Feeding Broodmares...

[chandab]

I know there are many ways to feed a broodmare, but I'm still curious what others feed and how much, when to increase, etc.

I'm currently feeding Progressive Nutrition ProAdvantange grass formula and grass hay, plus I've added some chopped timothy/alfalfa mix to the pregnant girl's diet. [i have the PN small horse feed chart and I'm using it as a guide.]

I'm in a quality horse feed deficent area, so I'm very lucky that I can get Progressive feeds. I can't get alfalfa pellets, beet pulp or much of anything without special ordering and having it shipped in. I'm working on getting some alfalfa/timothy cubes in, at least I hope they understood me. [Also, looking for straight grass pelelts/cubes for another horse, that can't have alfalfa.]

So, induldge me and share your basic broodmare feed regime.

 

[miniaddiction]

Chanda I just posted a similar Question and no one is keen to answer... goodluck with yours, my mare comes home soon and Im still unsure.

 

[kaykay]

every mare is different and has to be fed according to what they need. Generally most of my mares are on a good quality alfalfa/grass hay. Depending on their condition they start getting equine jr 30 days before they foal. I have 2 right now (bigger aspc/amhr horses) that are getting equine jr early (60 days before foaling) as their backs were starting to come up.

I have another mare that always loses weight drastically by the time the foal is a month old so she gets more equine jr then i would normally feed. but this is because I have foaled her out 3 times and know that her weight will drop suddenly with a nursing foal.

I have another mare that always borders on being overweight and gets fat on air. She gets no grain until she has a nursing foal on her.

i like equine jr because the foals can eat it with the mare, and then when i wean them they have that same feed. but a mare and foal feed would be similiar.

Once a foal is weaned (and if the mare is in good weight) i take them off all grain and they go back to hay/pasture only

I like to keep feeding really simple and dont like mixing things like supplements, beet pulp etc. If you feed a complete feed you dont have to worry about mixing all that stuff and throwing off the values.

Also we feel the back, ribs etc on every horse every week. Especially during winter! that way I know as soon as a horses condition starts to change and I can catch it before it gets bad.

hope this helps a little bit

 

[Margaret]

My pregnant mares get free feed burmuda grass hay in the winter pretty much 24-7 and continually offer free 12-12 purina minerals only, with a seperate salt block on the side. Summer is pasture with the same.

Later in the pregnancy I do include a mix of "Professional Nutrition" mixed with race horse oats. (mixed into the oats at 10% PN) This is the same product that LK farms uses, and the horses stay in good shape on it, with out gaining excess weight.

I also offer it to the foals when they are ready to be introduced to grain, and lactating broodmares with good results.

 

[Becky]

I've been extremely happy here feeding Progressive Nutritions' alfalfa balancer, aflalfa pellets and grass hay. My broodmares have actually not needed an increase in their diet until after they foal. However, I do start adding Progressives' Foal Starter and Creep to the mares diet when I start stalling them under camera before they foal. After they foal I double the amount of balancer and alfalfa pellets they were getting before. This has worked really well for me. I haven't had any thin horses on this program. They all are healthy and round.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I give my broodmares Omelene 300 like a little before they foal (which is a mare/foal feed). If you do switch any feed on them, you need to do it before they foal cause they might not like this feed, found out one mare I have does not like it. After they foal I do give an extra cup of grain. All my horses during the winter time get alfalfa cubes so do my broodmares. However, if they foal early, one will, then I take away their cubes. Mine are also on a dry lot so they get a flake of alfalfa/timothy hay at noon, or if their cubes are gone and the foal is here then I give their hay morning and night.

 

[chandab]

Thank you for the information. It always so interesting to me to see how differently we all feed our horses and how the different programs work so well for different owners. Definitely not a case of "one size" fits all.

Keep the info coming.

 

[chandab]

I've been extremely happy here feeding Progressive Nutritions' alfalfa balancer, aflalfa pellets and grass hay. My broodmares have actually not needed an increase in their diet until after they foal. However, I do start adding Progressives' Foal Starter and Creep to the mares diet when I start stalling them under camera before they foal. After they foal I double the amount of balancer and alfalfa pellets they were getting before. This has worked really well for me. I haven't had any thin horses on this program. They all are healthy and round.

Becky,

How much of the Foal Starter and Creep do you feed the mares? Just want to get an idea of amounts (so please include mare size range too).

Have you tried any of the other Progressive Products, if so, which ones? And, what did you or didn't you like about them?

If you want to answer by PM, that's fine with me. Thanks.

 

[chandab]

I know this is an older thread, but as I'm looking at this again, I thought I'd bring it back up and see if I could get more input.

Since my first post, a few more feeds have become available in my area. I can now get alfalfa dehy pellets (my broodmares are getting some now), I can special order beet pulp (everyone gets soaked beet pulp all winter) and there is now a Purina dealer 35 miles from here (but they are extremely expensive, they are 25-35% higher than the next closest Purina dealer - Omolene 200 is $18.50/bag, Senior is $19/bag at the close store).

How much do you typically feed your broodmares? And, what?

Thank you.

 

[Reble]

Our broodmares:

Morning / straight alfalfa cubes

Noon / flake of hay, in the winter

Night / equilizer & alfalfa cubes

http://www.agribrands.ca/Screens/Equilizer.aspx

They always have access to their minieral and salt blocks in the run in.

Heated water trough and our stream for fresh water.

 

[Miniv]

This thread may have started a long time ago, but I'm sure new breeders would still be interested?

We try to keep our Feeding Program SIMPLE, and not a "Scientific Experiment"....

The common method is referred to as the "KISS" method = Keep It Simple Stupid"......

When our broodmares reach their last tri-mester, they are given 2 to 4 cups Senior Equus Grain twice daily, plus 2 lbs (or more) orchard/pasture grass twice daily..........Up until then, they were receiving the same amount of hay (OR MORE during our cold snaps!)......plus a mineral/salt supplement which includes selenium. The amount of grain depends on their need. We have had some mares that have required SIX cups twice daily! That diet also continues while the mare is nursing.

The amounts depend very much on the size of the mare, plus how much they metabolize! We have mares that range in height from 31+ inches to 38 inches!!!

 

[chandab]

This thread may have started a long time ago, but I'm sure new breeders would still be interested?
We try to keep our Feeding Program SIMPLE, and not a "Scientific Experiment"....

The common method is referred to as the "KISS" method = Keep It Simple Stupid"......

When our broodmares reach their last tri-mester, they are given 2 to 4 cups Senior Equus Grain twice daily, plus 2 lbs (or more) orchard/pasture grass twice daily..........Up until then, they were receiving the same amount of hay (OR MORE during our cold snaps!)......plus a mineral/salt supplement which includes selenium. The amount of grain depends on their need. We have had some mares that have required SIX cups twice daily! That diet also continues while the mare is nursing.

The amounts depend very much on the size of the mare, plus how much they metabolize! We have mares that range in height from 31+ inches to 38 inches!!!

I like the KISS method, but I can't seem to stay there, I seem to add stuff.

But, mostly they are still getting the ration balancer plus alfalfa pellets and their grass hay (I do have one on some senior, too;as she is a little thin).

Mine are all B-size mares, so they get around 6-7# grass hay daily, if not more, when I'm measuring out their hay; right now they are on free choice grass hay from a round bale plus I add a little alfalfa hay once daily.

 

[Becky]

Chanda,

I guess I never answered you two years ago!

Currently, my mares are getting Progressive's ProAdd supplement. I switched all of my breeding herd to that one. They get that plus alfalfa pellets and grass hay. Either prairie or bermuda. They all seem to stay really round on that. I'm undecided this year whether to add the Foal Starter and Creep or not. It just depends if the foals and mares seem to need it.

So far, I only have one mare that has foaled and she and her foal are getting Progressives' Milk Pellets currently in addition to the above. I'm not sure whether I will continue with those until the foal is weaned or not. The mare wasn't producing much milk at first but both the mare and foal are fat now!

I've found with the Progressive products, I generally don't have to add a lot of other things to keep the horses in great shape.

 

[Miniv]

Forgot to mention the WHY part of the original question..........

We do the increase during the last trimester because that is when there is the sudden major push in FOAL GROWTH. So, the mare needs the extra AND the developing fetus as well during that time.

Prior to the third trimester, if you increase the mare's intake TOO much, you end up with an obese broodmare and that can cause a whole different set of problems..........versus an underweight mare who is having a hard time supporting the life within her......... It can be a delicate balance.

 

[chandab]

Chanda,
I guess I never answered you two years ago!

Currently, my mares are getting Progressive's ProAdd supplement. I switched all of my breeding herd to that one. They get that plus alfalfa pellets and grass hay. Either prairie or bermuda. They all seem to stay really round on that. I'm undecided this year whether to add the Foal Starter and Creep or not. It just depends if the foals and mares seem to need it.

So far, I only have one mare that has foaled and she and her foal are getting Progressives' Milk Pellets currently in addition to the above. I'm not sure whether I will continue with those until the foal is weaned or not. The mare wasn't producing much milk at first but both the mare and foal are fat now!

I've found with the Progressive products, I generally don't have to add a lot of other things to keep the horses in great shape.

Becky,

Thank you. I really love the Progressive products, but my pocket book doesn't. I've found a "locally" made feed that I'm trying, its similar to TC Lite; I've had an open mare, a gelding and one stallion on it for about 3 weeks, its hard to tell under all the hair, but I think its working. [its less than 1/2 the cost of the PN ration balancer (grass formula for my horses) and I only need to feed 50% more than the PN (save about 25% on maintenance level costs). ] Just not sure if I want to change, but still looking into it.

How much alfalfa pellets do you feed? How much of the ProAdd do you feed to your minis? [Are you talking the ProAd Ultimate, the really concentrated one? Just want to be sure we are talking the same product.]

Thanks.

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

In the past I increase feed gradually the last three months of gestation, they get 3/4 cup Triple Crown Lite & 1/4 cup Triple Crown 30% Supplement, beet pulp, ground flax and free choice grass hay. I increase the amount of beet pulp according to the mare's condition and for the thin or mare who is more of a hard keeper I have also used alfalfa pellets or corn oil to give some extra calories.

 

[Becky]

Chanda,

Yes, the ProAdd Ultimate is what I am using. It takes so little of it, I've not found it to be that expensive in the long run. My horses are fed 1 - 2 ounces of that twice a day. Once a mare foals, that amount increases. I measure my alfalfa pellets using a small coffee can which holds 1.7 lbs. My horses get anywhere from 1/2 can to a full can. Twice a day. Except for one mare with a metabolic issue this year, I've never had the need to increase what my mares are being fed during late gestation. They are plenty fat! It's the alfalfa pellets that keep the weight on my horses and here I can purchase them quite reasonably.

 

[Charlotte]

We live in the same area as Becky and there is a wide variety of feed products available close to us.

For many years we used Purina products but became dissatisfied with the result we were seeing both in our show horses and our breeding herd. We began to investigate other products and were very impressed with what we learned about the Progressive company and their products. What we found out was that they don't tinker with the formula in order to use a cheaper ingredient.

Once we changed to Progressive Diet Balancer for whatever kind of hay we are feeding we found that we didn't have to be constantly trying to add other 'stuff' to our feed program to get the result we wanted to see in our horses. The first year we saw an immediate improvement in the strength and correctness at birth of our foals. Since you aren't asking about show horses I won't get into those.

My breeding herd is on Alfalfa Balancer right now. My mares range from 27 3/4" to 32". In years past I had mares up to 34" but have gradually reduced my overall herd height. I feed the recommended amount for the (estimated) weight of each mare. I do have 3 mares that are fed in a group situation and just combine the amount for all of them. I weigh the amount I feed when I first start feeding a product so I know that half a scoop of Alf Bal weighs 1/4 pound, etc.

My breeding horses get, on average, 1/4 pound of Alf Balancer at each feeding (morning and evening). Cowboy at 25 1/2" gets a little less as do some of the smallest mares. My bigger mares, over 32" used to get a bit more. As the mares approach the last 60-90 days of gestation I work them up to 3/4 pound per feeding and once they foal they receive 1/2 pound per feeding (a 34" mare would have received 3/4 pound per feeding after foaling)

Because the diet balancers are not a 'feed' as such but a nutritional supplement they aren't used to control weight. For weight control I use alfalfa pellets and alfalfa hay. The horses get any where from 1/2 pound alfalfa pellets per feeding to 2 pounds per feeding depending on their weight needs.

They are on pasture or get grass hay free choice, but they get adequate alfalfa pellets or hay to meet the requirements for using Alfalfa Balancer. In years passed I used Grass Balancer and was happy with that also.

After foaling, if I have a mare having difficulty maintaining weight on the alfalfa pellets I will add some Progressive Growth Formula or some Milk Pellets. I also feed the growth formula to foals after weaning and up to 2 years of age. When giving weaned foals Growth formula it replaces the Diet balancers. I have weaned foals on Diet Balancers in the past with the appropriate hay and had very good results there too.

I have found that using the Progressive products eliminates having to 'tinker' with adding other feed stuffs and vitamin mineral supplements to try to meet a horse's nutritional needs. And I have seen this 'tinkering' create some real messes. I'm not an equine nutritionist so I don't mess with what is a balanced and high quality feed product.

Ok, getting off my

hehehe

Charlotte

 

[Leeana]

I have all of my broodmares out in the pasture with a few other maintance horses. I don't like to keep horses up at the barn unless they are showing or close to foaling. The horses out in the pasture get Purina Strategy which is a 14% pellet as well as beet pulp that is left over from what I feed the show horses, I normally mix up extra beet pulp to mix with the Strategy to toss out to the mares. They look good on this diet, its a pretty basic diet. I don't really fret over it to much....I increase actually almost double the amount of Strategy during Spring / Summer for the mares outside. I also give them the water drained from the soaked alfalfa cubes that the show horses eat, so it makes a nice slurpy mix for the broodmares and they LOVE it...

 

[chandab]

Thank you everyone for the responses and information, its been very helpful.

Charlotte and Becky,

THank you so much for the Progressive specific information. I'm leaning more and more with just staying with the Progressive, even though it costs more, I know in the long run it is cheaper as its high quality and they get what they need without tinkering (just need to completely wrap my mind around that concept - and the only extra I'll have to buy is a joint supplement). I've had all the minis on Progressive ProAdv grass formula since I found it and they've done wonderful on it; I just recently have been able to get alfalfa pellets, so I think just adding some of them should round out my program without tinkering (reading the labels, I should be able to add a couple pounds of alfalfa pellets or hay to their diets without having to change balancer formula - mine are almost all 35-38"). [i do feed a different brand of senior pellets to my half-Arab gelding, but at the rates he needs senior, Progressive would break the bank; and he seems to be doing very well on the local senior product and he likes it.]

Have either of you used the Hi-Fat Balancer or the Envision fat supplement? I've tried the Envision, but my senior gelding didn't really care for it, I couldn't get him to eat the amount recommended by the nutritionist (although now that he's on senior its a moot point).

Thank you.