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Hi Susan
Your statement about not feeding pellets to horses under 6 months really 
surprised me because that is the only time I feed pellets (except for older 
horse pellet supplements for hard keepers)--  I have always fed mare and foal 
pellets to babies 1 month till around 6 months. The vets around here all 
recommend it for nursing mares and babies and I used to feed Tiz Wiz before I 
discovered a local feed that is really good.
What would you recommend for babies, then (given that I am already feeding them 
really good alfalfa for calcium)?
Thanks for any info
Bette
Bette Lamore
Whispering Oaks Arabians
Home of Bunny and 16.2h TLA Halynov
who lives on through his legacy Hal's Riverdance!
http://www.arabiansporthorse.com

"Life is not  a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely
in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside,
thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming --WOW-- what
a ride !! "


Susan E. Garlinghouse, D.V.M. wrote:
> > Well - my question is...have any of you all fed your horses these alfalpha 
> > pellets?  What are the pros and the cons.  
>
>
>
> Pros:
> 1) Easier to store and feed with less waste.
> 2) Easier to measure out by the pound.
> 3) Can be soaked with water into sloppy mush for horses with poor dentition
> or that need meds, etc 
>
> Cons:
> 1) Pellets of any kind are primary cause of esophageal obstruction
> ("choke"), especially if horse has poor teeth, wolfs food and/or has to
> compete with other horses.  
> 2) Pellets can be eaten faster with less chewing-- therefore higher
> incidence of chewing fences, barns, etc because of increased boredom and to
> compensate for unsatisfied grazing instinct
> 3) Less chew time required versus long stem hay means less saliva and bicarb
> production, thus less buffering in stomach against formation of gastric
> ulcers in prone horses.
> 4) Cubing process = possible to include the occasional wayward bunny or
> mouse = botulism formation under the right conditions.  Also possible when
> baling hay, but less likely.
> 5) Small particle size of pellets means less bulk and IMO, less benefit to
> maintaining hindgut motility versus long-stem hay.
> 6) Don't ask babies < 6 months to try to eat pellets or cubes, they just
> don't seem to do a good job of it IME.  Some may manage it, but most just
> don't have the dentition or jaw strength or dexterity or whatever.
>
> JMO.
>
> Susan Garlinghouse, DVM, MS
>
>
>
>
>
>
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