alfa beet - help with quantities please

[blood_magik]

Could anyone advise how much of this I should be feeding? There's nothing on the website.

Horse is a 16.2 WB who is 524kg on the weight tape. He's in light work - we usually school for an hour, mostly in trot and jump approx twice a week. I'm needing him to put on a bit of weight as he's looking too ribby.


Thanks in advance and malteser easter bunnies on offer

 

[BlackRider]

I'd give the helpline a ring and ask them for advise - they're very good.

I used to make up enough to fill a global herbs green tub, and give half for lunch, and split the rest to mix in with the 2 feeds..

 

[blood_magik]

good idea - unfortunately, it's closed until monday

I'll fill in the wee form
I'll be starting with a handful anyways to get him onto it.

I bought the hi-f senior to try as well.

 

[TGM]

What feeds are you feeding at the moment and what quantities? Is your intention to replace some of the existing feed with Alfa Beet or are you going to add Alfa Beet to your existing feed?

 

[blood_magik]

What feeds are you feeding at the moment and what quantities? Is your intention to replace some of the existing feed with Alfa Beet or are you going to add Alfa Beet to your existing feed?

He currently gets 1/4 scoop of pony nuts, 1/4 scoop of chaff and 1/2 scoop of spillers slow release comp mix.

The plan is to change that to hi-fi senior, alfa beet and the comp mix to put some beef on him as his current feed is not maintaining condition and he's looking ribby.
I've checked the dengie website and they recommend 1.5kg of the hi-fi for a horse of his height/weight but there's nothing about alfa beet.

 

[blood_magik]

I've just found one of the case studies on the dengie website.

The ponies have cushings so I'm assuming the amounts have been reduced due to the sugar content?

there's a 16hh TB getting 0.25kg and a 14hh welshie getting 0.5kg

 

[Pearlsasinger]

There's no point in feeding Hi-Fi, if you are trying to put on weight. It is advertised as suitable for good-doers. You would be better with Alfa-a Oil, or Senior.
We feed our elderly cob on Speedibeet (don't use alfalfa) and we give her a couple of handfuls soaked everyday. If I were feeding her alfabeet, I probably give her 3 handfuls to take account of the alfalfa in it.
I would start off with a small amount and monitor your horse's weight carefully with a weight tape, increasing by small amounts if necessary until you find the right balance.

 

[Ealana]

my 16.3hh warmblood gets fed 600g (dryweight) twice a day with 1kg Baileys no.4 Topline cubes - he has always been extremely difficult to keep weight on ( was previously on spedi beet, no.17 + a variety of different 'extras' such as blue chip) but this year has kept his weight well

 

[blood_magik]

There's no point in feeding Hi-Fi, if you are trying to put on weight. It is advertised as suitable for good-doers. You would be better with Alfa-a Oil, or Senior.
We feed our elderly cob on Speedibeet (don't use alfalfa) and we give her a couple of handfuls soaked everyday. If I were feeding her alfabeet, I probably give her 3 handfuls to take account of the alfalfa in it.
I would start off with a small amount and monitor your horse's weight carefully with a weight tape, increasing by small amounts if necessary until you find the right balance.

Their website is misleading then because it says "Hi-Fi Senior can improve the feed value of the ration, helping elderly animals to gain weight."
I could take it back to the shop and ask her to exchange it for the alfa-a.

Thanks for the advice - I'll have to start with tiny amounts to bring him onto it while I remove the chaff and pony nuts. Is it 3 big handfuls you give?

 

[TGM]

One factor to take into account when you are feeding it, is how much is already in the feed. A feed should be a maximum (dry weight) of 2kg. So if you are feeding, say, 1kg competition mix and 0.5kg Hifi Senior in each feed then the maximum amount of Alfa Beet you should put in should be 0.5kg (remember this is the weight before soaking).

 

[blood_magik]

One factor to take into account when you are feeding it, is how much is already in the feed. A feed should be a maximum (dry weight) of 2kg. So if you are feeding, say, 1kg competition mix and 0.5kg Hifi Senior in each feed then the maximum amount of Alfa Beet you should put in should be 0.5kg (remember this is the weight before soaking).

ok, thanks for your help.
I'm probably going to split his feeds into three - need to speak nicely to the girls at the yard as it's making extra work for them if I don't have his feeds made up.