A sugarbeet/alfabeet question.

[Coffee_Bean]

So sugarbeet/alfabeet isn't classed as hard feed as it's all fibre right? So does that mean you can feed as much as you want, not worry about the 2kg limit?

Thanks in advance

 

[milliepops]

Do you mean the limit on how much you should feed in one meal? If so, the sugar beet will still 'count' IMO as it's to do with how much the horse's stomach can take in one go.

 

[Bossanova]

It is most cetrainly not all fibre!
It's generally about 10% protein and has a reasonably high energy content

 

[amycov]

It should be included into that 2kg limit so that you don't overload the horses stomach.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

So you need to stick to the 2kg per meal limit?

 

[teddyt]

No you shouldnt feed more than 2kg in one go. Long fibre can be fed adlib but unless you have a horse with no teeth then you shouldnt feed more than 2kg of sugar beet per meal because of the horses stomach size.

Yes, sugar beet is high in fibre, thats where the energy mainly comes from but it is not long fibre so it can be eaten too quickly. so you should limit the amount per meal

 

[Coffee_Bean]

Ok thanks, that clears things up- got the wrong impression from this post;
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/4784543/an/0/page/0#4784543

 

[teddyt]

TGM gave good advice there. It is high in energy but because of the water you do feed a large volume when soaked.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

[ QUOTE ]
TGM gave good advice there. It is high in energy but because of the water you do feed a large volume when soaked.

[/ QUOTE ]
So is it 2kg max when soaked or unsoaked? I'm thinking dry as well my feed bucket weighs about 5kg because I wet it quite a lot? Is that right or wrong?

 

[teddyt]

I personally wouldnt feed more than 2kg soaked because of the large volume. If you soak 2kg of dry that is a big feed by the time you have added other things. The horses stomach is about the size of a rugby ball

 

[gails]

Have to say that has been a question running around my head.

On the bag of SB it says feed a kg but even a qtr of a stubbs scoop when soaked is a massive amount.

So I do a quarter sccop between skinney boy and smokey,

Have to say after all the new feed for weight gain, sb still wins for me

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

And remember that ordinary sugar beet pellets are molassed but speedibeet/kwikbeet aren't.

 

[kellyeaton]

No you have to count it in the meal i know it has a lot of fibre but it also has a lot of sugar and protine as well!

 

[sleepingdragon10]

Unmollassed beet has a sugar content of around 5%...alfabeet is also low sugar. The protein content would be similar to that of haylage.