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Re: [RC] Horse Journal feed advice - OnefarmgirlHi SusanHope you're enjoying your Springtime - pouring rain here and unseasonably cold for late April. I had a quickie question. The Horse Journal had a note in this month's issue that discusses feeds, in response to a reader's question about helping a horse gain weight (volume 10, #5, pg 20). They recommend a little rice bran to even out the Ca:P of the alfalfa being fed (after first recommeding it would be better to switch to grass :-)) then state that "beet pulp has a Ca profile similar to alfalfa's". Message being that even though it's good to feed, BP won't help equilibrate the Ca:P ration like the rice bran will. Is that correct? I have been putting a couple cups of alfalfa pellets into my beet pulp to compensate for what I *thought* was the low Ca level in the BP. [The horses are on pasture, and I add the BP (in winter sometimes 3-4 # twice a day) w/the pellets, a handful or two of Omolene 200, and their supplement (usually Dynamite)]. I myself only feed rice bran when the horses are going thru a lot of calories, but I want to make sure I have the right information in any case. In looking over your web site, it appears that while the BP Ca level is not real high, the ratios are okay, and I may be "correcting" a non-problem. Given that I am not feeding anything like straight alfalfa, can the Ca levels still be too high? BTW, the same issue of the Journal has an article on feeding fats - nothing new, but a good summary. thanks as always for your expertise pat farmer
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