A 50# Bag of Chaffhaye Alfalfa will feed an average 1100 pound horse for 3 days. You will want to feed about 1.5 pounds of Chaffhaye for every hundred pounds of horse.

Yes. Chaffhaye is cut at optimal plant maturity, then, within hours it is chopped and compressed into air-tight packaging. A beneficial fermentation is then initiated, preserving more than 90% of the nutritional value of the crop. The fermentation adds beneficial enzymes and microflora.  In conventional hay making, a pasture is first cut and its forage left to dry on the field. As the forage dries in the open air environment, it reaches a moisture level of under 40%.  Combined with nutrient losses from storage and transport, even “Good Quality” hay can easily lose 20% to 30% of its nutrient value.  Chaffhaye fosters 100% feed consumption. For these reasons, a 50# bag of Chaffhaye equates to a nutritional value of 80 to 120 pounds of “Good Quality” hay.

Three tablespoons of low-sugar molasses is added to Chaffhaye to initiate the fermentation process. Nearly all of the molasses is converted by the fermentation process into beneficial acids that preserve the forage quality. The average sugar levels are around 5.1% and average starch levels are 3.1%. These levels are substantially below the requirements for a Low Non-Structural Carbohydrate Feed.

These are ‘colonies’ of yeast created as a by-product of the fermentation process. Most probiotics are yeast-based and are used to reestablish healthy digestion and to bolster the immune system after stress, travel, wormers and antibiotics. Yeast aids in the digestion of certain nutrients and are generally readily eaten by the animal.

Unopened in its air-tight package, Chaffhaye has a guaranteed shelf life of 18 months. Once opened, Chaffhaye remains fresh for 7 to 14 days. Store out of the sun and in an air-tight container to prolong freshness.

Chaffhaye Alfalfa is a high-fiber forage that contains 9% protein. A typical maintenance horse of 1,100 pounds requires a minimum of 656 grams of crude protein each day. At our recommended level of feeding, the horse will receive 815 grams of crude protein. This is more than enough without overloading. If you prefer to reduce the amount of protein fed without sacrificing fiber intake, we recommend mixing Chaffhaye Alfalfa with Chaffhaye Grass, to attain the desired protein/fiber mixture.

Chaffhaye is highly unlikely to make your horse "hot" or "jumpy". The most frequent cause of “jumpiness” is a high amount of starch. Chaffhaye’s average starch levels are 3.1%. Chaffhaye provides slow release energy that is primarily derived from its digestible fiber. Due to it’s “pre-digested” state, Chaffhaye also spreads digestion more evenly throughout the system so spikes in energy levels are less likely.

Customers who have horses that are prone to colic have reported less problems with Chaffhaye. With an average of 50% natural plant juices, Chaffhaye is similar to the levels found in natural grazing. The even digestion throughout the horse's digestive tract means less spills over into the hindgut where most colic problems occur.

Chaffhaye is rated as a supreme quality forage. This means that it offers a much higher level of nutrition than most hays and it’s “predigested” form means more nutrients will be assimilated with less ending up on the ground as manure. Many people add a good general purpose vitamin/mineral supplement and for horses in heavy work, an energy supplement is recommended, especially if you are feeding Chaffhaye Grass.