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Discussion on Timothy/Alfalfa Cubes vs Alfalfa cubes for heaves
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New Member:
stuart05
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Posted on Monday, May 19, 2008 - 12:32 pm:
I'm not sure if this belongs in this forum or the feed forum but I have finally faced facts with my 26 yo QH and his heaves. I am removing all hay from his diet. I tried finding quality hay but even with that he just had the worst heave attack of his life, also my 8 yo gelding it showing some initial signs. So I am switching to cubes in addition to their pasture time. My question is, does it make any difference to feed timothy/alfalfa cubes vs just straight alfalfa? Where I live there seems to be more alfalfa cubes for sale than the mix but my old horse is a bit overweight and the alfalfa cubes maybe too much for him as he is retired. Also is there a difference in ration size between the two. The horses spend about 5-6 hours a day on pasture. Thanks.
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Monday, May 19, 2008 - 1:58 pm:
The T & A cubes have a better calcium-phosphorus balance than the straight A, which is too much calcium.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 8:46 am:
Hello Kim,
Yes it makes a difference as the nutritional makeup of the two products is different. In general the mixture will provide a more balanced diet with respect to protein and minerals however straight alfalfa will provide more energy and further increase the horses weight. For more on balancing your horses diet to achieve a better condition see Overview of Nutrition.
DrO
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