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[RC] Just how "evil" is alfalfa? or why I don't feed alfalfa any more - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: Ron Shaffer ron.shaffer@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== I am also in S. CA and lost a horse to Enteroliths a few years ago. It was the most miserable experiance of my life. I do not feed alfalfa any more after doing a great deal of research on the subject (of Enteroliths). Arabs acording to the UC study are more prone to them than most other breeds and CA horses are 10x more likely to get Enteroliths than horses in any other state - from an article in Equus that I can't find right now. The horse I lost was not an Arab it was a Thoroughbred but I now have 2 Arabs and a QH. Alfalfa is not part of their diets. This is from the UC Davis web site: Helpful Tips - Volume 16, Number 1, March 1998 Preventing Enteroliths Enteroliths are stones that form around a foreign object in the intestine of horses, similar to a pearl. The stones are composed primarily of struvite which is a combination of magnesium, ammonium and phosphate. The struvite crystals are laid down in concentric rings around objects such as sand, pebbles, plastic, twine, hair, etc. Smaller enteroliths are passed through the intestine and may be found in stalls or paddocks. Larger ones will result in fatal colic unless surgically removed. The number of enterolith cases seen at UC Davis has steadily increased over the last decade. In 1983, 18 cases were admitted to UCD with a diagnosis of enteroliths and in 1992, there were 106 cases. So what can you do? Feed oat or grass hay. 98% of horses with enteroliths had a diet of 50% alfalfa hay. Reduce or eliminate bran from your horse's diet. Bran provides high levels of phosphorus which may contribute to enterolith formation. Increase your grain to hay ratio which will decrease the pH level in the colon. Horses with enteroliths had high pH levels in their colons. Add one cup of vinegar a day to your horse's diet which will also decrease intestinal pH levels. Increase feedings to three to four times a day. Infrequent feedings contribute to reducing the movement of bulk feed material through the large intestine which may provide a favorable environment for stones to incubate and grow. Provide daily exercise and avoid prolonged stall confinement which also contributes to reduced intestinal movement of feed. Bed on straw instead of shavings. Straw provides an opportunity for horses to nibble on a high fiber, bulk feed material throughout the day which is low in magnesium, phosphorus and protein. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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