Eating poo..

[Amyree]

I have had a 12.2 Section A cross on loan since November, he was coming in at night before but started living out 24/7 with us. He wasn't having any hard feed previously. After about a month he started eating one of my other horse's poo, this was the only one on hard feed at the time. As he had started to live out and has a moderate workload I started him on Baileys local mixed with chaff and he stopped eating the droppings. He looks good and is up to date with worming etc but i saw him doing it again yesterday - any suggestions please? Thank you.

 

[missyclare]

I'm not sure on whats in the Bailey's, but eating poo is definitely signs that he is deficient in CFU's (colony forming units) A foal will do this to populate his gut, so he can digest the more solid food that his Mom is eating. Check the label on the Baileys. There should be not millions, but billions of CFU's present in the product. This is also important when changing a horse's feed. You do it slowly, so he can build up the CFU's to even digest it. Every feed has its own character and needs a stomach with the same character in order to utilize the nutrients from it. I'd also check on the minerals, with good copper and zinc delivered with low iron. Copper is a real star player as well, along with the "zines" (lysine, methionine, threonine,) These are the workers that make things happen as well. I have a feeling he came to you this way and is recognizing what he has been missing.

 

[Dry Rot]

My 14yo stallion was having a nibble at some fresh poo yesterday. Not sure if it was his or someone else's. Although I was taking pictures, I didn't bother to photograph that as I've always considered it normal behaviour and I know my ponies are not lacking anything or it would have shown up in youngstock before now.