Question
I have a 25-year-old mare that colicked a few months ago. I have been soaking alfalfa/grass cubes, and she is doing very well. I am struggling with how to crumble these cubes in freezing temperatures during winter. The feed store where we purchase the cubes also sells fines, which would not need to be soaked, as they are already minute pieces. The fines are almost entirely alfalfa. What are the potential pitfalls of feeding her this much alfalfa through the winter? She roams about 4 acres of pasture every day, but I'm not sure how much she really eats. I appreciate your time and any helpful input you may have.
Answer
Based on your description, it sounds like the alfalfa fines would be her only forage source in the winter once pasture has become dormant. Alfalfa fines are not a common forage for horses. Depending upon how fines will be fed, however, they could be acceptable for your mare.
The primary consideration when switching to fines from cubes would be feeding enough to fulfill her forage requirements if it is the only source of forage. She would require a larger volume of fines to provide the same weight as the cubes. She would also need more than the current amount of cubes to fill in for the missing pasture consumption during winter.
Another factor to consider is the fiber length of forage. Forage sources with longer fiber length require longer chewing time, which satisfies the instinct for horses to graze. Horses should be consuming feed (hay or concentrate) for a minimum of 8-10 hours/day, with a maximum of 4-5 hours at any one time without feed. Small, frequent meals would be necessary when reducing fiber length and chewing time.
Fines can be dusty, and this might be a problem if they are inhaled. If you could successfully mix in the fines with her current concentrate, then that should help reduce dust. If possible, you could add a little water right before feeding, which might help control fine particles.
Alternatives to fines would be coarsely chopped bagged forage that has a similar fiber length as cubes. Chopped hay doesn’t need to be soaked, but it can be helpful to add water right before feeding to reduce dust or fine particles. Chopped hay should not be as dusty as straight fines.
Last, you may also want to consider transitioning to a complete or forage-included feed. Complete feeds are high in fiber and can replace some of the forage in the diet. They also provide the vitamins and minerals missing in regular forage products. Most complete feeds are designed to be fed at 1-2% of body weight.
Horses with a history of colic and those encountering diet changes would benefit from supplemental hindgut support. EquiShure is a unique time-released buffer that balances the pH in the hindgut, creating an optimal environment for microbial health. The hindgut has an important role as the largest portion of the digestive tract responsible for fiber digestion.
