11/05/2026
Lucerne works very well when paired with one of our Equine Insight Slow Feeder Hay Nets
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LUCERNE CHAFF
If there's one chaff that earns its place in the feed room, it's lucerne, but it's also one of the most misunderstood.
Lucerne (known as alfalfa outside South Africa) is a legume rather than a grass, which means its nutritional profile looks quite different to that of cereal or grass chaff. It is significantly higher in protein, calcium and digestible energy than oaten or wheaten chaff, and lower in sugar and starch.
🌾 What makes lucerne particularly valuable:
→ The high calcium content gives lucerne natural buffering properties, meaning it helps neutralise stomach acid. Feeding a small amount of lucerne chaff before exercise has been shown to reduce the splashing of acid onto the sensitive upper stomach lining, making it a useful tool in gastric ulcer prevention and management.
→ The quality protein supports muscle development and topline maintenance, making it especially useful for horses in work, young horses, veterans struggling to hold condition, and horses recovering from illness or injury.
→ Lucerne is also one of the better chaff options for horses needing to rebuild damaged laminae following laminitis, where high-quality protein is specifically required for tissue repair.
🌾 Where people go wrong with lucerne:
It is not a chaff for every horse in every situation. Good doers, native breeds, or horses on rich pasture can easily receive more protein and energy than they need if lucerne makes up a large part of their diet. This is not necessarily dangerous, but it is unnecessary and can contribute to excess condition.
