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Grain Moderators: luluwhit, gotothewhip, cindyt, crossspur, ForumAdmin Jump to page :	Last activity 2015-03-10 1:50 PM 24 replies, 4498 views View previous thread :: View next thread
General Discussion -> Barrel Talk


LMS Reg. Feb 2008	Posted 2015-03-10 10:55 AM Subject: RE: Grain
Experienced Mouse Trapper Posts: 3106 Location: North Dakota	ok keep in mind things change. you can feed up to 12 pounds a day of whole oats. Uncrimped(whole) is probably the best if you're concerned about the fiber value of your hay. Uncrimped (whole) takes longer to pass through the stomach and intestines and there fore acts like fiber/forage. Hay is a major issue-quality as well as quality of oats-lighter bushel weight of oats means more volume needed per horse. I always assume when people come on here looking for feed advice, they have done ALL of the following first: Teeth, deworming, hay evaluation, weigh feed etc. so this is your reminder :) IF you're feeding the correct amount of oats and your hay is as good of quality as you can find. I would add rice bran(1-2 pound/day) flax (1 cup/day) or alfalfa to the hard keepers. You even said yourself some are doing ok. One of the things I learned the hard way is that every horse is different and sometimes they need to be fed different in order for them to thrive. Different might simply mean that you up the 16 year olds oats up a pound or two per day. Edited by LMS 2015-03-10 10:57 AM
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FlyingJT Reg. Jan 2014	Posted 2015-03-10 11:57 AM Subject: RE: Grain
Expert Posts: 1857	astreakinchic - 2015-03-10 10:16 AM FlyingJT - 2015-03-10 10:37 AM lexyy12 - 2015-03-10 9:20 AM dream_chaser - 2015-03-10 10:18 AM lexyy12 - 2015-03-10 6:07 AM dream_chaser - 2015-03-09 10:50 PM Keep in mind the best form to feed oats is when crimped, improves availability of nutrients and starches (oats is about 40%), ultimately is mostly an energy source. Not crimped the oats will go straight thru and mostly the molasses offers palatability, high energy not any real nutritive value. I would look into a more complete feed that offers a balance of nutrients. That's what I'm asking...for suggestions for a feed I should try. :) I don't know what feed is available in your area or else I would suggest something...since what we have up here you likely don't. Oh ok...do feed mills have the option for crimped oats? I've never seen them crimped vs whole.... there is only about a 6% increase in digestibility of crimped oats compared to whole oats. Some argue you are loosing nutrients when the oats are put through the crimping process. I don't think I would be looking at the feed as the reason they are loosing weight. Because their diet should be mainly forage, you might need to look into your hay quality and even consider giving some alfalfa. I would also get rid of the molasses, if your using it to give supplements I would suggest just soaking alfalfa pellets and mixing the supplements and oats into that, it will mask the supplements. I'd look at the molasses too since we know a slight amount of ionophores can be found in molasses and even oats if they were used to "rinse" the mixer between feed mixing. Are you feeding alfalfa hay to balance things out? Some nutritionalist say its not required but the majority agree if feeding oats alfalfa hay is the most effective compliment. I'm not sure if the alfalfa question was for me but I'll answer it anyways because I don't think the OP is feed alfalfa at the time. Yes, I feed alfalfa for the calcium and nutrients that oats lack plus the additional protein. Oats usually are lower in calcium than in phosphorus and by feeding alfalfa, which is high in calcium, it helps balance it out.
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trulyaroyaljem Reg. Nov 2010	Posted 2015-03-10 12:36 PM Subject: RE: Grain
Veteran Posts: 111	lexyy12 - 2015-03-09 7:29 PM RoaniePonie11 - 2015-03-09 8:21 PM lexyy12 - 2015-03-09 7:03 PM Ok guys...I've been feeding whole oats with molasses mixed in for the past couple years. They all did great on it until about this time last year and they all started losing some pounds. I've struggled and struggled and tried supplements for them...I'm ready to change feed. Whats a good feed to try? I'm just fed up with it and I know it has to be the oats. I have one on RG that is a hard keeper. She gets 1.5lbs per day. She will go off feed if I switch her to anything else. My gelding is on Nutrena's ProForce Fuel. I could not feed him enough RG to keep him fat with out breaking the bank. We are on bag#2 and he already looks better. They are just so dang different. I've got at least 2 that I will keep on the oats(let's face it, it's pretty dang cheap) and they are fat and sassy. I've got a 16 yr old retired gelding that doesn't look bad but he could use a little more weight, a ulcery gelding that he has always given me Trouble...he's very picky. And a pony mare that in the last 3 weeks has dropped a ton of weight. I'm suspecting something is going on with her other than this but I'm sure it doesn't help. I've been weighing my hay out and they have almost 24 hr access. Have you had her teeth done lately? just a thought
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lexyy12 Reg. Apr 2010	Posted 2015-03-10 1:42 PM Subject: RE: Grain
Expert Posts: 2276 Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :)	Grass hay with a little alfalfa.
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BRcwgrl81 Reg. May 2005	Posted 2015-03-10 1:50 PM Subject: RE: Grain
World 4D Champ Posts: 28264 Location: PA	lexyy12 - 2015-03-10 9:41 AM After some research and finding out availability in my area. I'm thinking that Kalm Ultra from Tribute may be what we need. Anybody feed this? When my local feed store stopped selling TC, and went to Tribute, this is what I fed. I have an easy keeper, a hard keeper, and a horse with PSSM...all on that grain and they did really well! I have zero complaints. I liked the high fat and protein it has. I was able to keep my hard keeper up to an ideal weight...I fed it for years.
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