Grazing alfalfa is not new. Alfalfa has been grazed since before Roman times. It is grazed by cattle, sheep, hogs, horses, camels, goats, ostriches, and other domestic animals as well as deer and many other wild animals.  

Pure stands of alfalfa are frequently grazed. More often, alfalfa is grown in mixtures with grasses for pasturing. In some areas alfalfa is green chopped or fed as fresh long stems.  

Most producers are at least somewhat reluctant to graze their alfalfa because of the possibility of losing animals to bloat. While the possibility of bloat is real when grazing most lush forages, it is particularly troublesome when grazing nearly all forage legumes. No alfalfa variety is less apt to cause bloat than another.  

Pasturing alfalfa during the late fall and winter is the safest grazing time when nearly all growth is frozen (brown). The most dangerous time for bloat in Oklahoma is when recent growth has been frosted with spring and fall freezes.  

There are many stories about how to avoid bloat, and many of them have some validity (at least under some circumstances). Some of the most widely accepted ways to lessen the problems with bloat follow: (If you have others, please let me know.)  

• Fill animals with dry grass or hay before grazing alfalfa.  
• Provide a bloat preventative for several days before grazing alfalfa and continue for at least several more days.  
• Closely watch cattle several times a day, at first.  
• Give them a choice of eating dry feed or fairly mature grass when grazing alfalfa.  
• Some producers use a "chronic bloater" in the herd as an indicator.  
• Remove all animals from the alfalfa field at the first sign of bloat and watch them closely.  
• Do not put hungry cattle on lush alfalfa.  
• Do not begin early in the morning. Fewer problems occur when starting in the afternoon.  
• Do not turn cattle onto alfalfa wet with dew. Wait until it dries completely.  
• Do not graze alfalfa that is lightly frosted. This is probably the most risky time in Oklahoma.  

• Select a well-drained soil.  
• Use good varieties.  
• Fertilize according to soil test.  
• Allow rest periods for alfalfa for good stand persistence. 

Alfalfa Harvest Management Discussion with Cost-Benefit Analysis. OSU Extension Circular E-943. HTML Format (faster)  
or PDF Format (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).