A feeding head scratcher - why am I feeding chaff?

[now_loves_mares]

OK so I have a TB that the last two winters has lost a fair amount of weight just at the start of winter. She is far too skinny to my eye though vet was out last week and said she was ok and healthy (and teeth checked, worm count zero, shiny coat etc) but extra weight would be good if I can manage. She's only 8 and in otherwise good health.

So she gets ad-lib hay overnight and is out all day. I tie a haynet up in the morning in the field, but am going to have to rethink this (ie give her hay all day too) as I reckon the reason she starts to lose weight in October is she just starts spending all day hanging around the field shelter waiting to be fed, and doesn't actually eat grass. She has 10 acres of the stuff pretty much to herself, the irritating coo-bag

Hard feed she eats a stubbs scoop of top spec alfa, top spec balancer, top spec cool condition, and speedi beet. But it occurred to me today that perhaps I was feeding her too much alfa per feed as it's bulking out her meal, but probably not very calorific. Seen as she is eating hay so much (and does seem to have a good appetite for this just now) then I don't need to worry about her fibre content; so would I be better reducing the alfa down and increasing the cool condition volume; or adding linseed? Is this something that's so obvious I can't believe I've missed it.

She does crib, which is why she is on the alfa, (ulcer prevention) but I don't think the cribbing is a weight thing as she's always done it and only really had this weight issue the last two winters.

Very long, sorry! But why does anyone else feed chaff type feeds? To slow down bolting feed? Obviously the alfa has ulcer prevention benefits. I can see the point if it's to just mix in with some balancer or something for fatties, but it's always the first thing I put in a feed, but now I am wondering why?

 

[maccachic]

Chaff encourages chewing which produces saliva which is good for digestion and buffering stomach acid (along with the calicum in alfa).

Alfa is a good source of natural vits and mins and protein it is also reativly high in calories.

Fibre increases utilisation of hard feed feed with it as its slows down consumption of feed so it is chewed better and ulitised better.

I found with my TB a change to a simple diet of oats / alfa a supplement which balanced his diet and some yeast - produced amazing results. I tried all the high calorie feeds under the sun. He is BF and this doesn't affect his feet. http://www.thehorseshoof.com/oats1.html

 

[now_loves_mares]

Thanks. That makes sense, although I think the fact that she has hay straight before and afterwards does the same broad job; and she is on a balancer?

Haven't fed oats for years- I don't think I'd trust my mare on it

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Take care with FWCs as they don't show up encysted red worms and a horse can harbour millions of them in their gut at this time of year. They can be fatal when they emerge. Your horse will need Equest/Pramox around now.

 

[maccachic]

I have an athletic TB (redhead even) and he remains calm and cool on oats they have a bad rep for no real reason. Obviously if you feed too much they maybe come energetic its all about balance.

They are high in fibre and lower energy than barley plus heaps cheaper than process feeds which I really don't believe actually provide the stated vits and mins as heating destroys them, they do add more but in my experience my horse has thrived on the above diet and not on the so called "complete feeds" despite having actually calculated that it was balanced (using the printed bag values).

Also means I can adjust hardfeed without affect min / balance.

If she is getting meadow hay the alfa will still provide a good level of protein personally I like lucerne chaff for this reason altho when the grass is lush not so much of a requirement.

 

[AmyMay]

The simple answer to your mare's weight issues op are to feed her adlib hay in the field too. And perhaps think about some company??

 

[now_loves_mares]

AmyMay, she does actually have 2 other horses in the field, and one comes in at night with her, but they are small ponies and are muzzled most of the time. That was why I said she had the grass "pretty much" to herself. The dangers of the internet eh. As I said above I am going to do the ad lib hay, but my question was specifically about the chaff. If only it really was that simple...oh and last winter she had ad lib hay day and night and didn't put on weight till the grass came through.

Box of Frogs - similarly I've not given her entire medical history here and she does indeed get wormed at this time of year; but thanks for the reminder.