalfa is higher, but the Phosphorus is about the same as grass hay, which could lead to an imbalance in the diet of a given horse. No sweet feed or additional gain added ever. Since it decomposes over time, straw used as mulch will eventually return its nutrients and organic matter to the soil just like compost. If hay isnt enough, grain can be added, but the bulk of a horses calories should always come from roughage. This means that grass hay, not alfalfa hay, is a more dangerous food for an obese horse, or a horse with laminitis concerns. The meaning of ALFALFA is a deep-rooted leguminous perennial plant (Medicago sativa) of southwestern Asia that is widely grown for hay and forage. What To Do If Seeds Do Not Germinate (5 Things To Get Right). I need to get some pasture seeds for the animals I want to raise. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Oats can be grown for hay or oats and straw. One cup of alfalfa sprouts has only 8 calories but delivers 0.2 grams fat, 0.7 grams carbohydrate, 0.6 grams fiber, and 1.3 grams protein. Alfalfa hay can cause horses to founder and develop laminitis due to the excess nutrients provided by the high quality hay if too much is fed. Hay is a specific type of dried grass that has been cut and stored to be used for animal consumption. These grasses are also rough. Alfalfa is a type of hay.. but is richer than say local or timothy. For my does in milk and kids: Standlee Timothy grass compressed bale hay. ask your local agricultural extension office (you can find a list of them by state here). Once the grass is gone, the bison eat the alfalfa. In that case, you might want to discard it, or possibly turn it into compost. . differences between baled hay, hay cubes, and hay pellets. Alfalfa is the most nutritious grass or hay which can be fed to livestock. Dont expect this hay to have a fresh smell like the Timothy hay. If youre sitting there thinking that youve seen oat straw before, you may have! Mobile equine veterinary practice serving the West Denver Metro and Foothills area. Its also a much maligned feed. As mentioned, Timothy hay (or your pets grass hay variety of choice) should be offered anytime youre feeding them alfalfa, regardless of your pets age or health status. Join 500+ gardeners to get access to news, tips, and information. This has only happened after hes been on alfalfa for two months. When making the Timothy hay, youll cut the grass while its green. my article on growing potato plants in straw. In addition,alfalfa is more drought resistantcompared to clover hay. Alfalfa Hay (also known as Legume Hay) averages 21.2% protein and 11% NSC (simple starches). Alfalfa sprouts contain the same nutrients and are also very low in calories. On average, alfalfa hay has much higher levels of protein, ranging from 15% to 21% depending on when the alfalfa was cut. Straw comes about as a result (byproduct) of grain production. Great article! As Americans moved west onto the Great Plains in the 19th century, they would often use the prairie grasses that were growing there to feed their livestock. Even though it is mostly done out west. Well, the same applies to Timothy and Alfalfa hay. If a farmer wants to grow oats, they dont cut the grass to make hay. You can learn more about how to make compost in my article here. Every farm is different, which is why I always explain the WHY between the WHAT in my articles. If you click on the Shop link above, you can also order my books. Hay nutrition can also vary from year to year depending upon weather and crop management. Hay can be a legume like the very popular alfalfa hay; or grassy hay like Bermuda, orchardgrass, Timothy or maybe even clover, just to name a few. Four months is good but three months would be better. Clover hay is the other legume hay suitable for horses but not as popular with horse owners. In addition, the color and smell of the hay influence the animals palatability and feed volume. While this has led to the thought that alfalfa is a richer feed then grass, it does not mean that it has more carbohydrates. Only feed alfalfa if your horse needs extra digestible energy, protein, and calcium. Alfalfa hay, sometimes called lucerne hay, is the most popular legume hay fed to horses in the U.S., while timothy and orchard are popular grass hay choices. Now you know the main differences between straw and hay. If you want to read some of my most popular posts, check out the Best of GreenUpSide page here. They seem to love it. Remember, too much phosphorus can affect the horses health. How much is a biblical shekel of silver worth in us dollars? Straw has no seeds, and it is used for animal bedding, mulch, or compost. We currently feed our goats with grass hay from our property. Remember, its beside the color and texture of the hay. It will depend on how old the hay is and the quality. It helps in making the horse run faster and do other heavy works. This is Goats 101 https://thriftyhomesteader.teachable.com/p/goats101/ IF I am able to find some alfalfa hay this year (would be cheaper than the pellets), then I would only use the pellets when the dairy goat is being milked. When Cody ran out, he teasingly held up his empty hand. Alfalfa also has more calories per pound than timothy, so its generally the preferred choice of sport horse owners. you can also use other materials as mulch, learn more about hilling potatoes and why to do it in my article. Why did Frederic Forrest leave 21 Jump Street? I cant believe I didnt know about possible zinc deficiencies in my dry does and wethers if they get alfalfa hay. Water is also very important, as a horse with minimal exercise needs to drink 4-5 gallons a day to remain healthy. Alfalfa hay and timothy hay are both forage sources commonly used in rabbit and guinea pig diets. This means that if you fed strictly what your horse needed for nutrients, your horse could still not feel full, since the amount of alfalfa that would reach these nutrient needs is not going to be the amount to properly fill the horse up or make them feel full. For example, if you want to garden and avoid growing weeds. Ive been feeding everyone mostly alfalfa for five years!! Photo Courtesy Public Domain Photos via Flickr. Most bison producers report that their bison prefer to eat grass over alfalfa when given a choice on pasture. So, if you want the bones and teeth of your horse to be strong, Timothy hay wont be the better pick. Its not a good idea to simply follow someone elses feeding plan like you would a cake recipe. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Timothy Hay vs. Alfalfa Comparison of the Features, How Much Does a Bale of Hay Cost for Horses? Clovers cut below reaching full bloom and not weathered while being cured have numerous blossoms depending on whether red, purple, or white clovers. Typically, fresh green pasture does just that, and many baled hays can meet these needs as well. Grass Hay averages 10.8% protein and 12.9% NSC. Ill see what I can do about getting the right type of hay for them. Sometimes it seems that horse people have as many opinions and feelings about feeding Grass versus feeding Alfalfa as there are horses in the world. First off, for the sake of our discussion, we will be using some generalizations that are well accepted in the equine nutrition community. In the spring, summer & fall they free range on about 8 acres. Your No-Cut Window "For alfalfa, I would recommend a no cut window to rebuild the roots and condition," says University of Wisconsin Extension Forage Specialist Dan Undersander. Feeding horses is never an easy topic to simplify since every horse is different. Hey you can sign up for our weekly gardening newsletter here! Straw is a stalk, usually a waste product of wheat, thats used as bedding for barnyard animals. The nutrients in compost then become available to plants, helping them to grow. They get alfalfa pellets, and do not change personality - just keep weight on better. Hay is basically a grass that is cut green, then dried and baled. read my article on growing tomato plants in straw. A tedder and rake is often the same piece of equipment. . Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Clover hay is the other legume hay suitable for horses but not as popular with horse owners. If they say something like, its good enough for goats, then it is NOT. Neither one is really better than the other. If it was newly baled, it should still be green on the outside, but over time, the outside of the bale will fade to brown, although it will still be green inside. I would love to try the hay forage! Alfalfa has two to three times as much calcium as grass hays. But the prices of the hays can make you change the view between the two types. Grass pollen is a fine powder-like substance. This is common when you bale hay without sufficient drying. Drying out grass in the form of hay does not break down the cellulose. That is definitely not the case. Choosing the right forage for your hay-loving herbivore can be confusing, but it doesnt need to be! Also, if you subscribe to my newsletter (or are already subscribed), you can get another entry for that. Vitamins are things that will give the horse or other animal some excellent traits. Hayrides, barn floors, over-stuffed scarecrows and cows munching on grass - that's what I knew growing up in Maine. I mostly give my goats grass hay, as that is what I have available. Straw has more diverse uses in the garden than hay. If junk is ok for the goats then that is fine, just checking if it would be fine. The best type of legume that helps in making this hay is Lucerne. https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-minerals/, I use the Standee Alfalfa pellets for my horse,! Typically bucks recover from zinc deficiency just fine after you remove alfalfa from their diet. That is, the seeds (from grain or weeds) in hay might germinate in your garden and compete with your other plants. These hays are higher in protein and minerals and are more palatable than grass hays. Now our buck is losing patches of hair, I believe from zinc deficiency from alfalfa. Expect your animals to get many proteins, power, and minerals from this feed. It was a hard sell at first, but now they love it. But remember, these feeds have different uses. Here is more info on zinc deficiency: When you add compost to your garden, you add nutrients and organic material to the soil. Therefore, suitable methods are required for rapid and accurate detection of alfalfa hay. In addition, alfalfa's rich soluble fiber content makes it a good food for controlling cholesterol and feeling full. Also, the leaves of this grass can grow up to 17 inches. Alfalfa, clover, and peanut are legume hays, while timothy, oat, bermuda, and orchard are examples of grass hays. Grass hay falls short of meeting the nutrient requirements of high production life stages, but is an excellent filler for horses that require bulk in the diet. Although alfalfa is frequently used to feed horses and rabbits, its good for people, too. Just 1 cup of alfalfa sprouts provides the following nutrients: Calories: 7.6. The new straw will keep things clean (for a little while at least!). The main goal of growing grain crops is to harvest the grain for human or animal consumption. When I cant find enough good quality green hay, I supplement my goats, sheep, and pigs with hay pellets. While milk cows should have alfalfa, beef cattle should stick with grass hay. A value of 100 applies to good quality alfalfa hay. Alfalfa contains a high concentration of vitamin K, so patients currently taking any anticoagulant medication should seek their healthcare provider's input before taking any alfalfa product . It spreads it out so light and heat can dry the hay out. But Timothy hay looks more like long grasses put together. Changes in management or a horses routine can be stressful and contribute to colic risk as well. The main differences between straw and hay are: The table below summarizes the differences between straw and hay. Top-quality clover hay is one harvested at a 20% bloom stage. For example, Alfalfa contains 21.2% protein and 11% simple starches. 12 Beautiful White Horse Breeds (True & Fake White Identification), What are Friesian Horses Used For? Ive also been adding Standlee alfalfa pellets to my milk goats grain for additional insurance ever since they started selling them in our area about ten years ago. The tests covered five cuttings across three years. You can use straw as a type of mulch in your yard and garden. Start tedding the hay the day within a day of cutting. And in fact, it is usually a lower carbohydrate feed than most grass hays, making alfalfa ideal for feeding to horses with special needs like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, laminitis, or even PSSM. For example, Grandma-T feeds Calf Manna, which sounds like its working for her, but that is normally only used to fatten up calves for butchering or giving to a goat that is extremely underweight, and youve already done a full health check to be sure that it doesnt have a medical problem thats causing the low weight. What goes up with 2 legs and comes back down with 3? Its easy to separate the two animals. Round bales can hide a lot, so you would really need to talk to the person who baled it. Check out our deep dive on alfalfa to learn more about this important and enticing hay variety! Most of the time, seeds are still intact in a hay bale. Thedesirable color of hay is bright green. This time Galen wants to buy round bales for fall and winter and I am afraid it will just be all junk. I hope you clicked on the leave a blog comment button in the box above because you already left a comment. Also, if you store hay without any moisture, it wont have any issues with molds. They always went for the alfalfa. By using Oxbow Animal Health's website, you accept our. It is higher in calcium which can be good and bad. Where Do Horses Originate From? Although all hay is not the same, it differs in quality, availability, and variety. I'm also in Arizona. Turn the hay one to three times over the next three days. If you feed your horse a mixture of these two types of hay, it will get the best combinations possible for optimum nutrition.

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