Hi doc, Just wondering if you can clear something up for me? There is always a huge controversy about the subject or hay stretcher pellets. What is Alfalfa? Is it hay?
I use the pellets by Blue Seal instead of beet pulp. I absolutely love it!! My horses look great this winter. I have some horses on only hay streather and vitamins but there are people that have a huge fit over it claiming that it is not hay and it has no nutritional value. What do you think?

Where are you from? Maine

Hi Sass,

Which product by Blue Seal are you feeding? I did not see anything called "hay stretcher" on their website.

Alfalfa is hay, but it is a legume, not a grass. Alfalfa is highly nutritious and is nice to offer in addition to grass hay because it balances out the amino acid profile of the diet, thereby improving the protein quality.

So, let me know which product you're feeding and I'll look it over for its nutritional value.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

well, i just looked for it myself and I cant find it either!! now that is weird. I will get the tag from one of my bags and post it. It is a very popular item and I dont understand why it would not be on there. thanks for your response Dr.

Where are you from? Maine

I have a tag from the bag and I will list the ingredients:
crude protein.....11.5
fat min.........2.0
fiber max......20.0
calcium, min...0.80 max....1.30
phosphorus, min......0.45

dehydrated alfalfa meal, wheat middlings, oat mill by-products, cane molasses, calcium carbonate .....

so that is the scoop on hay stretcher pellets. I started using it this fall and my horses look great and love it! Some are getting this with accel vitamins instead of grain.

Where are you from? Maine

Hi Sass,

Thanks for sending the info. It looks good -- high in fiber and low in starch. Keep up the fine work!

Dr. Getty