Alfalfa hay and timothy hay are both forage sources commonly used in rabbit and guinea pig diets. theYear=theYear+1900; Kaytee Alfalfa Mini Bale Treat. To get the best service, choose the store closest to you: hay is a super important part of any rabbit’s diet. I planted my field in straight alfalfa … Many bunny parents ask themselves: “Which is better, Timothy hay or alfalfa hay for rabbits?” Now, you can see the difference between these two common types. Timothy is a meadow grass that is both nutritious and flavorful, and it is highly recommended by veterinarians. The difference between alfalfa hay and Timothy hay is one that often confuses many rabbit owners, especially first-time owners. It's not that far away and i could borrow a … It comes in three different cuttings and each one has their benefits. Good quality, hand-selected hay is the goal, whether it’s Timothy, orchard, or alfalfa hay for rabbits. Its rich, decadent flavor makes it nearly irresistible and it’ll be gobbled up in no time. When used as part of the pet food recipe, Alfalfa offers higher nutrition and therefore makes for healthier and happier bunnies! The higher calcium levels in alfalfa hay, though, can actually be dangerous for an adult bun if they’re fed too much. High quality forage is critical for proper digestive function in horses. Alfalfa’s high protein content makes it ideal for milk-producing livestock and animals with high energy requirements. 3. posted 5 years ago. Alfalfa is a mixed blessing with horses. Buy on Amazon. But this doesn’t mean that alfalfa is a bad hay. © This is softer than Timothy hay, and may include some edible plants such as dandelions. Id like to hear the pros and cons for each choice. Timothy is a good all-around hay for the general dietary needs of bunnies. Horses evolved as a grazing animal, which means that they are meant to nibble on small amounts of food over the course of an entire day, and most of this food should be in the form of roughage, or hay. It is popular belief that Timothy hay is the better and … We know… it can get confusing. Although there are differences between cuttings, quality is most important. Second-cut alfalfa … Tagged with: nutrition. But, there are some things to consider. Therefore, it takes less hay to meet a horse's nutrient needs when feeding alfalfa hay. Alfalfa Hay Alfalfa Hay is a high-fiber legume hay. Hay can come in concentrate form, i.e. If the hay has an NDF above 65% and an ADF above 45% it will provide little nutrient value to your horse. It has the same long-strand fiber found in grass hays, only it has more protein, energy and calcium. Profitable rotation crop for Alfalfa Growers for the premium horse hay market. It has 120 percent more energy per unit in weight than oat hay. Posted on May 5, 2016 Tweet; High-quality forages are essential for livestock, as premium products provide the optimal … if (theYear < 1900); It’s really rich and high in all those goodies, which makes it the perfect … For horses that are stalled, or for horses that do not have abundant pasture, stored forage in the form of hay is the primary source of forage. Legume hays (alfalfa … An ideal hay for easy keepers will be in the higher end of these ranges. Timothy Plus Alfalfa is one of our ideal performance horse blends. You can buy from Small Pet Select anywhere in the world! Alfalfa hay is high in energy. Bunnies metabolize calcium and get rid of the excess in their urine, but this can cause urinary stones if they’re getting more than they need. The most popular choices for grasses to be utilized as horse hay are Timothy Grass and Orchard Grass making them the big two forage grasses. It’s really rich and high in all those goodies, which makes it the perfect treat hay to mix into your rabbit’s food here and there. But this doesn’t mean that alfalfa is a bad hay. Horse Hay Alfalfa + Orchard or Timothy - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: Ive always heard that the best horse hay is about a 50/50 mixture of alfalfa and grass, but which grass is best, timothy or orchard grass? Alfalfa hay … One of our nutrition experts may be able to help. Alfalfa hay is much higher in protein and calcium than Timothy hay, which is why it’s often given to baby buns to help them grow big and strong. Alfalfa is greener, and high in protein and calcium. Ohio House Rabbit Rescue feeds our bunnies Oxbow Timothy Hay, but you can also use orchard grass and/or oat hay … Grasses you’re likely familiar with include orchardgrass, timothy, and bermudagrass … With so many selections, you’re sure to find one your rabbit loves. For more information about Alfalfa hay versus Timothy hay… But you should stop feeding alfalfa hay after about a year because of the considerations mentioned above. But, there are many other types of hay for rabbits. However, weeds tend to appear in first-cut alfalfa hay. Feeding Alfalfa as a hay is very different from it being used as an ingredient in a nutritionally balanced pet food. Alfalfa hay has about 1.2% calcium, while Timothy hay only has 0.4%. Protein in hay varies depending on the type and maturity level of the hay when it is cut. Alfalfa hay also makes a delicious treat for those lucky bunnies. High-quality hay has lots of fiber to keep your bun’s digestive system going and is fantastically yummy (to say the least). Purina Animal Nutrition LLC. If, for some reason, your little fuzzy refuses to eat Timothy, you could try orchard or oat hay. Also, you can feed more grass hay to bunnies without worrying as much if they will be eating too many calories or gaining too much weight. theYear=now.getYear(); Forage Nutrition 101: Crude Protein. The sun-cured Kaytee alfalfa mini bale is an excellent alternative to … Alfalfa typically has a thicker stem and lots of leaves. In the wild, your bunny would eat a bunch of different hays as they’re exploring around, so we hoomans need to mix up their diet to keep things interesting. It is lower in protein and calcium than alfalfa hay, so it makes a better staple for adult … The three cuttings of Timothy hay are 1st cutting, 2nd cutting, and 3rd cutting: Good Timothy hay can make a world of difference for your bunny’s health. We’ll help you understand the differences between these two hays, along with other popular picks, and then we’ll explain which hay is best for your rabbit. Alfalfa is the most common legume hay for horses. Alfalfa hay is one of the most … Hay is usually classified in two basic categories, grass or legume. Now, you’re probably thinking, “Isn’t all hay the same?” Nope. Forage for horses can be divided into two categories—grasses and legumes. Alfalfa is a legume hay and is generally more nutrient rich than grass hays like orchard or timothy. This is the problem to consider. document.write(theYear); By Dorothy H. on February 20, 2019 In general alfalfa has 120% more energy than oat hay. Alfalfa Goes Way Back. Alfalfa hay has about 1.2% calcium, while Timothy hay only has 0.4%. Alfalfa hay has about 1.2% calcium, while Timothy hay only has 0.4%. Non-structural carbohydrate levels also decrease. The Timothy hay contains a balance of fiber, protein, calcium, and other nutrients which is suitable for the daily diet of all guinea pigs. Yes, legumes are a super source of protein and fiber, but they pack calories and we wouldn’t want to eat them for every meal. Because it contains a variety of plants, it can also be a bit more variable in contents than Timothy. Legumes include alfalfa hay and clover. Teff is a great interim hay crop between alfalfa rotations. All Rights Reserved. Grass hay is more common to feed bunnies than alfalfa hay for rabbits because it has: Examples of grass hay are: Timothy, orchard and oat. Alfalfa hay should be fed to bunnies less than a year old who are growing like crazy and have extra nutritional needs. Some manufacturers produce pellets well suited to small goat … As i looked for straw on craigslist i found a guy who has old alfalfa hay. The most important part of your rabbits diet is hay. While Timothy hay is the classic choice, but alfalfa hay for rabbits is also a healthy choice. Most rabbit owners feed their bunnies Timothy hay because it’s considered the “gold standard” of nutrition. First-cut alfalfa can be stemmy, but only if it is too mature when harvested. If you’re sitting there thinking that you’ve seen oat straw before, you may have! Posts: 115. Alfalfa hay as mulch? Nutritionally speaking, however, they are very different. If you see purple flowers on alfalfa hay or large, coarse seed heads on grass or oat, the hay … Feeding alfalfa hay for rabbits is one delicious way to do that. That means these pets should eat a portion of hay the same size of their own body every day! Alfalfa, clover, and peanut are legume hays, while timothy, oat, bermuda, and orchard are examples of grass hays. How will you ever choose between the many different types of hay? Please spread the love and share this with your friends!Every little bit helps. The rich nutrition facts of alfalfa hay give these little ones everything they need to grow into healthy, happy bunnies. There’s no denying that hay is a super important part of any rabbit’s diet. It’s not. #2 Alfalfa hay for chinchilla. CA Supply Chain Act. Timothy hay, on the other hand, is a grass hay. Alfalfa hay is rather different again from Timothy and Orchard and Coastal, as all three of those are grasses. pellets. Timothy is a great everyday hay for adult buns, while alfalfa hay should only be fed as a treat hay because of its high levels of calcium and fat. Made of a 70/30 blend of timothy alfalfa hay, this blend supplies muscles with slow release energy during exercise and competitions. For all small herbivores – that’s rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and degus – hay should make up around 80% of the diet. Location: Chcago IL. Sometimes, whether due to health issues or just a picky bun, alfalfa hay is better for rabbits. To determine maturity, look for leaves and small, tight “buds” on alfalfa, and few or small, soft seed heads on grass or oat hay. This hay is high in fiber, protein and calcium. Even the pickiest buns will be interested in eating if a little alfalfa is sprinkled in from time to time. The high levels of calcium, protein, fat, and fiber in alfalfa make it a great choice for these hungry little babies. Privacy & Terms Timothy hay is a go-to staple in any happy bunny’s diet. You can also feed alfalfa hay to pregnant or nursing bunnies to give them the extra good stuff they need to raise their little ones. Alfalfa is a legume. One of the reasons why alfalfa hay is so much richer and higher in calcium than Timothy hay is because it’s a legume hay and Timothy belongs to the grass family. Forage (hay/pasture) makes up 60-100% of the diet for horses, depending on their function and activity. Grass … It can also be fed to baby buns less than a year old and used to entice even the pickiest little bunny to eat their greens. Hay is high in fiber so it will help keep your bunny’s digestive system moving and it will keep their teeth in shape. Hay … That’s where we come in. However, the high-energy content may lead to overfeeding and to a fat horse. SMS Terms & Conditions When looking at which type of hay to feed a rabbit or guinea pig, Timothy hay … Our blend of timothy alfalfa hay is easy to digest thanks to the highly digestible nature of timothy and the ulcer buffering property of alfalfa. Small Pet Select Timothy Hay is a premium-quality timothy hay prepared in small batches by fellow animal… Hans Harker. Alfalfa contains higher concentrations of protein and calcium compared to timothy hay … Legume hay, like alfalfa hay, is super rich because it is: You can also think of legume hay as being similar to the legumes we eat as humans, like beans and lentils. There are actually many differences between the two and these differences are what make feeding alfalfa hay for rabbits such a hot topic. Alfalfa pellets are commonly available, as are timothy pellets, orchard grass pellets, etc. The alfalfa hay contains high fiber and calcium, which is suitable for … | The higher calcium levels in alfalfa hay … now = new Date; Oats can be grown for hay or oats and straw. Suitable for double cropping Good hay or pasture crop when late … Our alfalfa hay … | Hay pellets also make a great base for supplements and are an easy way to introduce a controlled amount of forage in to a ration when you want to feed less than a flake. But, each type of hay suits different types of bunnies. Alfalfa hay offers the same fiber contents as high as that timothy hay offers, but with higher levels of energy, protein, and calcium. It has balanced levels of protein, fat, and fiber and will help keep your bunny happy and healthy. | Timothy and Alfalfa Hay Blog. 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