Hay Cubes/Pellets

[mydaddysjag]

I used to feed dry cubes to a Quarter Horse mare I used to own. She wasnt a horse who bolted her feed or anything, and was in good health. She choked within the first week of feeding them. If I use alfalfa cubes now, I soak them. Right now Im using alfalfa pellets. I dont like the standlee brand, I feel they are too big, and they take forever to soak. Ive been feeding producers pride brand, and although I do wish they were still as small as they used to be, I think they are much better than the standlee. They are actually made by purina mills, and are branded producers pride for tractor supply. Ive been feeding them to my horse we are treating for ulcers, as he is not to get grain while being treated, but gets stressed out if everyone gets a feed pan but him. Works pretty good, still only forage, but he thinks hes getting something.

 

[WeeOkie]

The alfalfa cubes that I buy are a little over 1 inch square and are from 1 inch to 2 inches long. My round bales are not the best this year so am supplementing with the cubes to improve the quality of their forage. Approximately how many inches or pounds should I use per horse. I have been putting the soaked cubes out at noon, and they all come running. Also, if it gets to the point that no baled hay is available, how much would be needed per horse?

 

[Becky]

Rita, you feed cubes just as you would baled hay. Generally, it's 1 - 2 lbs per 100 lbs body weight per day. Dry weight. I weigh mine on a small scale, so I know how much I'm feeding each day.

 

[WeeOkie]

Thanks, Becky.

 

[PamH]

I had a client of mine call me just a couple of weeks ago on this. She had never heard of a horse choking and described the symptoms. Needless to say I directed her to call her vet that she had an emergency situation. After the vet was able to help the mare pass the blockage, she discovered she fed the wrong bucket of feed to her in the dark during feeding that night. Sure enough it was hay cubes she had put in there for one of her other horses. Now mind you she seperates all her horses at feeding time, so there was no fighting for food over this. The mare simply didn't chew enough to swollow the dry hay cube.

I have seen a lot of choke over the years and yes, mainly on hay cubes. However, I did loose a mare to choke on pelletted feed. The biggest danger with choke is the damage that can be caused to their esophagus and it only takes one time chance damage. Folks, that cannot be repaired! The results can damage it to erruption, or expansion where the esophagus does not return to it's normal state. The later is what happened to one of my very expensive cutting horse mares. After the "super esophagus" happened, she would eat and half her feed went directlly into her lungs. Needless to say no amount of money could save her situation and we lost both her and her colt she was carrying.

Now some may argue that soaking ver non soaking, but seriously how many would like to live through the situation of choke or better yet having to put down your beloved horse? Sort of like what I tell clients when they ask if they should give a tetanus shot after their horse has cut himself. I say would you rather deal with the problem and loss, or look at it as cheap insurance for your horse's life? I just do not see the rational of arguing a point like this?