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Expert
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| what do you feed them from beginning of prego til nursing? |
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  The Color Specialist
Posts: 7530
Location: Washington. (The DRY side.) | I feed them the same as when they are open. |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | During the last 4 mo. of Pregnancy they get alfalfa along with a scoop of fortified grain am/pm. The last two weeks of the pregnancy We throw a bale to them and keep it coming once its cleaned up. I have a friend that wrote a great article on broodmare nutrition and one on weaning. I will try to find them for you. He feeds alfalfa only and keeps a high grade mineral out for them along with free choice salt. |
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Who Wants to Trade?
Posts: 4692
| We feed our mares the same as our babies. They get fed a 14/6 pellet and coastal hay. We also feed alfalfa if needed. We up the amount when they are nursing. |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | kuhlmann - 2013-12-16 9:09 AM We feed our mares the same as our babies. They get fed a 14/6 pellet and coastal hay. We also feed alfalfa if needed. We up the amount when they are nursing.
Kuhlmann, you have probably served on one of the boards with Bill Tracy with your racing connections. I bet your programs are much the same. We thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
To the OP, I just called Bill and got a little run down of what he is doing with his mares of late. He doesn't know if the articles are on line either... Heather Smith Thomas has quoted him in her books/articles.
First and foremost the best of hay you can provide. He uses a grass alfalfa mix, when he brings them up for foaling they get additional straight alfalfa. He reminds us to never make abrupt changes to our mares feeding program.
Increase in their protein levels in the last semester.
Worming is huge for him. He will not worm them in their last month. He worms the mare two days after foaling.
He feeds a grain however, he told me I don't overwhelm the horse with grain its slight and its a fortified pellet that he can feed to everything on the place. (Bill, has some of the best TB's in the nation, they are Sale toppers year in/out. He has mares, runners, and those on a layoff all under his care.)
He adds Ralco's SlickMix to the small amout of grain they get. |
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Fire Ant Peddler
Posts: 2881
| All of my horses get the same feed. Everyone gets a different amount according to weight. Mine is a 14% feed with little fat. I keep loose minerals out |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | we feed patriot 14-P. its a 14/6 pellet. They get pasture time but its not enough grass for them to live off. They also get Jiggs/Bluestem hay, and alfalfa. we usually wait to give the alfalfa once they foal unless they are hard keepers.
We feed our broodies a lot when they are nursing. it will drain them fast. This last year I think I waited too long to bump up their feed. I'm increasing it now as they are about in their 3rd trimester and will continue to once they start lactating. babies can drain them fast.
Edited by casualdust07 2013-12-16 10:10 AM
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | RacingQH - 2013-12-16 9:36 AM I feed them the same as when they are open.
Ditto. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| So I'm seeing a lot of "little to no grain" and I am definitely in agreeance however my mare has never done well that way. She always gets as much hay as she wants. She is on ADM feed. 4lb senior, 1lb MoorGlo. I was told it might be be good to switch her over to junior during gestation and nursing. I had planned on givin her as much hay as she wants plus some baled alfalfa and just increase the alfalfa in the last trimester and while she's nursing but the junior feed in really high in protein so if I go the alfalfa route I may keep her on the feed she's on. I also planned on giving her a salt/mineral block along with adding liquid 747 OR a mare & foal or brood mare supp to her feed. |
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 I too, shall remain nameless!
Posts: 2248
Location: Wearing a winter coat...... | I think a really good hay is the most important thing. My horses all get alfalfa / timothy mix and its in front of them 24/7. My mare only needs a handful of grain. She is fed just safechoice as of right now. I add in K Finish for a little extra fat too. I try to make sure hay is in front of her all the time and it is the good stuff! |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | RoaniePonie11 - 2013-12-16 10:12 AM So I'm seeing a lot of "little to no grain" and I am definitely in agreeance however my mare has never done well that way. She always gets as much hay as she wants. She is on ADM feed. 4lb senior, 1lb MoorGlo. I was told it might be be good to switch her over to junior during gestation and nursing. I had planned on givin her as much hay as she wants plus some baled alfalfa and just increase the alfalfa in the last trimester and while she's nursing but the junior feed in really high in protein so if I go the alfalfa route I may keep her on the feed she's on. I also planned on giving her a salt/mineral block along with adding liquid 747 OR a mare & foal or brood mare supp to her feed.
Two years ago I fed my mare Ultium Growth in the last two months and until she weaned her foal. He stayed on that and turned out great. I switched him to Ultium performance and have not looked back. Until recently, the bags on the shelf have been 2.5 to 3 months old. I've called and talked to the Purina guy that's the top of our distribution area, another story... |
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You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | RoaniePonie11 - 2013-12-16 10:12 AM
So I'm seeing a lot of "little to no grain" and I am definitely in agreeance however my mare has never done well that way. She always gets as much hay as she wants. She is on ADM feed. 4lb senior, 1lb MoorGlo. I was told it might be be good to switch her over to junior during gestation and nursing. I had planned on givin her as much hay as she wants plus some baled alfalfa and just increase the alfalfa in the last trimester and while she's nursing but the junior feed in really high in protein so if I go the alfalfa route I may keep her on the feed she's on. I also planned on giving her a salt/mineral block along with adding liquid 747 OR a mare & foal or brood mare supp to her feed.
we feed them a lot of feed. I am not sure on the exact pound weight, I haven't put it on my food scale in a while, but they are getting 2 full feed store scoops twice a day when they are nursing with about as much hay as they can eat, alfalfa, and pasture.
I do not deworm while they are pregnant but I do deworm them after they foal and again before I breed them back. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 915
Location: SE KS | The last 3-4 months of pregnancy we feed Omelene for Broodmares, then for 3-4 months after foaling. I have an 18yo broodmare.
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| the feed I listed earlier is per day, so it would be cut in half for each feeding. I'm also thinking of feeding her 3 times a day instead of two once she hits her last trimester.
I'm going to keep her on her every 90 days worming schedule until she is bred. Then not until the baby is born. Thinking of like March- April to breed her. I don't want an early baby but I don't want a way late baby either. |
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what do you feed your prego horses