Yes — sainfoin is safe for alpacas.
It is acceptable forage or browse in normal amounts.
- Status
- Safe
- Scientific name
- Onobrychis viciifolia
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Plant type
- Legume
- Also known as
- Holy-clover, Esparcet, common sainfoin
Feeding notes
High-tannin legume studied for anti-parasitic effects in small ruminants; excellent palatable forage.
How to offer it
- Introduce any new forage or browse gradually over a week or two.
- Make sure it is fresh — avoid moldy, wilted piles or plants sprayed with herbicide.
- Keep a balanced diet: grass or hay first, with a camelid mineral available.
About the plant
Where it grows
GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 111,176 recorded observations of Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. worldwide, including 953 in the United States. It belongs to the Fabaceae family, together with Rosary Pea, Black Locust, Coffee Senna & Sicklepod, Kentucky Coffeetree, Laburnum. See the occurrence map on GBIF.
Frequently asked questions
Can alpacas eat sainfoin?
How much sainfoin can an alpaca eat?
Keeping pastures safe
- Walk every paddock and fence line each season and remove toxic plants, including roots.
- Never throw garden, hedge or lawn clippings over the fence.
- Check pastures after storms for fallen branches (cherry, red maple).
- Buy hay from known sources and inspect it for weeds.
- Keep pastures well managed — hungry alpacas eat plants they would normally avoid.
Browse the full toxic plant checker, the printable list of poisonous plants and the list of safe plants.
This page is educational and does not replace advice from a veterinarian who has examined your animals. Camelid medicine uses many drugs “extra-label”, so dosing must come from your vet. In an emergency, call your vet first. Read our disclaimer · How we write and review content.
Data: plant status compiled from veterinary toxicology references (see sources); taxonomy and occurrences from GBIF; identifiers from Wikidata Q157933.