Orchard grass versus normal alfalfa?

[Nao57]

So I had heard some people feed their rabbits orchard grass, because its cheaper than alfalfa bales.

I wanted to see what others thought about this. I hadn't done this but when they said 'cheapter' I'm getting ideas already you know how that is...

Is this much different protein wise than alfalfa baled hay?

And for those of you who have tried using orchard grass for rabbits (or for other things even), did you get the same results? (Or any problems?)

But if it does work I hope not to many people know haha. If everyone knows the cheap tricks then the store will just raise the prices for those too.

 

[Grizzlyhackle]

So I had heard some people feed their rabbits orchard grass, because its cheaper than alfalfa bales.

I wanted to see what others thought about this. I hadn't done this but when they said 'cheapter' I'm getting ideas already you know how that is...

Is this much different protein wise than alfalfa baled hay?

And for those of you who have tried using orchard grass for rabbits (or for other things even), did you get the same results? (Or any problems?)

But if it does work I hope not to many people know haha. If everyone knows the cheap tricks then the store will just raise the prices for those too.

From what I've read alfalfa should only be fed to young ones. It's a legume not a grass. More for cows and goats, too much calcium? I think. Feed rabbits like horses timothy , orchard grass.
I have planted some strips of orchard grass but I don't bale it. I give them a handful daily when it's growing but like I told you in the roundup answer I don't have enough space. I also don't know how to dry it right. Bale of grass hay lasts me awhile so saving it really ain't worth my time. Somebody with more smarts and experience will jump on here directly. Before I found this forum I did a lot of google searches on what to feed bunnies. Timothy and orchard were the preferred over alfalfa as I remember. I have 6 now, I've lost 4 of various reasons. Only one doesn't always eat it and that's cuz he's a picky eater.

 

[farmerjan]

Alfalfa is a legume as @Grizzlyhackle said.... as is clover and some other types of forage. Higher protein, higher in some of the micro nutrients as alfalfa roots go deep into the soil.
I would not feed alfalfa pellets and alfalfa hay. There is up to 3x the calcium in alfalfa as well as about 2x the protein.
A little is good as an added level of nutrition.... it would be easy to overdo it.
We do not feed alot of alfalfa to our cattle or sheep. I do give some to the dairy cows as an extra when they are in the barn and we do give some to the pregnant sheep to boost the protein and nutritional levels when they are getting close to lambing since they are unable to eat alot when the lambs get so big inside before lambing. We also feed grain, and they have free choice orchard grass hay in front of them.

 

[Stephine]

One more voice to say, yes, not a good idea to feed alfalfa routinely. They should get a nice grass hay as the bulk of their diet, timothy is great, orchard is ok, whatever they eat well.

 

[Rabbitsbysara]

So the food I feed, actually all of the foods available here, pellets I mean are alfalfa. I feed Manna gro 50lbs is 20.00 right now. Farm and fleet sells nuetrena cheaper but I haven't had good luck breeding and kindling does with that. I use the bales of standlee Timothy hay, but it is really garbage at 23.00 a bale. It lasts along time but it is not good. I can buy bales of hay alfalfa, and I may experiment with this in spring, some of my rabbits will be on Grass anyway and all gets lots of confrey and greens. I know someone with organic bales of grass, but last time I got some it will full of some kind of rodent droppings and I did not want to feed it to my rabbits. I did use it on my garden. I find alot of stuff they say you shouldn't feed your rabbits is baseless. There is a ton of conflicting info on line. I think there are plenty of people that probably feed actual hay, the same hay they bale and feed all their animals. I do feed my does and young kits some alfalfa mixed with the Timothy.

 

[promiseacres]

Many do not feed alfalfa because the pellets generally are alfalfa based, so too much protein. I have fed it at times without issues. But mostly feed our mixed grass hay we bale for our hirses.