Feeding Horses Alfalfa Cubes

Alfalfa cubes are a popular and practical forage option for horses, offering many of the nutritional advantages of baled alfalfa hay in a convenient, compact form. They are produced by chopping alfalfa into small pieces, drying it, and compressing it into uniform cubes. Because the forage is harvested at consistent stages of maturity and processed under controlled conditions, alfalfa cubes provide a reliable and consistent feed source compared to traditional baled hay, which can vary widely in nutrient content and quality. For horse owners seeking predictable nutrition and reduced waste, cubes are an attractive option. Nutritionally, alfalfa cubes retain the rich profile of alfalfa hay, which is higher in protein, energy, and calcium compared to most grass hays. These characteristics make alfalfa cubes especially valuable for horses in heavy work, growing youngsters, broodmares, and horses that struggle to maintain weight. The higher lysine content supports muscle development and topline, while the naturally elevated calcium helps buffer stomach acid, providing protective effects against gastric ulcers. Because alfalfa cubes are dust-free and low in mold risk compared to baled hay, they are also well suited to horses with respiratory conditions such as heaves. Feeding management is critical with alfalfa cubes. While many horses can consume cubes dry without issue, soaking them is strongly recommended, particularly for older horses, those with poor dentition, or horses prone to choke. When soaked, the cubes break down into a soft mash that is safer and easier to chew. This makes cubes an excellent forage replacement for senior horses that can no longer manage long-stem hay. However, because cubes are more calorie-dense than grass hay, overfeeding can lead to excessive weight gain in easy keepers or horses with metabolic issues. For horses at risk of laminitis or insulin resistance, feeding cubes in moderation and balancing them with low-NSC forages is essential. Another consideration is that cubes, while nutritionally rich, do not provide the same chewing time or long-stem fiber as traditional hay. Long-stem fiber plays an important role in stimulating chewing, saliva production, and healthy gut motility. For this reason, alfalfa cubes should ideally be used to supplement, rather than completely replace, long-stem forage. If cubes must serve as the sole forage source due to dental or management reasons, they should be offered in multiple meals throughout the day and combined with other chopped or pelleted forages to mimic natural feeding patterns. In practice, alfalfa cubes are extremely versatile. They can be used as a partial hay replacer to add protein and calories to a forage program, as a safe carrier for supplements when soaked, or as the primary forage source for horses unable to chew hay. They can also be combined with grass cubes or hay pellets to balance nutrient intake and energy density. Because they are tightly compressed and easy to store, cubes also reduce waste, simplify feeding in boarding or competition settings, and provide predictable nutrition when traveling. So overall alfalfa cubes are a highly digestible, nutrient-dense, and convenient forage option with clear benefits for horses needing more calories, high-quality protein, or gastric support. Their dust-free nature makes them safer for horses with respiratory or dental challenges, while their consistency and storage advantages make them practical for owners. To maximize their benefits, they should be introduced gradually, soaked for safety, and balanced with long-stem forage or other fiber sources to ensure complete digestive health. When fed appropriately, alfalfa cubes are one of the most effective ways to deliver concentrated forage nutrition in a form that meets the diverse needs of horses across life stages and workloads. Scholarly Sources for Further Reading Nadeau, J. A., Andrews, F. M., & Patton, C. S. (2000). The effect of diet on gastric ulceration in horses. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 14(6), 712–714. Lybbert, T., Gibbs, P., Cohen, N., Scott, B., & Sigler, D. (2007). Feeding alfalfa hay to exercising horses reduces the severity of gastric squamous mucosal ulceration. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 27(2), 95–100. Varloud, M., de Vaux, A., Bayart, D., & Julliand, V. (2007). Effects of alfalfa and grass hays on gastric ulceration and gastric juice pH in horses. Equine Veterinary Journal, 39(1), 64–67. Harris, P. A., Ellis, A. D., Fradinho, M. J., Jansson, A., Julliand, V., Luthersson, N., Santos, A. S., & Vervuert, I. (2017). Review: Feeding conserved forage to horses: recent advances and recommendations. Animal, 11(6), 958–967. Saastamoinen, M. T., & Särkijärvi, S. (2015). Forage feeding value and equine nutrition. Grass and Forage Science, 70(3), 353–370.