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Re: [RC] epiphysitis now nursing mare losing weight - Mike & Kathy KellyI added a new mare and 2 m old foal this June. Mom had a big hay belly but was ribby up top, the result, I think, of the poor hay she was being fed (it was very stemmy and looked like it had been sitting outside a couple of years). I started feeding her free choice grass hay (a lovely timothy/orchard grass mix) and for 2 mos also a flake of alfalfa a day, and also put them out on pasture during the day (here in the high desert of N AZ we're not talking lush green grass). Stopped feeding any alfalfa when foal was 4 mos, and never fed any concentrates. For those first 2 mos she ate more hay than I could believe. I started feeding beet pulp too (hoping to slow down her hay intake before she ate all of the herds hay for the winter), she loved it and started looking like she was putting on weight, so I fed her more. Ended up feeding her 6# daily in 2 feedings. I also mixed 2 cups of boss (black oil sunflower seeds) in with each bp feeding. About 3 weeks ago I noticed she was really slowing down on hay intake (like by about 1/2!) and looking almost fat! No doubt this was partially due to the foal nursing less as she gets older, but I also think Mom had recovered from her weight deficit by eating all that good stuff. She still gets hay and pasture, bp is now 4# a day and 2 cups of boss. Kathy Kelly Parks AZ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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