Feeding Beet Pulp Pellets

[georgiegirl]

[For my two cents worth--

I feed a mix of beet pulp pellets and alfalfa cubes plus a small amount of grass hay.

I would be scared to death to feed this mix unsoaked. I agree that choke is a major problem. It takes just a few seconds for a horse to choke to death. It isnt worth the chance you take.

Besides my vet would not be happy with me as she said never to feed that unsoaked to a mini.

If you soak it in hot water, you would be surprised at the amount of moisture the mix will soak up. If this is in your horse's stomach dry, the moisture has to come from somewhere. Common sense will tell you that it is going to come straight out of the horse's system.

Be safe, not sorry.

 

[Charlotte]

It is my understanding...I read this somewhere.....that the beet pulp pellets are not manufactured to be fed as is, but rather are manufactured to be used by feed companies to be used in processed feeds. Meaning that they are reground and mixed with other products and then formed into a feed product.

Charlotte

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I think that the myth about Beet Pulp has been effectively debunked, and that we know it is safe to feed unsoaked?

Now, what we appear to be discussing is whether it is safe to feed to Minis?

I would say that the shreds are fine as are the smaller pellets, but that the large, cattle sized, pellets carry their own problems.

Beet Pulp can be digested, dry, without any problems, that has been proven time and time again.

If a horse gets into any feed and gorges itself then colic is always going to be a problem.

 

[~Lisa~]

I forget who asked this but beet pulp is a great way to get fiber in your horse and is thought by many (including myself) to give them that fiber without having to give them as much hay. YOu can replace up to 50 percent of their hay with equal amounts (measured and weighed dry) of beet pulp. My horses get hay once a day and beet pulp and grain the other feeding. It can be used to gain weight by feeding more it can also be used to help lose weight by giving a bit less hay and less or no grain and instead adding more soaked beet pulp. The horses get to eat more bulk

For me it takes 1 cup of pellets to make 6 cups of soaked. My ponies get about 15 cups of soaked beet pulp a day and my minis get about 12 cups a day (again measured soaked) right now I have to start worrying about show diets for one or two so I will cut their grain back by a cup and increase their soaked beet pulp by about 2 cups so they get more actual bulk of feed however nutrition and calorie wise you count the beet pulp dry not soaked so they are really only losing about 1/2a cup a day but are actually eating 1 cup more a day making them feel they are not starving and they are not done eating in 2 bites.

For a hard keeper you can safely add more fiber (beet pulp) to their diets instead of just upping grain.