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RE: [SPAM] [RC] beet pulp question for Dr Susan and/or Dr. Heidi - heidiMy neighbor had the vet out yesterday for some shots. The subject of beet pulp came up and the vet told her not to feed more than 30% beet pulp to the grain ration or it will cause an electrolyte imbalance. I have never heard that before and as I feed more beet pulp than 30% of my grain ration I just want to know if there is any validity to this statement, Dr. Susan or Dr. Heidi? Thanks, Louise I suppose that it depends on how much of the diet is a "grain ration." Beet pulp is not so much "unbalanced" as it is just generally lacking in minerals. A whole lot of it replacing a whole lot of what else the horse eats could cause one to just not quite get enough trace minerals. I hope Susan weighs in here, because I think that would have to be a WHOLE LOT of beet pulp. As for it being a percentage of the "grain ration"--it is advisable for the ration to be primarily forage in the first place. My own horses don't get enough "grain ration" to be an appreciable part of their diet--so even if it is 100% beet pulp, it isn't going to affect a hill of beans. Now, if the horse got half of his diet as grain (heaven forbid! but some show barns do that), indeed replacing too much of it with beet pulp might cause a deficiency--but it might also save him from dying of endotoxemia some day... Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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