Beet pulp questions

["Sullys Maze" <Sully@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU>]

I have a question for Susan and the vets out there.  I have been
feeding quite a bit of beet pulp to help bring up that condition
number on my big mare this spring. She is on California spring
pasture (short grass, lots of weeds), free choice grass hay, and
occasional alfalfa.  She is getting about 2 small coffee cans of
beet pulp right now, soaked.  A couple of questions come up.  I
looked at the tag on the beet pulp for calcium/phos levels, and it
only said "shredded beet pulp."  Someone over on rec. equestrian
mentioned that beetpulp may be too high in calcium, so I wanted to
ask the experts about that.  This is the mare that tied-up last year
at the Wine Country ride, with no obvious explanations, so I am
going to question the balances before I do this again (feed a lot of
beet pulp.)  She DOES like it, and it DID work on keeping weight on,
but I need to balance the whole diet.

Also, Susan, can you give me an address for Dr. Bray, and do you
know if he had any papers on his talks on enteroliths and
sand-colic.  I would be happy to pay for the copying.

Next question, is that he said at the AERC regional conference that
he feeds beet pulp DRY, and doesn't feel it is at risk for causing
choke.  But I have to question what happens when it hits the
foregut.  Doesn't it swell?  Wouldn't it cause a problem with a
dehydrated horse?  Still seems safer to feed it wet, and you have
the added benefit of getting more moisture into the horse.

Karen

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