beetpulp/colic Texas IMO

[Darolyn Butler <darolyn@swbell.net>]

Hi, Darolyn Butler here in Texas.  I started using Beet Pulp off & on
about two years ago.  Primarily to help put weight on hard keepers or
sickly souls.  Then I started using it on the top competitors (I have
around 30 horses on my place).  During that stage I wet/soaked it all
religiously.  They liked it, and maintained weight so well I started
almost every horse on the place on it.  Most of my boarders pay an extra
amount to have their horses receive it also.   After hearing Susan G.
speak about it several times and because of the tremendous amount of
work & time involved in feeding soaked, (not to mention the extra weight
in the bucket), we started feeding it dry.  (Except for competitions, of
course, everything fed is a mush then).

Knock on a swamp tree,.... we haven't had one beet pulp (I feel
directly) related colic yet.  Now, when you have 30 horses its not
uncommon for us to have somebody mildly colicing once, twice, maybe
three times a month.  However, I think this is a fairly normal
percentage when U consider the number.  I haven't had to "vet treat" a
colic in about a year.  Usually a squirt of pro-bi (I love the ABC
brand), or at the most a shot of banamine, & they turn right around.

In thinking back to the transition of the majority beet pulp diet, and
later when almost all the horses were transfered to it, I can fairly
safely say, I feel there was no association to the use of beet pulp &
colic.  I'm guessing that the colic your horse experienced may have not
even been related to the beet pulp, just coincidently to the change.
Don't give up on it.  If you are a bit nervous... just introduce it in
smaller amounts perhaps.  But once they get on it..... the horses & you
will both love the results.  Good luck.
Darolyn at Cypresswood Stables in Swampy South Texas



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