Weight Gain

loopyloulilly

Hi Guys,

What feed would you recommend for weight gain? At the moment I'm feeding one scoop of rolled oats to two scoops of beep pulp. Is this too little or will I change to barley as it has a better weight gain than oats.

Thanks in advance

daiz

first question is your horse outside or stabled? if outside then i would buy a bag of ready mixed ration eg red mills or cool and cooked depending weather your horse is being exercised or not.and with that i would mix two scoops of beet pulp i would also add cod liver oil which is great for horses off all types.. plus the addition of hay or alph-alpha will help you too.. if stabled i would say the same but in smaller amounts and fed more often.. hope this is some bit of help to you

convert

I've always found beet pulp is good for helping to put condition on horses. How much 'weight' is in a scoop? (sorry, I just have no idea, I usually feed by weight rather than by scoop). How much you feed will depend on your horse as some horses are able for more than others. Just make sure that you soak it really well before feeding it.

Slightly OT, but if you're having problems keeping or putting condition on your horse, it might be an idea to check teeth and give a worm dose, as they're two things that can really impact on a horse's condition.

bullylover

hey i have a few bad doers in my yard and we have them on beat pulp, barley and grass nut, and at the minute they are all on the plump side!
Other then that, Baileys Outshine and Baileys Balancer are great for weight gain but they are pricey! oh and they give the coat a great shine:)
We swear by rolled barley though:)

loopyloulilly

@daiz the horses are stabled. Fed on clamp silage. Im looking for a more cheaper feed I know my local feed store, is selling red mills cool and cooked mix for 15euros it very expensive for every week. Thanks for the rely still very helpful.

@convert scoop is http://www.farmway.co.uk/equine-2/equine-feed-store-21/feeding-equipment-26/stubbs-feed-scoop-white-1515.htm worming and teeth check done this week.

@bullylover Ah yes Rolled barley it is. Ive heard great reports on that. Grass nut never heard of that ill source it out. Really wanted to make up my own fed, as its cheaper than the bought ready mixed.

Thanks guys so helpful.

Alibear

Definitely rule out any dental or worm related problems.

Personally I would never feed silage to my horse; I'd be extremely wary of doing so. Haylage or hay would be far more suitable, and I believe it would work out cheaper than silage.

I would certainly stick with the beet pulp, but rule out the oats completely. In regards to the two scoops of beet pulp you currently feed; is this PER feed or split into two/three feeds? Feeding little and often is far better for your horse, a minimum of two times a day.

What is your horse's workload? I would consider something like Bailey's conditioning mix/cubes, or Red Mill's have a similar feed available. They are excellent comprehensive feeds, containing all the necessary vitamins and minerals your horse requires. I would be reluctant to feed straights (oats, barley etc.) unless I was adding an all-round supplement to the horse's feed. Yes, they may seem more expensive than buying straights but I don't believe your horse's nutrition is something to be 'skimped' on. The cost will probably work out the same if you're feeding an all-round supplement alongside them.

Also consider adding something like Carron Oil to the feed; it's great for adding condition and a nice shine to the coat