Question

Can I just feed alfalfa cubes and a mineral lick to horses with no additional hay or grain?

Answer

Alfalfa cubes can be fed as the sole source of forage and digestible energy to certain classes of horses. Horses with elevated energy needs, such as high-performance horses, late-pregnant mares, and lactating mares, may not be able to maintain ideal body condition and performance on this diet and may require a more concentrated source of calories.

Feeding processed forages such as hay cubes or pellets increases the rate of intake and reduces the amount of chewing time, which can lead to digestive upset due to reduced gut fill and extended periods of time without access to feed. I recommend offering some long-stem hay or access to pasture to support digestive health and function as well as to satisfy the horse’s natural desire to chew. Providing multiple small meals, split equally over the course of the day, is recommended for this type of feeding program.

If not offering hay or pasture at all times, you may also want to consider offering a daily digestive health product such as RiteTrac or Triacton as a way to provide additional digestive buffering. Both RiteTrac and Triacton were developed by Kentucky Equine Research.

Vitamin and mineral supplements designed to be offered free-choice, like a mineral lick, can be effective in certain management situations; however, each horse must consume the necessary quantity to meet its nutrient requirements without over supplementation. Careful monitoring and placement of the product is needed for these types of products to be effective.

Providing a commercial product such as a ration balancer individually would be the preferred way to ensure consistent nutrient intake in a group of horses.