Beet Pulp

[AppyLover2]

Beet pulp is frequently recommended. I've seen it recommended to help with taking weight off and putting weight on. I'm confused about it's benefits and usage for both conditions. Sure wish someone would explain how/why/when it can/should be used and for what purpose. My mind just has trouble wrapping itself around something that is good for both weight loss and weight gain. Thanks for clarifying things for me.

 

[Joanne]

We use a beet pulp mash with warm water and oil here if a horse is:

Underweight

During winter as a warm mash when it is cold

After a mare foals for a few days to keep things going through easily

It adds fiber and carbohydrates to the diet. It is easy for them to digest.

 

[muffntuf]

To add weight on you can add it in as extra t their feed program. Personally I use it all year, especially now that it is so cold, it helps me keep a fat line on the ponies.

After research - and I realize everyone might disagree, but I believe it also slows digestion of feed down so they get the maximum out of their feed program.

During the winter, I still make sure they get ample hay, but I still feed beet pulp.

There are a couple forum members that helped me put my feed program together and it works.

 

[Genie]

We use a warm mash that includes beet pulp in the recipe for two feedings daily in the winter and when the temperature is fluctuating and the horses may not drink as much water. (there is some low protein grain pellet and horse Krunch and canola oil in the mixture as well.

We would also use beet pulp in an underweight horse at anytime.

I am not aware of the overweight horse being fed beet pulp for weight loss.

 

[muffntuf]

Yep beet pulp for overweight to take the place of hay. You have to be really careful though not to mess up the forage first needs.

 

[Kellie in OR]

Beet pulp is high in fiber, low in sugar, so safe to feed to IR and over weight horses. I use it as a carrier (instead of commercial pellets or grains) to get supplements/medications into the horse. IR/overweight/easy keeper horses don't need lots of calories, but they still need all the nutrients and maybe even added supplements (like Remission or Smart Control IR pellets) to help with metabolism.

For a thin or hard keeper beet pulp can be used a carrier for not only vit/min supplements, but also more calories by adding to it oil, flax and/or rice bran.

I always feed my beet pulp soaked and rinsed. It absorbs lots of water and I feel it is good to get as much water in them as you can.

When first feeding beet pulp many won't like it. I slowly introduced it a spoonful at a time by mixing with what they were already eating. After a week or two I weaned them off the sugary commercial foods and now they love plain soaked beet pulp with the simple supplements that are added.

 

[Genie]

Yep beet pulp for overweight to take the place of hay. You have to be really careful though not to mess up the forage first needs.

I was thinking that might be it, so thank you for clarifying.

 

[Matt73]

"When first feeding beet pulp many won't like it."

You can say that again lol. I got a big bag to feed to my Thoroughbred. I put some in with his Gro 'n Win. He picked around it and then ceremoniously flung his tub to the other end of the stall with every bit of beet pulp in it..."So There!", he said. lol. Lexus LOVED it. Royal LOVED it. Teddy and Briar didn't care for it. My guys are all at a great weight (or slightly over), so I'm just leaving their feed program as is (without beet pulp). Lots of hay for the big guy and his Gro 'n Win and lots of lukewarm water, especially on those frigid days. Seems to be working so far.

 

[~Lisa~]

A horse can get up to 50 percent of it's fiber needs met strictly from beet pulp.

It helps a horse to lose weight in that soaked beet pulp (I use pellets) makes a lot of feed so take my horse for example he gets 9 cups of soaked beet pulp a day in reality that is only 1 1/2 cups of feed. So he is getting more to eat bulk wise even though it is not actually a lot of food

He is hefty and when I want him to lose weight I will cut back his already minimal grain (2 cups) and add 1/2 cup of beet pulp

It takes a horse a lot longer to eat 1 1/2 cups of dry beet pulp (soaked) then it does to eat even 2 cups of grain since that small amount of beet pulp turns into over 9 cups of food but nutrtion and calorie wise you still count it as only 1 1/2 cups does that make sense?

So bottom line is you do not have a horse that feels it is starving or is done with dinner in 5 minutes while everyone else in the barn is still happily eating.

To add weight you just give them even more.. if say a 250 lb mini should be getting 3-5 lbs of hay a day depending on work load, size and metabolisim.. you can give him 1 and half pounds of beet pulp a day well that is a ton of beet pulp and more then most minis would want to eat. My pellets are 1/3 lb per cup dry and 1 cup dry = 6 cups soaked so as you can see that adds up to plenty of feed

 

[Frizzle's Gal]

What kind of oil is everyone using? And why?

 

[Genie]

What kind of oil is everyone using? And why?

I give canola oil and purchase a 16 litre container from the restaurant for 20.00.

The main reasons fats or oils are added to horse rations are:

As a binder for pelleting or to assist in preventing fine material, such as added vitamins, minerals or protein supplements, from sifting out;

To try and give the horse a glossier hair coat; and to increase the energy density of the diet.

Other benefits to feeding fats or oils in the diet may include:

Lower lactic acid accumulation in muscles and blood by sparing glycogen use, reduced muscle damage, calmer behaviour in horses on typically high grain diets.

Our vet suggested the warm mash which included oil for the cold weather and when there are severe weather changes and a horse may tend to drink less water and might colic.

 

[chandab]

Here's the Famous Squirrel Story (about beet pulp): http://www.shady-acres.com/susan/squirrel.shtml

Here's the Myths and realities of feeding beet pulp link (same website as the squirrel story):

http://www.shady-acres.com/susan/beetpulp.shtml

Here's a good website on myths of horse feeding: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$departme...all/hrs3243#You Beet pulp comes up about half way down the page.

 

[Knighthawke]

I feel beet pulp is good to help fill out and with the top line.

I know when my horse was in training when I got him from Grosshill Farm

He was feed mainly beet pulp in replace of the hay, they only feed a small amount of hay approx 3 to 5 alfalfa cubes a day.

So I still do use it for my show horses for the top line and to help increase weight on thin horses.

Barb

 

[Leeana]

What kind of oil is everyone using? And why?

I feed Cocosoya Oil (98% fat) to several of the horses..it is right around $15.00 a gallon, its cheaper then rice bran and I seem to like it better.

I use beet pulp mostly to keep the horses smooth ontop and filled out....i'm not sure what I would do without beet pulp in my program.

 

[Reijel's Mom]

I used to use soaked beet pulp for my aged mare with few teeth that can't eat hay anymore. Unfortunately the price of beet pulp went up so much that it's now the same price for me to feed her a complete senior pellet only. I am noticing this year that her top line isn't as filled out as it was previously so I may try beet pulp again for awhile and see what happens. Could be the change in diet or could be just plain old age that has her looking this way, will be curious to find out.

 

[AppyLover2]

Thanks everybody for your response. I still don't understand how something can be good for both reducing and gaining weight.....but I guess it isn't necessary to "understand".....just to accept the fact that it is. Having recently bought 40# of beet pulp to help Kitty through her laminitis episode I've found myself wondering what I'm gonna do with all of it. How long will 40# of beet pulp last 1 miniature horse who gets 2 cups of soaked beet pulp twice a day???? My guess would have to be somewhere around forever. LOL Guess I'll give some to the boys - just gotta be careful that they don't fat from it. THANKS AGAIN!!!!

Oh BTW for those of you who responded to my earlier post about Kitty - I think she's finally doing better. No pain meds for 2 days now and she seems to be moving almost normally. I'm gonna call the vet today and see if it's ok to give her the option of going out in the pasture. Our temps are supposed to be no higher than 25F for the next couple of weeks so maybe the grass won't be as tempting.

 

[MiniatureEscapades]

Thanks everybody for your response. I still don't understand how something can be good for both reducing and gaining weight.....but I guess it isn't necessary to "understand".....just to accept the fact that it is. Having recently bought 40# of beet pulp to help Kitty through her laminitis episode I've found myself wondering what I'm gonna do with all of it. How long will 40# of beet pulp last 1 miniature horse who gets 2 cups of soaked beet pulp twice a day???? My guess would have to be somewhere around forever. LOL Guess I'll give some to the boys - just gotta be careful that they don't fat from it. THANKS AGAIN!!!!

Our baby was getting about 2 cups a day (recently cut to 1cp a day because of the round bale outside and her naturaly pony piggyness) and I think it took us about 4 months to get down to the halfway mark! Our bag is 40 lbs also. We've started giving it to our goat since he has been afraid to go outside recently, just to use it up really

 

[michele80906]

Those were very interesting articles..thank you. I remember the squirrel one from a few years back...lol. Michele, Colorado

 

[bevann]

Beet pulp keeps a long time.Keep it in the original brown bag and just drop the bag in a large plastic trash can and keep the top rolled down on the bag.I take out abpout 2 5 gallon buckets and put it in a coverd plastic container to use daily.As long as you keep it dry it will keep a long time.I use it daily for a mare that had several bad colic episodes from not drinking enough.She gets 1 cup beet pulp with 1/2 cup alfalfa pellets plus 1/2 cup light feed with her Cushings supplements added and I pour 6 cups of water in it.It makes a soup which gets water into her.In cold weather I use hot water let it sit for about 5 minutes. this has been working since August.

 

[muffntuf]

Oil question - I use a soy oil. I buy 5 gallons at a time. I do in extreme weather, start giving a bit of oil to all my ponies and minis. I believe it helps keep the colic away as well. I add when I notice water intake goes down. Thankfully so far this year, their water intake has not gone down much.

I also add a loose mineral to their pelleted feed and beet pulp, which if done right promotes drinking as well.

You ask how can it work both ways?

For gaining weight, you are not taking anything away from the miniature or pony, you are adding calories on top of what they already get. It is easily digested and adds the bulk factor to keep things from running through their system faster. They get maximum effect from their grain and hay.

For loosing weight, you are taking away either hay or a portion of their grain and replacing it with a lower calorie replacement.

Hope that helps.