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Animal Nutrition

Alfalfa Powder Supplier for Animal Nutrition

Product Name: Alfalfa Powder

Latin Name: Medicago sativa L.

Source: Medicago sativa Leaves / Aerial Parts

Family: Fabaceae

Part Used: Leaf

Other Names: Alfalfa Leaf Powder, Lucerne Powder, Medicago Sativa Powder

Appearance: Light Green Fine Powder

Application: Dairy Cattle Feed, Beef Cattle Feed, Sheep Feed, Goat Feed, Ruminant Feed Additives, Phytogenic Feed Additives

Certification: FDA, KOSHER, HALAL, FSSC22000

In Stock: 100 Tons

Package: 25kg/Fiber Drum

Zenpet supplies premium Alfalfa Powder in bulk for export to pet food manufacturers, livestock feed companies, poultry producers, and animal nutrition brands. Customized specifications and OEM solutions available.

What is Alfalfa Powder?

Bulk Alfalfa powder, also known as alfalfa meal, is a finely ground forage supplement derived from the nutrient-rich Medicago sativa plant that provides concentrated protein, calcium, and digestible fiber for horses, chickens.

Alfalfa Powder Specifications

Item Specification
Product Name Alfalfa Powder
Botanical Name Medicago sativa L.
Other Names Alfalfa Leaf Extract, Lucerne Extract, Medicago Sativa Extract Powder
Appearance Green to yellow-green fine powder
Odor Characteristic alfalfa aroma
Extraction Ratio 10:1, 20:1 or customized
Extract Solvent Water / Ethanol / Water-Ethanol
Particle Size 80–100 mesh (customizable)
Moisture ≤5%
Ash ≤8%
Protein ≥10% (customizable)
Total Flavonoids ≥1%, ≥2%, ≥5% (customizable)
Chlorophyll Customized according to application
Heavy Metals Complies with feed-grade standards
Lead (Pb) ≤3 ppm
Arsenic (As) ≤2 ppm
Cadmium (Cd) ≤1 ppm
Mercury (Hg) ≤0.1 ppm
Total Plate Count ≤10,000 CFU/g
Yeast & Mold ≤1,000 CFU/g
E. coli Negative
Salmonella Negative
Shelf Life 24 months
Storage Cool, dry place, sealed container
Packaging 25kg/drum

Alfalfa Powder for Animal Nutrition Formula Solutions Dosage Guide

Bulk Alfalfa Leaf Powder is a concentrated botanical ingredient rich in plant proteins, chlorophyll, flavonoids, saponins, polysaccharides, vitamins, and minerals. It is commonly used in animal nutrition formulations to support digestive health, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and overall nutritional balance. Research on alfalfa flavonoid extract has evaluated supplementation in dairy cattle diets, while poultry studies have investigated dietary alfalfa extract inclusion levels.

Animal Nutrition Formula Solutions & Recommended Dosage

Application Target Animal Functional Purpose Recommended Dosage
Pet Supplements (Powder, Chews, Tablets, Capsules) Dogs & Cats Nutritional support, antioxidant support, digestive health 100–500 mg/kg body weight/day or 0.5–3% in finished formula
Dry Pet Food Formula Dogs & Cats Botanical nutrition enhancer, natural phytonutrient source 0.2–1.0% of total formula
Wet Pet Food Formula Dogs & Cats Functional botanical ingredient, palatability enhancement 0.1–0.5% of total formula
Pet Treats & Functional Snacks Dogs & Cats Natural green ingredient, antioxidant support 0.5–2.0% of formula
Ruminant Feed Additives Dairy Cattle, Beef Cattle, Sheep, Goats Supports rumen fermentation and nutrient utilization 0.5–2 g/kg feed
Dairy Cow Functional Feed Lactating Cows Antioxidant and immune-support applications 20–100 mg/kg body weight/day (extract basis in research models) (PubMed Central (PMC))
Poultry Feed Additives Broilers & Layer Hens Gut health, egg quality support, antioxidant nutrition 0.5–1.5 kg/ton feed (0.05–0.15%) (PubMed)
Aquaculture Feed Fish & Shrimp Plant-based nutrition, antioxidant support 0.5–2 kg/ton feed
Animal Premix & Nutritional Blends Multi-species Botanical nutrient enrichment 1–5% of premix formula

Benefits of Alfalfa Powder for Horses

  • Muscle Support: Delivers high-quality protein and essential amino acids necessary for top-line development and muscle repair in performance horses. 

  • Stomach Health: Acts as a natural buffer against gastric acid due to its high calcium content, which helps reduce the severity of stomach ulcers. 

  • Weight Management: Offers a dense source of calories and energy to help hard keepers or underweight horses gain condition. 

Powder vs. Pellets and Cubes

  • Alfalfa Meal/Powder: Finely ground, making it easy to blend directly into grain or concentrate feeds, though it lacks long-stem fiber structure. 

  • Pellets and Cubes: Coarser alternatives that encourage more chewing and saliva production, and are less prone to wind-blowing or separation in the feed bucket. Pellets or cubes are often soaked in water for horses prone to choking. 

Feeding Considerations

  • Calcium-Phosphorus Balance: Alfalfa is naturally very high in calcium, so the total diet must be balanced with adequate phosphorus to maintain a proper ratio (roughly 1.5:1). 

  • Metabolic Sensitivities: While low in sugar, the high protein and calorie density may not be suitable for easy keepers, ponies, or horses with specific metabolic conditions like EMS (Equine Metabolic Syndrome).

Clinical Research & Scientific Evidence

Alfalfa Saponins in Animal Nutrition

ACS Publications research has investigated alfalfa saponins as important phytochemicals in animal nutrition. Studies have reviewed their chemical characteristics, biological activities, and potential applications in livestock diets.

Antioxidant Potential of Alfalfa Flavonoids

PubMed Alfalfa contains flavonoids such as apigenin, luteolin, and tricin derivatives. Animal studies have evaluated dietary alfalfa flavonoids for antioxidant-related applications and product quality parameters.

Piglet Nutrition Research

Studies evaluating alfalfa saponin extracts in weaned piglets investigated effects related to growth performance and antioxidant indicators, demonstrating the potential of alfalfa-derived compounds in animal nutrition research.

Alfalfa Powder vs Alfalfa Extract

Feature Alfalfa Extract Powder Alfalfa Powder
Concentration Higher bioactive concentration Lower concentration
Fiber Content Reduced Higher
Formula Flexibility Suitable for supplements and functional feeds Mainly bulk feed use
Bioactive Compounds Concentrated flavonoids/saponins Naturally occurring but diluted
Dosage Lower inclusion rate Higher inclusion rate
Application Premium animal nutrition products Traditional feed ingredient

Why Choose Zenpet?

Professional Animal Nutrition Ingredient Factory

Zenpet specializes in supplying botanical ingredients for:

  • Pet food manufacturers
  • Animal supplement brands
  • Feed additive companies
  • Aquaculture nutrition companies

Our production system supports bulk export requirements with consistent quality and traceability.

Full Quality Control System

Zenpet controls every production stage:

  • Raw material inspection
  • Extraction process monitoring
  • Finished product testing
  • Batch traceability

Quality documentation available:

  • COA
  • Specification Sheet
  • MSDS
  • Microbial Testing Report
  • Heavy Metal Analysis

Global Export Capability

Markets served:

  • USA
  • Europe
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Middle East
  • Asia-Pacific

Sourcing Alfalfa Powder for your brand? Talk to the team that’s supplied the industry’s leading brands for over 20 years. Every Zenpet sample ships with third-party verified analysis, Evaluate it against anything on the market. Contact us today!

 

 

 

 

 

References
Sen S., Makkar H.P.S., Becker K. Alfalfa Saponins and Their Implication in Animal Nutrition. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Rafińska K. et al. Medicago sativa as a source of secondary metabolites for agriculture and pharmaceutical industry. Phytochemistry Letters.
Szumacher-Strabel M. et al. Structural and quantitative changes of saponins in fresh alfalfa compared to alfalfa silage. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
Effects of dietary alfalfa flavonoids on animal performance and antioxidant parameters.

ItemSpecification
Standard Packaging25 kg drum
Custom PackagingAvailable
Storage Temperature≤25°C
ProtectionAvoid moisture, oxygen, and sunlight
Shelf Life24 months