ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Beet Pulp

Re: Beet Pulp

Susan F. Evans (suendavid@worldnet.att.net)
Tue, 04 Mar 1997 18:06:54 -0800

Al Randall. wrote:
>
> Susan, since when shouldn't you worry about a 7:1 Ca:P ratio??
> My source, Kentucky Equine Research, tells me that the diet should be no more than 3:1, and preferrably 2:1. If the beet pulp is 7:1, that
means that the diet with grass hay will be 6:1 or 7:1. If fed with
alfalfa, it could be as bad, with the "absolute" amount of P being too
low. Maybe I missed something here, but this just doesn't sound
correct.

Hi Al,

I agree that a Ca:P ratio of 6:1 or 7:1 is too high, although the
research (Jordan et al, 1975) suggests that calcium can be fed at five
times the suggested level without detrimental effects---but I do agree
that excessive calcium is best avoided. However, if you're feeding beet
pulp, I was assuming that 1) beet pulp doesn't make up the majority of
the diet, and 2) the Ca:P ratio should always be balanced to an optimum
level, regardless of the feeds you're using.

For example, let's say you have an 880 pound horse at moderate work.
His daily requirements are going to be:
Digestible energy: 20.1 Mcal
Crude protein: 804 grams
Calcium: 25 grams
Phosphorus: 17 grams
Ideal calcium/phosphorus ratio 1.1 - 2.5 to 1

So...say you've decided to feed your horse 2 kg (about 4.4 pounds) of
beet pulp, along with 16 pounds of "hay". That's dry weight of the beet
pulp, not soaked weight, by the way. If the hay you're feeding is
straight alfalfa, then you've provided in your total ration:

Digestible energy: 19.71 Mcal
Crude protein: 1414 grams
Calcium: 102.4 grams
Phosphorus: 18 grams
Calcium/phosphorus ratio: 5.68 to 1

For an 880 pound horse at moderate work, this is more or less sufficient
in energy (just barely deficient), excessive in protein, excessive in
calcium and just barely sufficient in phosphorus. Calcium/phosphorus
ratio way too high. Not a very good diet, although the horse won't drop
dead.

Now let's say the hay you're feeding is bermuda, along with the same
amount of beet pulp. Now you've provided:

DE: 18.91 Mcal
CP: 970 grams
Calcium: 34.2 grams
Phosphorus: 15.8 grams
Ca/P ratio: 2.16 to 1

Hmmm. A little deficient in energy, not too excessive in protein or
calcium, and the calcium/phosphorus ratio is good, but deficient in
phosphorus. OK, add 1 pound of corn. NOW your ration provides:

DE: 20.45 Mcal
CP: 1011 grams
Calcium: 34.42 grams
Phosphorus: 17.02 grams
Calcium/phosphorus ratio: 2:1

This ration meets the energy and phosphorus requirements almost
exactly, is slightly excessive in protein but nothing to get excited
about, is only excessive in calcium by less than ten grams and has a
very acceptable calcium/phosphorus ratio. I'd have no problem at all
feeding this to any of my horses (although I haven't checked it for any
other nutrients, so don't everyone jump on me if I'm deficient in
Kryptonite and Plutonium...)

The bottom line of feeding beet pulp (or any other commodity) is that
the ENTIRE ration has to be balanced. Most feeds, by themselves, are
either deficient or excessive in one nutrient or another. However, with
a little work, they can usually be balanced against each other into a
good, complete ration. Hope this answers your concerns.

Susan Evans

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