Feed for my yearling

[Jenna1406]

I am just wondering what everyone else will be feeding their yearlings this winter?

I am feeding Breagha just now and she is 17months old but I am finding that she is just ravenous at the moment, you would think I was starving her.
At the moment she is getting Hifi, mare and youngstock mix and sugar beet. Is there anything else that I can try that might fill her up for longer??

Or is she eating soo much at the moment as she is due a growth spurt??

Thanks

 

[AdorableAlice]

I am just wondering what everyone else will be feeding their yearlings this winter?

I am feeding Breagha just now and she is 17months old but I am finding that she is just ravenous at the moment, you would think I was starving her.
At the moment she is getting Hifi, mare and youngstock mix and sugar beet. Is there anything else that I can try that might fill her up for longer??

Or is she eating soo much at the moment as she is due a growth spurt??

Thanks

Adlib grazing, hay/haylage and correctly weighed amount of D and H Suregrow. Fill her tummy with fibre not hard feed.

 

[Maesfen]

Adlib grazing, hay/haylage and correctly weighed amount of D and H Suregrow. Fill her tummy with fibre not hard feed.

Couldn't agree more than with this. You don't need bulky hard feed if your grazing/turnout is plentiful and hay/haylage is decent. If you're worried about her bolting (mine never have so don't get anything with it at all) then just add sugar beet (not too wet) but I'd certainly ditch the HIFi and mix.

 

[Jenna1406]

Adlib grazing, hay/haylage and correctly weighed amount of D and H Suregrow. Fill her tummy with fibre not hard feed.

I am in the middle of trying to get a bale of hay put out into the paddock at the moment as there is no grass left and Breagha is currently grazing in the walkways (she keeps breaking out, so left her out) while I am waiting for the bale to go out.

So, you think it would be best just to feed her D&H Suregrow and sugerbeet on its own??

Couldn't agree more than with this. You don't need bulky hard feed if your grazing/turnout is plentiful and hay/haylage is decent. If you're worried about her bolting (mine never have so don't get anything with it at all) then just add sugar beet (not too wet) but I'd certainly ditch the HIFi and mix.

Grazing isnt great and like I said above, she is currently grazing the walkways down.

 

[flintfootfilly]

Grass/hay is going to be the best (and cheapest) way to make sure she gets all the fibre she needs.

It is possible to find other fibre feeds instead if she really can't get enough grass or hay, but that's going to work out hellish expensive (was looking into it for a friend with an old horse who has so few teeth she can no longer manage hay), so hay/grass really are the best option for the horse and for your pocket.

Chances are that the hay/grass will be deficient in two or three minerals (commonly copper, zinc and in around 70% of the UK selenium too), so giving her a good daily vit/min supplement or balancer will be essential. I'd only give one that contains a good amount of organic selenium (aka selenium yeast or Selplex) - Blue Chip or Dengie are my favourites for this reason.

Unless she struggles weightwise, I wouldn't be looking to add anything else in, other than a bit of chaff to mix up with the balancer to slow down her eating.

Sarah