Horses Go Nuts for Perennial Peanut Hay

24 Jan Horses Go Nuts for Perennial Peanut Hay

By Charlotte Miller

Hey Horses! There is a new hay on the menu. Perennial Peanut Hay! It is a high quality legume hay, equivalent to alfalfa in nutritional value. Close to alfalfa in protein content, amino acids and mineral content, it has fine stems and large leaves. Perennial Peanut is not a peanut producing plant – it is a sterile rhizome that has no nut. It was developed and tested by the University of Florida and was originally introduced into this country from Brazil as part of an experiment. Years later, leftover stray rhizomes were rediscovered from the original experiment – the Florigraze cultivar – and Peanut Hay production was started. 

Perennial Peanut is grown in Florida, Georgia, the Gulf Coast Region, Alabama, southern Texas, and parts of the Carolinas. It is a semi-tropical perennial, does not need replanting year to year, and it is a hearty plant that does not require pesticides, fertilizers or fungicides as it is established. It is drought tolerant and relatively disease and insect-pest free. Perennial Peanut is a very digestible and palatable hay and does not result in explosive energy!

Since the Perennial Peanut Hay is grown in the South, it is not as expensive as the alfalfa hay grown farther away from our part of the country.

As a consequence of being such a palatable hay, care should be taken to prevent over consumption. Because of the high nutritional value, there should be few instances in which Perennial Peanut Hay should be self-fed to horses. Perennial Peanut hay is best used as a supplemental feed to other grass hay.

If you have any questions regarding the Perennial Peanut Hay, please call Sam Tarver at 985-773-4026 or Charlotte Miller 985-502-0955.