Alfalfa is found in a number of dog and cat foods. Perhaps this seems odd since we most often consider it a staple ingredient in livestock rations, especially dairy and beef cattle diets. For companion animals, alfalfa would ordinarily be encountered in horse diets and/or small rodent diets like those for rabbits, gerbils or guinea pigs. There are also some herbalists that promote its inclusion in human foods and supplements. However, the use of this forage in some dog and cat foods has created questions with consumers—specifically, whether alfalfa is an ingredient that belongs in these foods. Unfortunately, there isn't a compelling or definitive answer for the petfood company, veterinarian or pet owner.
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), also known as Lucerne in some parts of the world, is a legume forage grown in temperate regions. The aerial portion is cut, dried in natural-gas-fired furnaces and then pelleted or it is cut, allowed to dry in the open (sun-dried or sun-cured) and then baled or stacked for later feeding. This perennial nitrogen-fixing legume grows continuously during the warmer months of summer and produces anywhere from three to five "cuttings" a year depending on the growing season, soil fertility and moisture.
