Alfalfa meal is created by grinding cured alfalfa hay or pellets into a fine powder. This meal is valued by organic gardeners and livestock owners due to its nutrient density. Producing your own meal allows for control over the raw material, ensuring the finished product is free from contaminants. The process transforms bulky hay into a concentrated, shelf-stable form, ready for use as a powerful soil amendment or a dietary supplement.
Primary Uses for Alfalfa Meal
Home-produced alfalfa meal offers dual benefits, serving as an excellent organic fertilizer for plants and a high-quality feed supplement for animals. As a soil amendment, it contains moderate nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, often featuring an N-P-K ratio around 3-1-2 or 2-0-1. This composition provides a slow-release source of nitrogen, supporting lush foliage without the sudden growth spurts associated with synthetic fertilizers.
The meal also contains triacontanol, a naturally occurring plant growth stimulant that encourages healthy root development and improved crop yields. It is rich in micronutrients like calcium and magnesium, which build soil health and attract beneficial earthworms and microbes.
For livestock feed, alfalfa meal is valued for its high crude protein content, typically ranging from 15% to 22%. This protein contains all the essential amino acids necessary for muscle development and milk production in animals such as horses, goats, and rabbits.
Sourcing and Preparing the Alfalfa Hay
The quality of the finished meal begins with selecting raw hay that is clean, high-quality, and free of mold. Use dried or cured alfalfa hay, not fresh plants, as high moisture content leads to rapid spoilage and equipment damage.
The most critical step before milling is ensuring the alfalfa is fully dried to a low moisture level, ideally below 15%. This prevents clumping during grinding and subsequent mold growth in storage.
Alfalfa hay is typically field-cured to reduce its moisture content from approximately 75-80% down to a safe baling level of 14-20%. To check for dryness, the hay should feel brittle, and the nutrient-rich leaves should easily shatter when rubbed.
Hay baled above 20% moisture is susceptible to heating and molding, which destroys nutrients and makes the material unsuitable for use as feed or fertilizer. Starting with hay that is fully cured and stored dry will ensure the milling process is successful and the resulting meal is safe.
Step-by-Step Guide to Milling the Meal
Once the hay is confirmed to be dry and mold-free, the mechanical process of milling begins by selecting the appropriate equipment for the batch size.
Small-Scale Milling
For small-scale needs, such as creating meal for a home garden, a heavy-duty food processor or a high-powered blender can effectively process small handfuls of hay. Feed the hay into the machine slowly to prevent overheating the motor and avoid creating a dense wad of fibrous material.
Large-Scale Milling
For larger volumes suitable for a small farm or livestock operation, a dedicated hammer mill is the most efficient equipment. This machinery uses high-speed rotating hammers to shatter the dry fiber against a screen. Always wear a dust mask and operate in a well-ventilated area, as the grinding process generates significant fine dust.
Achieving Consistency
Achieving the desired consistency, from a coarse crumble for feed to a fine powder for fertilizer, may require passing the material through the mill multiple times. A finer meal increases the surface area, which accelerates nutrient breakdown in the soil or improves digestibility for animals. Checking the final product for uniform particle size ensures the meal is easy to spread or mix into feed rations.
Proper Storage and Shelf Life
Proper storage is necessary to maintain the meal’s nutritional integrity and prevent spoilage. The meal must be stored in airtight containers to block the absorption of ambient moisture. Exposure to humidity quickly leads to clumping and mold growth, rendering the product unusable, especially for sensitive livestock.
The containers should be kept in a cool, dark, and dry location, such as a dedicated storage room or barn, away from direct sunlight and temperature fluctuations. When stored under optimal conditions, alfalfa meal can maintain its quality for up to six to twelve months. Using the meal within a year ensures the highest potency, as nutrient degradation can occur over time.