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Post by harleydales on Feb 24, 2010 20:15:06 GMT -1
We kept masses of hay this winter, but given the 10 weeks of pretty constant white ground we are running a bit shirt - at the moment the horses get hay in the morning and again at night with their hard feed but it is whizzing through the hay stocks!!
At night they get 1lb of grass nuts between 3 of them, plus a good lb of pasture mix plus fibergy and hay, and they are maintaining weight nicely on that. Then they get a couple of wedges of hay each in the morning - only because the grass is covered, if there was no snow they wouldn't get anything in the morning!
I'm trying to think of ways to reduce the hay intake and was pondering giving them soaked sugar beet in the morning instead of hay.
I googled it and it said feed sugar beet at 1.5% body weight as a complete hay replacer, so if I'm only reducing the hay by half, does that mean I could feed the beets at 1% bodyweight? And is it dry weight or wet weight?
1% of Harley is 4.8kg which seems a heck of a lot!!! Even the mule at 250kg would need 2.5lb and when you see that in a pail it is a lot.
Any ideas or suggestions?
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Post by manorian on Feb 24, 2010 20:42:39 GMT -1
That is a lot of sugarbeet.
Have you thought about Simple System Luciebix? A bag has 20 kilo blocks which you soak in water. I give a block per pony per day. It fills them up as sometimes they leave it and go back to it later. I think it would be healthier as sugarbeet can make ponies itch. A bag is £12.50.
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Post by harleydales on Feb 26, 2010 11:37:13 GMT -1
No-one up here stocks simple systems and to get it sent in the post will take 10 days and cost a forturne - I'm hoping the snow will be GONE in 10 days!!
BUT the saddler in Inverness has Allen & Page Fast Fibre so I'm going to give that a try, you feed it soaked at about hte same weight for weight (dry) as hay and it is just under £10 a bag.
When I asked about the Luciebix the saddler said no BUT we've got this and it does the same job - so thanks for the tip!
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Post by harveydales on Feb 26, 2010 12:40:14 GMT -1
I'm going through my hay very fast now but think I will last out. I can see what a huge worry this must be for you. I've been looking at alternative fibre sources too, mainly thinking of old Winnie. I have a gut feeling it wouldn't be a good idea to change to sugarbeet even thouhg it is probably the cheapest alternative. I will also consider Allenand Page Fast Fibre. I had a sample ages ago and all the horses liked it.
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Post by harleydales on Feb 26, 2010 15:10:24 GMT -1
I've got a bag - I'll let you know how I go on with it!
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Post by SuzieP on Feb 26, 2010 17:57:07 GMT -1
Good luck Jane - I'm glad you've found something. It must be such a worry for you....
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Post by Debbie on Feb 26, 2010 20:42:30 GMT -1
the only times I've ever cut back on hay, I have beefed up the amounts of soaked sugar beat my two were receiving. But it wasn't massive buckets, it was being fed three to four times a day versus the normal two. That said, I was attempting to keep them hydrated through our most brutal weather rather than trying to substitute for hay. Fingers crossed the weather shifts pronto for you  |
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Post by harleydales on Feb 27, 2010 20:33:12 GMT -1
Well, I tried the Fast Fibre today, and mixed a bit of Fibergy in with it to bulk it up. It soaked up twice its own volume in water and made a huge bucket full. Apollo and Monty ate theirs calmly. Elle TRIED to eat hers calmly. Harley didn't think much to it as it didn't have tasty mix in it so got in a strop and tipped up the tub and chased Elle off hers  In the end he gave in and ate some of it then stood and sulked  so she got most of it. Tomorrow I'll put theirs into 3 pails so at least she'll get some peace!! |
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Post by Debbie on Mar 1, 2010 13:02:52 GMT -1
LOL Harley that's rude! I hope poor Elle gets her own nosh tonight. Harley and his opinions  |
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Post by harleydales on Mar 1, 2010 19:00:22 GMT -1
It's working well with 3 pails in the morning and he's decided that if that's all that he's going to get he might as well eat it. Evening feeds are more tasty and he gets shut in a pen so Elle can eat in peace!
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Post by Debbie on Mar 3, 2010 12:25:09 GMT -1
the gut rules in the end! Boy, they sure can sulk, though, can't they? When Blossom feels she's not getting whatever it is she's decided in her mind (? and who knows that that could be in her mind?) she throws her bucket about, the lower lip juts out and she huffs and sighs and eventually eats her bucket. But what an amazing huff ;D
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so she got most of it.