Nutritional Makeup of Alfalfa Cubes
If you are considering alfalfa as a component of your horse’s dietary regimen, you’ll want to understand the nutritional makeup of the alfalfa itself. Alfalfa cubes provide horses the same nutritional benefits as alfalfa hay in a much more convenient form; their high protein content and palatability make them an excellent choice for horses in many stages of life and at different workload levels. As with all feed, caution must be used to balance the nutrition in alfalfa with other hays and/or grains, but with care it can form the basis for many equine diets.
High in Protein and Calories
Sacate alfalfa cubes contain not less than 15% crude protein and are higher in calories than grass hays. Because the cubes are produced from sun cured alfalfa cut at the peak of its nutritional value, they contain a low percentage of indigestible proteins; this translates into high protein and caloric values for every pellet as very little of the cubes are wasted in the digestive tract of your horse. Sick or weak horses can especially benefit from a feed that is easy to digest and provides them with maximum caloric benefits from every bite.
Impressive Vitamin and Mineral Composition
Alfalfa is high in many vitamins and minerals and is especially noted for its calcium and potassium content. In most cases, horses will benefit from being fed a mix of alfalfa and grass hays to balance the overall nutritional composition of alfalfa with other feedstuffs higher in minerals such as phosphorus, for example. Certain groups of animals including pregnant and/or nursing mares as well as quickly growing young horses can have adverse effects to imbalances in minerals. By adding one or more types of grass hay and/or grain(s) to your horses’ diet, you can be ensured that all of their nutritional needs will be met.
An Excellent Component to Most Equine Diets
In most cases, alfalfa cubes can form the basis for an excellent diet for many horses. They relish the tasty green leaves which can be fed either wet or dry; the cubes can also be mixed with other feeds if desired. Although each horse is different, in general, horses under a heavy workload will benefit from alfalfa as a larger percentage of their diet than lighter duty animals. Used with care, high quality alfalfa cubes provide you with an excellent feedstuff in a clean, convenient form.