Alfalfa

[Keira 8888]

Hi guys,

hope you’re all well - happy Friday!

has anyone ever found their horse to be allergic to Alfalfa?

Im trying to get to the bottom of what is causing Prince to come up with bumps along his neck, tummy and legs. He has been on pasture cubes and HiFi since he arrived with me over three weeks ago... both of which contain Alfalfa. He has an excellent fly rug and boots and I used a fly spray too. The vet doesn’t think the bumps are insect related. So from research I came up with lots of reports of Alfalfa causing this kind of reaction..

Anyone else experienced this?

he was given a steroid shot by the vet on Wednesday and they disappeared for a day but are back now ?

Thanks guys

kx

 

[holeymoley]

Yes it's quite common I believe.

 

[cobgoblin]

Yes, it's well known.

 

[Carrottom]

I haven't experienced it myself but it well documented as you say.
Does he need feed at this time of year? Maybe you could cut out feed for a couple of weeks and just give hay if he is stables to see if that makes a difference. There are feeds without alfalfa in but if possible I would try no feed to start with.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Hi guys,

hope you’re all well - happy Friday!

has anyone ever found their horse to be allergic to Alfalfa?

Im trying to get to the bottom of what is causing Prince to come up with bumps along his neck, tummy and legs. He has been on pasture cubes and HiFi since he arrived with me over three weeks ago... both of which contain Alfalfa. He has an excellent fly rug and boots and I used a fly spray too. The vet doesn’t think the bumps are insect related. So from research I came up with lots of reports of Alfalfa causing this kind of reaction..

Anyone else experienced this?

he was given a steroid shot by the vet on Wednesday and they disappeared for a day but are back now ?

Thanks guys

kx

Yes one of the Appaloosas reacted very badly to alfalfa, whereas a TBxWelsh had her whole diet based on it as she couldn't cope with cereals in any form. They are all different!

 

[onemoretime]

Hi guys,

hope you’re all well - happy Friday!

has anyone ever found their horse to be allergic to Alfalfa?

Im trying to get to the bottom of what is causing Prince to come up with bumps along his neck, tummy and legs. He has been on pasture cubes and HiFi since he arrived with me over three weeks ago... both of which contain Alfalfa. He has an excellent fly rug and boots and I used a fly spray too. The vet doesn’t think the bumps are insect related. So from research I came up with lots of reports of Alfalfa causing this kind of reaction..

Anyone else experienced this?

he was given a steroid shot by the vet on Wednesday and they disappeared for a day but are back now ?

Thanks guys

kx

Yes pretty common can also make them itchy and silly.

 

[milliepops]

yeah my welshie gets itchy zits all over quite quickly if I feed alfalfa. if alfalfa meal is used as a carrier for a supplement this is usually OK as the quantities are so small (25 ml scoops etc). but as an actual bucket feed it's no good for her.

 

[Keira 8888]

Thanks so much for your replies guys - this is very interesting. I am really hopeful that this could be the root of the problem. I have changed his feed today and gone right back to basics to what my feed merchant recommended. Completely natural (Can’t remember the name of the nuts and chaff but there’s basically no added stuff like molasses or alfalfa.)

will mix it in gradually and hope to have him on 100% new stuff in the next week. I wonder how long it will the hives to disappear if the alfalfa is indeed the problem ?

Thanks again everyone - I really appreciate it.

kx

 

[Keira 8888]

I haven't experienced it myself but it well documented as you say.
Does he need feed at this time of year? Maybe you could cut out feed for a couple of weeks and just give hay if he is stables to see if that makes a difference. There are feeds without alfalfa in but if possible I would try no feed to start with.

Hmm I never thought of that ? He is out 24/7 at the moment. I’m a first time horse owner so have been guided by YO. He was a little underweight when he arrived so I guess he needs a little building up ?‍ Do you think it’s unusual to give hard feed during the summer if they are out 24/7? Thanks so much x

 

[Keira 8888]

Do you guys think that Prince looks under weight still? X

 

[Keira 8888]

This is actually a bad pic! He doesn’t look quite this ribby in real live! Will find another x

 

[Keira 8888]

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I would go even more basic and go to grass only products - grassnuts (no molasses), grass chaff or haycobs. I wouldn't give the horse in your last photo any hard feed, other than a very small token if he is out on decent, horse-friendly grass

 

[doodle]

I would say a little under yes.

 

[Keira 8888]

Ok great thanks guys. That is exactly what he is in now - I remember now! Grass nuts and grass chaff. Luckily the lady in my local feed shop is super knowledgable (like you) and recommended it! Fingers crossed it stops the hives x

 

[scats]

Yes, one of my mares becomes an itchy mess fed alfalfa. She gets frantic scratching. Trying to find alfalfa free chaff is quite difficult. I feed her Mollichaff calmer.

 

[onemoretime]

Dengie Meadow Grass is Alfalfa free and so is Thunderbrooks chaff.

 

[mini_b]

with correct work I think he will start to look better. He’s lacking muscle tone and condition rather than “weight” IMO x

 

[terrierliz]

Yes one of mine literally swells if he has anything with alfalfa, the first time it happened he came up with hives, the his face, sheath and belly were horribly swollen

 

[ycbm]

There are plenty of straw chaffs with no alfalfa.
.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

There are plenty of straw chaffs with no alfalfa.
.

And several grass chaffs - Graze-on, Readigrass, Emerald Green, Dodson & Horrell, Simple Systems.

 

[mini_b]

Yes, one of my mares becomes an itchy mess fed alfalfa. She gets frantic scratching. Trying to find alfalfa free chaff is quite difficult. I feed her Mollichaff calmer.

mollichaff calmer is great ??

 

[Carrottom]

He looks fine weight wise to me. Lots of horses are fine on just grass in the summer, preferably with an appropriate vitamin and mineral balance, but of course you feed merchant won't tell you that ? not good for biz

 

[cobsandbassets]

Some feed balancers have alfalfa in. Sends one of ours absolutely loopy.