Re: Beet Pulp

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Start feeding beet pulp as though you were introducing a different hay---a
pound or two the first few days, increase it a few pounds every few days.
You can replace up to 50% of the hay ration with beet pulp without worries,
as it's digested and metabolized as a roughage, not a grain.  Don't worry
about the molasses content, it's fairly insignificant.

I would not recommend soaking it for 24 hours---you're more likely for it to
start to ferment, especially in warm weather.  For the same reason, I
recommend removing any beet pulp that hasn't been eaten within about 6 hours
(though at my barn, there's no such thing as uneaten beet pulp).  A half
hour or hour or so of soaking is plenty, and actually, plenty of it is fed
dry without soaking.  SOME horses will have problems with it dry (usually
with the pellets, not the shredded as you have), so it's an individual thing
whether you soak it or not.  If it's feasible for you to soak it awhile and
still be around to hand it out, soaked is always nice.

Good luck,
Susan Garlinghouse


----- Original Message -----
From: Karla Koch Dick <karlak@mail.tca.net>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2000 11:05 AM
Subject: RC: Beet Pulp


> I finally went out and bought a bag of beet pulp.<G>  The only thing our
> feed store had was beet pulp with molasis, it is dry and in shreds.  At
> what rate do I add it to the ration?
>
> The bag has both wet and dry instructions, is it better to feed it wet?
> I've a mare nursing her filly and wanted to add calories without adding
> more grain, so I figured bulking up with beet pulp should do the trick
> and also let me introduce the filly to another feed texture.
>
> The wet instructions say to soak 24 hours.  If you don't soak that long,
> but it is OK to feed it dry, is that still allright?  The guys at the
> feedstore just look at me funny when I ask questions.  I suspect they
> just feed and forget, but I'm a worrier.<G>
>
> --
> **************************
> Karla Dick  (Fluffs and Foxtrotters)
> mailto:karlak@mail.tca.net
> mailto:Windsum@compuserve.com
> Texas
> **************************
>
>
>
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