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The Benefits Of Feeding Alfalfa Cube

By Myrtle Cash


One of the biggest challenges facing many horse owners is finding a good supply of high quality hay. Horses need to consume a tremendous amount of roughage every day and most of this comes directly from grass or hay. During the long winter months when grass is not available an alternative must be found. Many people are now switching to feeding alfalfa cube as either a supplement or as the main source of roughage.

Alfalfa cubes are made from chopped grasses. Most of the cubes are made on the great prairies of the western states. The grass is initially field dried to get rid of some moisture. It is then taken to a processing plant to be further dried. When most of the moisture has been removed it is machine chopped into very small pieces. These pieces are then compressed into small cubes.

Cubes also reduce the amount of feed waste as the horses will typically eat every last scrap. When feeding long stem hay, the animals often pick through to find the best parts. Most horses are very picky and will only eat good quality hay. If the bales are of poorer quality the owners often find themselves throwing away tremendous amounts. Moldy hay is also very bad for the animals and can cause breathing problems.

The bags of cubes are easy to store and take up much less room than traditional hay bales. They do need to be kept in a cool, dry place and should not be exposed to any dampness. It is best to buy a small supply that can be used within a few weeks to avoid any storage problems.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when feeding cubes is that the horses must have plenty of fresh water available to them at all times. The cubes have a very low moisture content and if the horses do not drink enough they run the risk of colic. This is especially true of older horses during the hot summer months.

Many studies have shown that horses will overeat when fed cubes. They should never be given in unlimited quantities. In most cases it is perfectly fine to give the horses a small amount of alfalfa cubes calculated in accordance with their body weight and also the amount of work they do.

Many owners find that by giving their horses cubes they really eliminate any degree of waste. They are very palatable and the horses clean up every last scrap. They are also very high quality as the grasses come from well managed pasture that is carefully maintained and harvested. It is very unusual for the cubes to contain any harmful plants.

Barns throughout the nation are making the switch to feeding alfalfa cube as a practical and nutritious alternative. Most horses seem to find them very tasty and tolerate them well. They are the perfect alternative for areas where baled hay is hard to find. It is far better to feed cubes than poor quality hay.




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