Cowpats!!!!

C

colouredhat

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My TB has had 'cowpat' poo's for a good month now.
He is out 24/7, with hard feed (Calm and condition + chaff), and in light work.
I thought this was due to the grass etc but it just isn't improving, if anything it's getting worse!
I have tried increasing his chaff, and not wetting down his food (apart from the C+C), I've put him on pink powder, I've tried giving him hay - but he just prefers the grass!
It's not easy to keep weight on him at the best of times, and although his weight dropped it is now steady, and he seems well in himself and in good condition. I've had him worm counted - all ok there.

Any suggestions/tips/help appreciated.
 
My cob was like that for a week or two when the spring grass came through but it stopped. Mine doesn't get anything else atm just grass. If he is well enough in himself I wouldn't be too worried. Grass just goes straight through at this time of year especially after all the rain.
 
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Whether he likes the grass or not, I'd bring him in for at least a few hours every day to get him off it! He'd soon get into the routine. I'd think about putting him on a maintenance dose of Coligone too - works out at pence per day but is full of pre and pro biotics which would settle his hind gut before it gets more serious.
 
C and C is also 12% starch, which isn't as high as some feeds but may be worthy of looking at again.

I saw someone mention Carob kibble the other day, I think it was Valley View feeds, interesting products on there.
 
my boy has this problem even though i bring him in at night, I dont know what to do! He is already on a prebiotic...
 
Bug - how long did it take for you to see some improvement?
I've got him on the pink powder - which I think is a probiotic - but he's only been on that for 4 days - so hopefully it will work.
I'm also going to try to reduce his feed intake and do more, smaller feeds - as looking/googling it suggests that feeds that are too big actually exaggerate the problem!
 
TarantuLove said:
my boy has this problem even though i bring him in at night, I dont know what to do! He is already on a prebiotic...
Click to expand...

Not all supplements which include prebiotics are the same - you need to ensure that your horse is having the maximum daily recommended amount of prebiotic for it to be effective, along with other ingredients aimed at reestablishing the good bacteria in the hind gut which becomes unbalanced and results in scouring.
Kate x
 
It's where the grass is so nutritious and not fibrous enought that it is being processed too quickly.
In order to stop it you need to slow the passage of food through the gut by feeding fibre.
The easiest thing to do would be to bring him in during the day and give him hay as this would help. Chaff helps, HIFI lite is fibrous without being fattening so he could eat that or any type of chaff with straw in it. A good scoop in each feed :).
The pink powder should also help.
I'm always a bit wary of colic when they are stuffing themselves with spring grass!
 
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