How to put on weight?

[Zipper]

A friend of mine has had some problems with her foals this year. The had diarrhea really bad and colic the vet has been out I dont know how many times lots.

She noticed her feed looked different so when she inquired they didnt know why it had changed so she went to Purina Evolution Juvenile and Biotic8 and is deworming every 4 weeks.

Finally they dont have diarrhea and are starting to act like themselves again running and playing but they havent put all their weight back on so is there anything that anybody can suggest to add weight with

out setting them back again.

Would beet pulp help them to gain some weight? She is feeding a cup of Juvenile 2x a day and hay.

Thanks Cathy

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Is she offering them free choice hay? Thats what I would do if she's currently not doing that. Not familiar with that type of grain.

 

[lucky lodge]

never had that problam normal its trying to get the fat off LOL

but i would give them .a good vitiam good pellet and leave hay with them all day

hope that helps

 

[mydaddysjag]

Sounds like shes just not feeding enough. I know with the pelleted feed im feeding, 5 cups are in a pound. I would simply up them to the manufacturers reccomended amount per their body weight. Im not super familiar with purina juvenile since its sold in canada, our purine equine junior in the us is different, but when I searched it up here are the feeding directions I found:

5 Months 1-1.3kg equine juvenile per 100kg body weight

6 - 7 months .90-1.2kg equine juvenile per 100kg body weight

8 months .85-1.1kg equine juvenile per 100kg body weight

9-18 months .70-.90kg equine juvenile per 100kg body weight

(For those of us in the us, here is the conversions)

100kg=220lbs

5 months - 2.2-2.9 per 220lbs

6-7 months - 2-2.6lbs per 220lbs

8 months - 1.9-2.3lbs per 220lbs

9-18 months - 1.5-2lbs per 220lbs

I know it seems like a lot, but foals REALLY eat a lot compared to adult horses. I have a 9 month old shetland/mini colt who eats 3lbs of grain a day, a pound of alfalfa cubes, a cup of beet pulp, body builder supplement, and I would still like to see him gain more weight.

 

[chandab]

If they are eating well, I say just give the new routine time to work; weight gain takes time. Big thing right now would probably be to make sure they have plenty of hay available all the time.

 

[disneyhorse]

A cup of feed is not very much, even for a mini. I always suggest to everyone to buy a scale, I have two. One goes to six pounds for me to weigh grain, and one is bigger to weigh hay.

Foals eat a lot more concentrate than a mature or idle horse. Usually in pounds, not cups. Weighing the cups of feed is the smartest way to go.

 

[Zipper]

Thanks everyone for your quick replys of help. I will let her know what you have said.

 

[Zipper]

Sounds like shes just not feeding enough. I know with the pelleted feed im feeding, 5 cups are in a pound. I would simply up them to the manufacturers reccomended amount per their body weight. Im not super familiar with purina juvenile since its sold in canada, our purine equine junior in the us is different, but when I searched it up here are the feeding directions I found:

5 Months 1-1.3kg equine juvenile per 100kg body weight

6 - 7 months .90-1.2kg equine juvenile per 100kg body weight

8 months .85-1.1kg equine juvenile per 100kg body weight

9-18 months .70-.90kg equine juvenile per 100kg body weight

(For those of us in the us, here is the conversions)

100kg=220lbs

5 months - 2.2-2.9 per 220lbs

6-7 months - 2-2.6lbs per 220lbs

8 months - 1.9-2.3lbs per 220lbs

9-18 months - 1.5-2lbs per 220lbs

I know it seems like a lot, but foals REALLY eat a lot compared to adult horses. I have a 9 month old shetland/mini colt who eats 3lbs of grain a day, a pound of alfalfa cubes, a cup of beet pulp, body builder supplement, and I would still like to see him gain more weight.

Thanks so much for going to that much trouble and writing out the tables. Awesome job.

I wondered if beet pulp would help?

 

[ThreeCFarm]

Zipper, I would begin by getting them on the correct amount of grain to ensure they are on a balanced diet from a vitamin and mineral standpoint, and that will also give them more calories. Also, make sure they have plenty of hay. I wouldn't mess with the beet pulp until they are being fed their grain correctly and give it time to work.

 

[lil hoofbeats]

What has worked for me and i a currently doing it is, i give free choice Strategy, in front of them 24/7, and all the fresh quality hay they can consume as well. You can up the fat content in it if you want by pouring canola oil on it. Mine stay rolley polley on that diet.

 

[ohmt]

I feed free choice alfalfa/grass hay mix along with omelene 300 and beet pulp 2x a day and my foals are very good weights-I know a lot of people think I feed too much, but they are not fat by any means and nice and filled out. I mostly use the beet pulp to slow them down when they eat their grain, and provide warm water on cold winter days. It's a good fiber source and aids in hind gut fermentation, but won't give them the protein they need. That's where my alfalfa and omelene 300 come in. I am sure your friend's purina juvenile feed will provide a good amount of protein if she increases the amount she feeds and then ask her to look at her hay and make sure it is good quality.

Veggie oil/canola oil is a good way to add calories too.

 

[lil hoofbeats]

A friend of mine uses beet pulp and mixes it with water, and she loves it. might be worth trying!

 

[MyBarakah]

As suggested Beet pulp (shredded & I always soak it) is always very good to help with weight & to maintain weight. I am one that especially in the cold months rather have a horse of any age rather have them on good quality alfalfa verse grain.. I personaly think grains are hard on a young horses system and hay "roughage" is better for stomachs.. but a young horse especially & prenant mares need GOOD quality nutrition so I feed alfalfa.. if the horse is under weight I will then ad the shredded soaked beet pulp and I like to use a pelleted grain like Equine Jr. or Equine Sr and or also oats..

Also where it sounds like those foals have been stressed with the colic that it deffinately would NOT hurt to keep them on ulcer med's for a good 30 days.... that may be a combination of the 2 problems...

 

[mydaddysjag]

I love beetpulp, as well as alfalfa cubes, and even body builder for adding weight, but would not use them to replace grain in a foals diet. If after I had my horse at the reccomended amount of grain for its body weight it still wasnt gaining, then I would consider adding them. Foals require about 14%-16% protein in their diet. If you are feeding beetpulp to replace their grain, they arent going to be getting enough protein. Beetpulp is 8% protein. Even if you are feeding a 16% grain, when you add the lower protein beetpulp, you are lowering the overall protein content of the total diet. Also, beetpulp does not contain the vitamins and minerals that the grain has, so you are also selling the horses short on their vitamins and minerals. If your friend wont feed the amount of grain the bags indicates for foals that size, and will only feed a cup, my suggestion would be to switch from the purina juvenile to a ration balancer. They are much more concentrated so you can feed smaller amounts of them. In my area they run about $35 a bag.

 

[Becky]

Mydaddysjag, very good advice on beet pulp. With it's low protein content, it will lower the protein content of a total diet. Something I discovered when feeding my young horses. I found my youngsters didn't look as good with beet pulp mixed in with their feed as they did without. Bloated bellies, lack of weight, dull coats. I stopped the beet pulp and stuck with the basics. Either a quality commercial mix (I prefer pelleted) or oats and a protein/vitamin/mineral supplement, along with alfalfa pellets, alfalfa hay and a quality grass hay, keeps my young horses in great shape.