Weanlings and feed

[lilhorseladie]

I have four weanlings together and have noticed that they are loosing weight. I can feel back bone, not ribs, but the necks are starting to thin. They are all wormed and healthy. I give them pellets twice a day. Six cups for all of them both times. And hay once a day. What do I need to do to get them fat?

 

[Ashley]

ALOT MORE GRAIN.

I just upped my foals again, and probably will do so again yet.

I have 3 foals together. THey get 2 scoops(the big plastic scoops most use for there big horses) twice aday right now. I am watching them and will probably increase it some more yet.

 

[Billy G]

I have four weanlings together and have noticed that they are loosing weight. I can feel back bone, not ribs, but the necks are starting to thin. They are all wormed and healthy. I give them pellets twice a day. Six cups for all of them both times. And hay once a day. What do I need to do to get them fat?

That is the same amount of pellets I feed mine (14 percent ) plus all the grass hay they can eat, They are plenty fat......

 

[chandab]

I have four weanlings together and have noticed that they are loosing weight. I can feel back bone, not ribs, but the necks are starting to thin. They are all wormed and healthy. I give them pellets twice a day. Six cups for all of them both times. And hay once a day. What do I need to do to get them fat?

What kind of pellets? There are tons of different pelleted horse feeds, some are appropriate for weanlings, some aren't. How big are the weanlings? [will they mature A or B sized?]

A cup and a half each really isn't that much (only about 1/2 pound of feed, depending on the feed); weanlings need more concentrated feeds than adult horses.

A good growth/youth feed or even a ration balancer would be a good idea for these little babies. I know it's hard to figure out how much to feed a mini, when all the packaging is labelled for full-size horses; but about 25% of the full-size amount is a good place to start for the minis (adjusted up or down for individual needs).

Oh, and feed should really be weighed, not just fed as a cup of this or that. If you don't have a scale, take a cup of feed (or whatever scoop you want to know what it holds), put the feed from the scoop into a ziplock bag and take it to the grocery store or post office and weigh it (as long as they aren't swamped, I'm sure they'd be happy to weigh your bag of feed for you).

 

[Sunraye Miniatures]

Yep sounds like they need more grain. I feed mine Omelene 300. What grain are you feed? I strongly suggest a good foal feed like Omelene 300 or even Equine Jr.

Also I'm glad you are feeling what they feel like. For newbies out there its important to feel for your horses weight at this time because they are so fuzzy, they look fatter that what they really are because of that hair.

 

[lilhorseladie]

Well, I don't really constitute a newbie since I have been at this for 9 years I think. I am feeding a 14% pellet. I will get a better youth feed. Usually I only have one baby a year, but this year I have four and want to make sure they are getting enough. I learned my first year to feel, because they do not appear thin to the eye, but they are getting a boney back. I can't feel ribs yet, but I want them to be healthy. They will probably most mature at the B level. I have them out on grass now, will start new feed tonight after a run to the farm store. Thanks all!

 

[chandab]

Well, I don't really constitute a newbie since I have been at this for 9 years I think. I am feeding a 14% pellet. I will get a better youth feed. Usually I only have one baby a year, but this year I have four and want to make sure they are getting enough. I learned my first year to feel, because they do not appear thin to the eye, but they are getting a boney back. I can't feel ribs yet, but I want them to be healthy. They will probably most mature at the B level. I have them out on grass now, will start new feed tonight after a run to the farm store. Thanks all!

Didn't mean to imply you were a newbie, if I did. Anyway, with them probably maturing around B size, you might want to go with about 1/3 what they recommend for full-size horses.

I have three yearlings; one came when she was a weanling, the other two came closer to yearling age. When she was a weanling she got about 1.5-2 pounds of hard feed (Nutrena youth, til she was a yearling) plus free choice grass hay.

I have everybody on a ration balancer and the yearlings get 1.5 pounds per day plus free choice grass hay. They are about to cross a "threshold" on the feed chart and their amounts will drop to about 1 pound per day. They look pretty good and I can feel a decent covering over their ribs and topline; but they do all have a bit of a belly, with winter coming on, I'm not going to worry about it too much.

It's possible if they are out on grass that the grass is losing it's nutritional value this late in the season and they aren't getting that much out of it.

We were so dry this year, that our grass was pathetic most of the summer; then we got a rain in early September and things greened up some, but there still isn't an abundance of nutrition in the late season grass.

 

[Miniv]

Having them out on grass pasture will help ALOT, but for us, we still give our youngsters added pelleted feed, the complete feed type -- like the Purina Junior. We feed them between 3 to 6 cups EACH twice a day, depending on their size and need.

Our little ones have some access to grass pasture (it's short right now), plus about 1 to 2 lbs grass hay twice a day......They get enough hay that they never seem to finish it between feedings.

MA

 

[lilhorseladie]

Thanks you guys, this helps me a lot on how to look at their feeding. I also am going to watch and make sure there isn't bullying going on, but I haven't observed any. I think I will beef up the grass hay and what I am feeding them pellet wise. I also purchase a Jr. feed and hope that will make the difference. I guess when it comes to feeding four weaners at once I am a newbie. It is funny how you can know so much and yet so little

That is why we have the forum!

 

[nootka]

Another excellent additive to weanies' feed (or any horse that needs some more weight/calories) is Beet Pulp. You can also sprinkle in some black oil sunflower seeds, but all in all, the hay quality and feed type/amounts (and it's right on to weigh it and find out what your measuring scoop size weighs and go from there per manufacturer's directions also having a good weight on your horse is a good idea (as in knowing how much THEY weigh).

Liz M.

 

[AJ]

I always try to get hay that is soft and with more alfalfa content. Usually second or third cut. Plus their grain.

 

[Minimor]

Our weanlings don't get a lot of grain; we feed oats & generally each weanling would get a 500ml container of oats twice a day; like AJ we feed alfalfa or alfalfa/mix hay to our young horses. This year we have some 1st cut hay that varies from 30 to 60% alfalfa, depending on the bale, and it's nice fine, soft alfalfa. The weanlings pretty much get free choice; at least enough that they don't clean it all up by the next feed.

 

[bevann]

I give my weanlings free choice hay mostly soft grass.I feed in hay bags,not nets, and hang the bags in their run in sheds.Less waste&they always have something to nibble on other than their grass in the pasture.I feed a 14% pellet feed with a samd product since I have trouble with sand colic if I don't do that.Babies are like little vaccuum cleaners.They will put anything in their mouths.I have the opposite problem.My babies are too fat, so they are getting only 1.5 cups of feed each 2 times daily.Winter is coming fast here, so they will have enough fat to keep them warm.Hay also keeps them warmer than more grain.Good luck with your young ones.

 

[Becky]

IMO, how MUCH to feed weanlings is the amount of feed it takes to produce enough calories to keep them in good flesh. Calories can be provided by both grains and hays as well as fat. You will get a number of answers to your questions and there is no right or wrong way as such.

Here I feed no grain, but my foals are on a diet balancer (protein/vitamin/mineral supplement) alfalfa pellets, milk based foal starter pellet and grass hay/alfalfa hay. Dry lotted. They are dewormed monthly and are given a psyllium product frequently. All are pleasantly round with no big bellies.

 

[Erica]

This thread just goes to show that each and every one of us have different plans and things that work for us and our program; so you really just have to sort of "play" with it and see what works for you.

All my weanlings are feed 4 cups of grain each TWICE daily, this is oats and Omolene. Then they are out on pasture as well, and during this year have a round bale of our own baled bremuda hay out 24/7 in front of them.

I think they are all in very great weight as well in good shape. Was just a few days ago I posted pictures of them on the forum.

 

[Matt73]

Try feeding more hay at several intervals per day. You didn't say how much you're giving them, but if it's one flake it's probably not enough. Also, try weighing the hay and feed according to body weight. I'm doing that and my horses are so much healthier because of it (ie. 1% forage, at least, of body weight).

 

[Frankie]

Well, a farm that is on here often gave me some advice a few years ago,,,their babies look so awesome and healthy,,I do as they do..,mine has free choice grain. Mine is currently on Platform Mare and Foal. Has gained weight nicely on this, he was a little small. He gets 5 cups of Platform, 1 cup of beet pulp in the am and pm.

I know that is what he is at as I started with 6 cups, but he was leaving about a cup, so I cut it back, as to not waste it. He will continue to have what he can eat through the winter. He gets hay as well, but he prefers the grain.