If you've stood in a hay barn trying to decide between alfalfa and bermuda grass, you're not alone. It's one of the most common questions we get from horse owners at all four of our Cook Feed & Outdoor locations — and the honest answer is: it depends on your horse.
Here's how we break it down for customers in Oklahoma City, Yukon, Norman, and at our Remington Park location.
Alfalfa Hay: High Protein, High Energy
Alfalfa is a legume, not a grass, and that's the key difference. It's higher in protein, calcium, and digestible energy than bermuda grass hay. That makes it a strong choice for:
- Performance horses in training or competition
- Growing foals and weanlings
- Lactating mares
- Hard keepers who struggle to maintain weight
- Senior horses who need extra calories to stay in good condition
The tradeoff is that alfalfa's richness isn't ideal for every horse. Easy keepers, horses prone to laminitis, or horses on a maintenance diet with no extra workload can actually gain too much weight or get too much energy from a full alfalfa diet. Many of our customers split the difference — feeding a mix of alfalfa and bermuda, or using alfalfa as a treat/supplement on top of a bermuda base.
We carry three strand alfalfa at all four of our Oklahoma locations, and we source it from our own farm in Tuttle in addition to trusted growers in Arizona, California, Kansas, and Colorado.
Bermuda Grass Hay: The Steady Roughage Source
Bermuda grass hay is lower in protein and calories than alfalfa, which makes it the better baseline forage for most horses that aren't in heavy work. It's an excellent source of roughage and keeps horses chewing and digesting steadily throughout the day — which matters a lot for equine gut health.
Bermuda is typically the right call for:
- Horses on a balanced feeding program who are also getting grain or supplements
- Easy keepers and horses prone to weight gain
- Horses in light work or pasture pets
- Anyone looking for a more cost-effective forage option for a larger herd
Bermuda grass hay grows well across Central Oklahoma, and it's typically more affordable per bale than alfalfa, which makes it the practical choice for boarding facilities and ranches managing larger numbers of horses.
So Which One Is Right for Your Horse?
Most horse owners we talk to in Oklahoma end up using both, depending on the horse and the season:
- Performance or growing horses: alfalfa, or a heavy alfalfa/bermuda mix
- Easy keepers and maintenance horses: bermuda grass as the forage base
- Hard keepers or seniors: bermuda base with alfalfa added for extra calories
- Boarding facilities and ranches: often bermuda as the bulk forage, with alfalfa available for specific horses that need it
If you're not sure which mix makes sense for your horse's age, workload, and body condition, stop by any of our four Oklahoma locations and ask. Our staff includes Purina University Certified team members who can walk through your horse's specific needs with you — no guessing required.
Where to Buy Alfalfa and Bermuda Hay in Oklahoma
We stock both alfalfa and bermuda grass hay at all four Cook Feed & Outdoor locations across the OKC metro. If you need bulk quantities for a boarding facility or ranch, we also offer semi load hay delivery anywhere in Oklahoma, and local farm delivery is available to 100+ zip codes across Central Oklahoma.
Browse our current hay selection in the alfalfa hay collection or the bermuda grass collection, or give us a call at (405) 350-3333 and we'll help you figure out the right mix for your horse.