The drought has hit hard. Horse or rabbit feed, alfalfa normally has 'fillers' inert plant bulk. Alfalfa pellets also have different grades of proteins. Legumes are used as 'green manure' by being turned under the soil just before blooming. Once blooms set, the energy of the plant is given to the bloom, so the leaf and stalk are reduced. For the most part, in most situations, the salt is negligible and not a problem. You can broadcast for a lo nitrogen slow release type fertilizer, add to compost, or dissolve which doesnt increase immediate availability that much. Everything in the pellets is a soil/plant useable. Most alfalfa is not cut prebloom, as the plants dont all bloom at the same time, but it is cut as bloom cycles begin. This insures the cycle isnt finished (blooms set seed and plants go dormant) and the alfalfa will grow after cutting for 2nd and third crops when watered.