Feeding weanlings and yearlings

[mydaddysjag]

It's been a while since I've had a foal, and now we have a six month old weanling amhr/aspc colt. The last foals I raised, I fed equine junior, but hated the results, so decided against equine jr this time around. When reading the label, and weighing the feed out, the recommended amount of feed doesn't seem like nearly enough. I know Im feeding a good bit more than the bag suggests for a colt this weight. I think I remember feeding a good bit to my last foals too.

I just got curious, how are you feeding your weanlings, do you personally change things when they are yearlings, or two year olds? What grain are you feeding? How many lbs? What kind of hay and how much? Any pasture? Any supplements?

Im not looking for advice to change my feed program, just curious to what and how others feed the babies.

 

[ohmt]

After a lot of trying and changing our feeding program, we now feed omelene 300 with a little bit of rice bran oil added along with free choice alfalfa/grass hay and then I leave salt and mineral blocks out which they rarely use. My babies grow fast on it and stay nice and filled out. They come out of winter looking great and our winters are rough so it's always a concern of mine since they are so small and spend so much energy on growth and keeping warm.

 

[ohmt]

Posted early again, sorry! I keep them on this regime until two when I change to 50/50 omelene 300 and strategy and control hay intake on those a little more 'fluffy'. They have access to pasture at all times during the summer as well. I'm not sure how many lbs at the moment for grain. I have it marked in the barn-i do know that I always have to feed more than the bag suggests. That's what i've had to do with all purina products though.

 

[Eagle]

My youngsters get a feed similar to Omelene 300 with beet pulp and sunflower oil added in the winter as it gets REALLY cold here plus good quality hay and pasture all day. They have salt/mineral blocks both inside and out. For the last two years I have had all colts and I find that they burn more energy than the girls (possibly cos they play hard)

I feed less than the bag says as they seem to get too fat otherwise.

 

[Becky]

I am currently feeding a pelleted grain mix milled by an Oklahoma based feed company, Bluebonnet. The feed is Equilene 14/6, 14% protein and 6% fat. It's an alfalfa based pellet. I currently have 4 weanlings and they get 1 lb per horse per day divided into two feedings. They also get alfalfa pellets at about 1 1/2 lbs per horse per day divided into two feedings. They have grass hay available and are currently being given 1/2 compressed flake of alfalfa hay divided among the 4 once a day.

They have a white salt block available.

The weanlings live in a dry lot but have limited pasture access most days. These weanlings are currently 26" to 29.75" in height and are 4.5 to 8 months of age.

They will continue on this diet as they mature with the only things changing are the amounts they are fed.

 

[wingnut]

When we brought our two weanlings home (about 6 weeks apart), I put them on Omolene 300. They stayed on that up until they turned a year old and then I switched them to Strategy and now Miniature and Pony Feed from Purina. I followed the recommendations on the feed sheet for minis given to me by a Purina rep. They both did really well on it. They had some pasture time but were mostly given hay...a grass mix and an alfalfa mix during that year.

 

[targetsmom]

Thought I would share some info I just got from Nutrena. Of course we all hear that weanlings and yearlings need more protein, but here are the amounts according to Nutrena:

Weanlings need 14-16% TOTAL PROTEIN in the diet and 2-3% of their body weight in a combination of hay and grain

Yealrings need 12-14% TOTAL PROTEIN in the diet and 1.5-2.5% of their body weight in hay & grain

To determine the amounts of hay and grain you need to know the percent of protein in your hay (e.g 10-11% for grass and higher for alfalfa) and figure feeding 1-2% of the horse's body weight in forage (hay/pasture).

Formula= ((lbs of hay X % protein in hay) + (lbs grain X % protein in grain)/total lbs fed= % protein in TOTAL diet

You need to do the math for your hay and grain and for your horse's body weight.

In order to get the total protein for a weanling above 14%, you will need to feed a grain/ration balancer with higher than 14% protein!

For weanlings, the weight ratio of grain:hay should be about 70:30

For yearlings, the weight ratio of grain:hay should be about 60:40

For myself, I like to feed a complete feed when feeding this much grain, or at least a grain with a low to moderate starch level (NSC). Our yearlings are getting either Nutrena Safe Choice or Senior, both 14% protein, and the latter is a complete feed and perfectly fine for youngsters.

 

[wingnut]

I changed over all my horses to the Purina Mini Horse Feed earlier this year, and the horses are fed an average between 2-3 pounds of this per horse per day.

How big are you minis who are getting 2-3 pounds a day? How much are they worked? My horses would be thrilled to get 1lb per feeding but it just seems like an awful lot for my easy keepers. I may try it for a 2-4 weeks to see what changes I see.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I feed a hay chaff that has guaranteed 16%, and to that I add soaked BP, and barley, soya and peas and beans. All soaked. I have not weighed it but it is a lot!

Oh, they get carrots, potatoes (not much though) and at the moment, apples (windfalls)

They are still on good grass, so are getting no hay on top yet. They are looking good, no big bellies but well covered. As they turn yearling's, if they are being shown they will be brought up (at the moment they are out 24/7 with a good run in shed)and they will be fed a higher protein, more grain diet, If they are not being shown they will go out on the new grass and feeding will cease.

 

[midnight star stables]

It's been a while since I've had a foal, and now we have a six month old weanling amhr/aspc colt. The last foals I raised, I fed equine junior, but hated the results, so decided against equine jr this time around. When reading the label, and weighing the feed out, the recommended amount of feed doesn't seem like nearly enough. I know Im feeding a good bit more than the bag suggests for a colt this weight. I think I remember feeding a good bit to my last foals too.

I just got curious, how are you feeding your weanlings, do you personally change things when they are yearlings, or two year olds? What grain are you feeding? How many lbs? What kind of hay and how much? Any pasture? Any supplements?

Im not looking for advice to change my feed program, just curious to what and how others feed the babies.

I just wanted to draw attention to the one line. I have also found this and have wondered if others have too?

 

[Matt73]

I feed mine pretty much all the grass hay (with maybe a tiny bit of alfalfa) they want and 1lb. of Gro 'n Win (32% protein)/day (1/2lb morning and dinner). They have a harvest salt (by Gro 'n Win) block in their stalls (stalled at night). At two years of age I decrease the Gro 'n Win to 1/2lb./per day. I really can't believe how much grain some people feed their babies (and adults for that matter); mine would be gigantic butterballs lol