Is alfalfa hay given free choice not good for my sheep?

[Singing Shepherd]

I have combed through the relevant posts on this site and thought I saw a majority of people feeding at least some alfalfa hay to their sheep in winter time, many using bales of mixed hay-part alfalfa, part mixed hay types-and so thought I was safe giving mine alfalfa free choice while their was six inches of snow on their pasture. But I found a post last night that said feeding pure alfalfa all the time would give my rams urinary calculi. But I was told at feed store it had the highest nutritive value of all the hays. So now I am confused. What's the consensus from those reading this post...should I continue like this through winter or switch to mixed hay bales or some other type of hay altogether for constant feeding?

 

[SheepGirl]

Feeding alfalfa hay to rams and wethers does NOT cause urinary calculi, in fact, it helps PREVENT it. In order to minimize the incidences of UC, the calciumhosphorus ratio should be 2:1, which means for the entire ration, there should be at least two times as much calcium as phosphorus. Ruminants can tolerate up to 7:1.

However, if ypu are feeding straight alfalfa hay, introduce it slowly and offer grass hay with it at first. They will tend to overeat it because it is a very rich, nutritious feedstuff and they may bloat. So watch them for the first couple of days as work the alfalfa up in their diet.

Personally though, alfalfa is too expensive soI just feed regular grass hay since Iits cheaper. Feed what is available at the best price for you

 

[kateseidel]

My sheep don't care for grass hay, and as a result, they leave a lot of waste as they sift through it to find the good parts. So once the pasture is dead (like now), they get alfalfa hay. I cannot get an alfalfa blend here, that might be a slightly cheaper option but is not really a choice for me. I currently pay about $15-17 per bale.

I can't free feed it, I suspect they would eat until they actually exploded. My little flock of five share 2 flakes a day (about 10 lbs) and there is not a speck left when they are done.

 

[alsea1]

Hay of any kind is starting to get hard to find and being sold at such a rate its hard to break even. Folks don't realize how much a person puts into them and get sticker shock when you tell them how much for hanging weight.
Cute sheeps by the way.

 

[Bossroo]

As for alfalfa causing urinary calculi ... just look at what the replacement rams that are sold at ram sales feed their rams prior to being sold. From weaning at 5 months of age to yearling age for the auction sales they are fed alfalfa hay plus grain . I have done this with hundreds of purebred rams and not a one was affected.

 

[alsea1]

Thats good to know. My sheep and goats love the stuff. However I was not sure if I should feed that.
I am exp. with beet pulp to try and reduce amount of hay nec.

 

[Singing Shepherd]

Thanks each of you for your responses, very reassuring and informative. I learn so much here. I have been limiting their access to the hay by feeding them 3 flakes a day while snow was on the ground and 2 when they can graze...although there is nothing to eat really. I feel they should have at least something to munch on throughout the day though, and so was thinking to feed cheaper hay free choice and treat once a day with alfalfa. What do you all think of that idea? (Sheep girl and I have spoken before on this site about the pros and cons of winter pasture..and I am trying to set my sheeps' winter maintenance routine so that it keeps them healthy and doesn't fatten them up too much.) With next month's paycheck I plan to try a bale of mixed hay to see if they will eat it. Hope so cause like you say alsea and sheepgirl, alfalfa is expensive.