|
|
 Expert
Posts: 2457
  
| Your question about what "kind" of oats to feed ....
1 - Depends on the quality of oats you can get and the weight of those oats; a higher weight usually equals a better oat - think NORTHERN oats from Canada or North Dakota
2- steamed vs crimped; the nutritional availability is about the same in horses as you are feeding a hindgut fermenter and not a ruminant who regurgitates
3- rolled oats - easier for young ones or animals with teeth problems to digest
4- whole oats - not too different from the other varieties mentioned as you are feeding a hindgut fermenter and not a ruminant.
If you can find them, oats are great. Their starch content doesn't make them the "best" feed out there and you need to evaluate your horses needs. What works for one horse is not a sure bet to work for another. Thankfully, there are many different options for feed stuffs out there to accommodate. |
|
| |
|
| I use my KISS system (KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID) as a reminder not to feed anything that you can't pronounce or is a trash product from human food production (beet pulp, rice hulls, rice bran) or comes from waste products from ethanol production .... if you can't pronounce what is in the ingredients on the bag of expensive feed you just bought ......... don't feed it ...
Whole oats and alfalfa are the nutritional benchmarks your feed mills use as the best blend to feed and then they add waste products to increase their profits and will not tell you the digestibility of all the add-ons they use to bulk up their feed.
Just keep in mind any thing that is crushed, rolled, chopped, heated for pellets lose their natural content of minerals and vitamins along with the proven facts of becoming more rancid and dangerous as a feed.
The great thing about whole oats is they require horse to chew and eat slower which creates saliva as the start of the digestive process. The natural fiber is an asset to not having colic as a normal routine at your barn. Oats are typically 12% protein and the small amount of starch they contain is turned into sucrose as the needed immediate energy for a horse to use. Proteins are slower to process into sucrose which is a good thing as the horse keeps his energy at the end of a run due to the proteins. The hull protects the whole oat from losing any of its nutrient values ..
By adding alfalfa to your feeding program it balances out the calcium, phosphorous and potassium a horse needs from natural grains and hay when also feeding whole oats. Alfalfa is 16% protein and very little starch so by adding it per the 20-30lb hay requirement per day when stalled or penned up ... everything balances out and you get a 14% feed which has been proven is a good middle of the road feeding program for horses ... it keeps a lot of organs happy and functioning without the ups and downs creating havoc with a horses digestive system ...
Now that you have the 1% body weight for grain figured out ... your horse needs added minerals and vitamins that are no longer in grasses and feeds due to the use of fertilizers. So feed mineral // vitamin supplements like you give your kids and yourself vitamins. Enhances the immune system and makes all the horses organs even more happy ...
I chose ADM GROSTRONG minerals and vitamins due to the correct percentage of certain vitamins to act as a catalyst with properly chelated minerals which enhances the digestibility of both while being digested by your horse. You can see the difference in your horses when using this supplement ... it also contains 30% salt to prevent horse from over eating it.
I just throw a handful every other day into each horses feed bucket and this works for me and keeps my KISS system on my mind ... lol ..any excess they will let fall to the bottom of the bucket and lick it out the next day or sometime in the future when their body sez it needs more iron or whatever ...
If a new horse needs weight put on ... I may add a 1/3 lb of 14% sweet feed that has oats/corn/alfalfa pellets/soy been meal pellets in it as a corn add on for more weight ... ... it would be like you adding a donut to your breakfast .. lol
I also keep a pasture $5 block of "mineral salt" free choice all the time for their salt needs .. there is almost no minerals in these blocks .. but makes them more tasty and lickable ....
Since WHOLE OATS gets the most myths and false opinions ... here is a neat little article that also tells you to keep your mineral vitamin supplement going when you reduce feed for an older or easy keeper horse.
http://www.thenaturalvet.net/For-The-Health-Of-Horses-Feed-Oats_ep_...
This simple feeding program requires no complicated thinking ... I keep my broodmares sassy fat and will increase their feed after they foal due to milk production and summer heat stress causing them to lose weight ...
I really like my heathy foals when they are born using this simple feeding program ... they are big, husky, muscled and full of energy and I have no concern of them lacking the right amounts of calcium, phosphorous or potassium for bone and joint growth, lysine for hoof, mane, tail growth and the right vitamins to give them the hybrid vigor my babies have .. you have to feed the mare while infoal and not let one get out of condition while baby is growing inside ... also keep in mind the baby will put on 60% of its weight in the last 3 months.
I also worm the mare 1-2 weeks prior to foaling to clean out the worms. Mother Nature tells the foal to eat some of Mom's poop within 24 hours of birthing to get his real food gut bacteria going.... worming keeps foal from getting a tummy full of worm eggs.
Another of my KISS programs is worming time table ... I use holidays ... New Years week .. I give Quest good for 90 days; then all the rest are ivermectin good for 60 days ... Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Halloween ... then start over on New Years week... that's 5 wormings ... ~$22/year ..
If foal eats pasture poop he may get round worms during his 6 months of nursing .. so I use a round worm wormer on the ones with an air // hay belly or bad hair ... I do not use Safe Guard or Panacur ... this is what I use .... and I give 200 lbs more than I think the foal weighs ... if you are going to kill the worms use enough to kill'em ... laughing ... http://www.jefferspet.com/products/exodus-multi-dose-paste?via=5338...
Here is what a typical broodmare with a 4 month old filly looks like at my barn eating 6 pounds of oats per day and then increasing to 7-9 per day after foaling .... I use the 3 qt ($3) feed scoops you find everywhere ... a full scoop is 3 lbs of most feeds .... rolled steamed oats is lighter and corn is heavier per scoop..
If your mare is underweight when she foals .. you are not going to fatten her up while nursing a foal ... she will stop losing weight but will give the added nutrients to fatten up and make the baby grow .......... much better to keep a broodmare feeding program going the entire year and see the difference in your foals!!
GOOD LUCK .. KISS (es) to your feeding programs ..
Edited by BARRELHORSE USA 2016-07-24 9:45 PM
 (7.11.2016 005 - Copy 25.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
 7.11.2016 005 - Copy 25.jpg (83KB - 232 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | I used the grostrong mineral too, I really liked it, just hate supporting adm after the feed killed lots of horses down here!
I do add beat pulp in with my oats, I buy the pellet form from tractor supply and soak them, give about 1/4 scoop of it in each feeding. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1395
Location: Missouri | Bear - 2016-07-20 4:17 PM
We feed crimped oats, crimped barley, and crimped corn at 2:2:1 ratio. We also feed "dynamite", redmonds salt, and apple cider vinegar with the mother. Carol also likes to feed bentonite periodically. I'm surprised our horses eat that Sh!t. Don't ask me why. I just work there.
I forgot, we also feed a tablespoon of turmeric "Golden Paste". It's a big production at our place!
My husband takes a half tsp 2x daily of the Turmeric Golden Paste. I've read that it has lots of health benefits for horses too and wanting to start giving my horse some. Curious how they do with the taste? That stuff is strong! |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
Location: MN | Bumping this thread back up because I have a question -
To those who feed oats, is there a certain time frame you feed before a run? Or do you just feed like you would at home? Normal time in the AM & PM?
|
|
| |
|
 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | Kay-DRacing. - 2017-06-13 12:01 PM
Bumping this thread back up because I have a question -
To those who feed oats, is there a certain time frame you feed before a run? Or do you just feed like you would at home? Normal time in the AM & PM?
I'll feed when I get to a run, so about 3 -4 hours before I actually run. And this is only to get their herbs into their system. I use Whole Oats as a medium , and the day of a run maybe .5lb instead of a 1-1.5lbs they normally get at dinner time daily. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
Location: MN | SmokinGirlie - 2017-06-13 12:49 PM Kay-DRacing. - 2017-06-13 12:01 PM Bumping this thread back up because I have a question -
To those who feed oats, is there a certain time frame you feed before a run? Or do you just feed like you would at home? Normal time in the AM & PM?
I'll feed when I get to a run, so about 3 -4 hours before I actually run. And this is only to get their herbs into their system. I use Whole Oats as a medium , and the day of a run maybe .5lb instead of a 1-1.5lbs they normally get at dinner time daily.
So you feed less when you haul? |
|
| |
|
It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | Kay-DRacing. - 2017-06-13 2:27 PM SmokinGirlie - 2017-06-13 12:49 PM Kay-DRacing. - 2017-06-13 12:01 PM Bumping this thread back up because I have a question -
To those who feed oats, is there a certain time frame you feed before a run? Or do you just feed like you would at home? Normal time in the AM & PM?
I'll feed when I get to a run, so about 3 -4 hours before I actually run. And this is only to get their herbs into their system. I use Whole Oats as a medium , and the day of a run maybe .5lb instead of a 1-1.5lbs they normally get at dinner time daily.
If I have to feed before I leave for a day run I do feed a little less. If I'm somewhere for a weekend then I feed their normal . |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1409
Location: Oklahoma | I feed whole oats and have found to be a lot cheaper buying from a feed mill. But I made sure they don't make any feed with monosin and so forth. and the oats are northern. I was afraid that they wouldn't be that clean and they even showed me the bin before I bought. and they was cleaner than where I have bought from TSC and also I buy the alfalfa pellets from there too and 1/2 cost from TSC! and they are softer too. My feed bill got cheaper yet again! |
|
| |
|
 Namesless in BHW
Posts: 10368
Location: At the race track with Ah Dee Ohs | Herbie - 2016-07-20 3:50 PM
Yep, nothing but whole oats, alfalfa, and Cur-OST. That being said, I only feed a half scoop once a day and use them as a mixer for my product, unless a horse needs some excess energy and then I will bump it up a little bit or feed a half scoop twice a day. I think oats, as any other grain, can cause issue when fed in large quantities.
Yep, me to. Whole Oats, alfalfa mash and CurOst. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1409
Location: Oklahoma | I feed whole oats and have found to be a lot cheaper buying from a feed mill. But I made sure they don't make any feed with monosin and so forth. and the oats are northern. I was afraid that they wouldn't be that clean and they even showed me the bin before I bought. and they was cleaner than where I have bought from TSC and also I buy the alfalfa pellets from there too and 1/2 cost from TSC! and they are softer too. My feed bill got cheaper yet again! Grostrong has 36ppm sel. that is high!!! I could not feed that in my area. I have high sel. and iron in my ground so I have to be extra careful on what vit/min I feed. |
|
| |
|
 No Tune in a Bucket
Posts: 2935
Location: Texas | We feed whole oats and alfalfa pellets plus they are out on pasture. Honestly they only get half a scoop of oats and a small Dickey's BBQ cup of pellets. (I know, very scientific) Wish we had a local mill but I buy from oats from our local feed store. I had to purchase from TSC when my local store was closed during the holidays and will not purchase oats from them again. Dusty, dusty, dusty. Really didn't expect that. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
Location: MN | I use that same small Dickey's cup as well! haha! I live in BFE and cant NOT find dusty oats. So I make sure to wet my feed. Other than that, I dont know what else to do?! Ive tried every brand here in town.
RocketPilot - 2017-06-14 4:59 PM We feed whole oats and alfalfa pellets plus they are out on pasture. Honestly they only get half a scoop of oats and a small Dickey's BBQ cup of pellets. (I know, very scientific) Wish we had a local mill but I buy from oats from our local feed store. I had to purchase from TSC when my local store was closed during the holidays and will not purchase oats from them again. Dusty, dusty, dusty. Really didn't expect that.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1207
| Well I tried the oats and alfalfa pellets on my two easy keepers and kept my 27 year old on the Bluebonnet Omega Force. Guess which one is doing better. Yup the 27 year old who is on the Bluebonnet and The MM. So going to put the other two back on the Bluebonnet and The Performance. |
|
| |
|
It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | I feel alfalfa pellets as well to my 5 & 6 year olds. So they get 1.5 lbs of Whole Oats, 1/2 cup Whole Flax, 2 lbs Afalfa Pellets (soaked), with their Cur-OST (once a day) and then grass and alfalfa hay. I just snapped pics of my ponies the other day if anyone wants to see
ETA a pic of my 25 year old on Whole Oats and Flax. Excuse the pee and poop stains lol 
Edited by SmokinGirlie 2017-06-15 11:34 AM
|
|
| |
Folks on-line