Feed for weight maintenance

Birker2020

Birker2020

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Hi, I’m looking for recommendations for feed for my 12 year old 17hh WB who is retired and lives in a mixed herd of around 22.

He’s been fed Dengie Healthy Hooves for the past three years (2 years by me, one year by previous owner due to hoof issues) but I would like to alter his feed for something more calorific as he now lives out 24/7 at retirement and has dropped a little weight. I know he has dropped muscle, which was to be expected, I am trying not to confuse this with weight.

These are the main points:
  • Health wise his feet are lovely now – he’s been barefoot since Nov 2022
  • He’s just had his vacs and his teeth rasped earlier this week – nothing significant found
  • He has tested negative for EMS/cushings/ulcers.
  • He does not require pain relief at this point in time.
  • I don’t really want to give him a cereal, or anything high starch/high sugar
  • It has to be a simple ‘one feed bin feed’ like either chaff or a mixed chaff feed
  • I can buy him linseed lozenges fairly reasonably and mix them into his feed bin if push comes to shove
  • Probably something oil or fibre based would be more effective for weight gain. Veteran Vitality might be a good shout.
  • I need to keep costs down as I will be having another horse soon so will not be looking at a feed balancer, I need something simple but effective and reasonably priced
  • He will be rugged during winter and be remain outside 24/7.
He will be fed a feed twice daily in the winter and will receive ad lib hay in the winter months and has access to around 40 acres of good grazing, living out 24/7 365.


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E

expanding_horizon

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Dengie Alfa A oil?

Omega rice

omegaequine.co.uk

Omega Rice

A daily feed topper which maintains excellent condition and stamina. Omega Rice is an extremely palatable, stabilised rice bran and linseed pellet. High in oil, fatty acid omega 3 and limestone, it’s perfect for horses who require optimum condition and additional stamina. Used normally as a top...
omegaequine.co.uk omegaequine.co.uk
 
Squeak

Squeak

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Hmmm hard one Birker, I'm not sure I'd have been expecting him to drop weight at this time of year with good grass available. Has he always been a poor doer? I know how thorough you are with him so know it's not going to be anything that's been missed. Others might have had different experiences and have needed to feed retired ones with plenty of grass available but my experience has been the opposite - that it's keeping weight off in the summer rather getting it on.

Does the yard owner have any suggestions of what they've found that worked in the past?
 
dottylottie

dottylottie

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i was also going to suggest the pure veteran mix! alternatively, i know of a few people that feed d&h suregrow as a balancer (100g/100kg body weight) for seniors/poor doers
 
Birker2020

Birker2020

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Squeak said:
Hmmm hard one Birker, I'm not sure I'd have been expecting him to drop weight at this time of year with good grass available. Has he always been a poor doer? I know how thorough you are with him so know it's not going to be anything that's been missed. Others might have had different experiences and have needed to feed retired ones with plenty of grass available but my experience has been the opposite - that it's keeping weight off in the summer rather getting it on.

Does the yard owner have any suggestions of what they've found that worked in the past?
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Thanks kind of you. I've not really discussed with them as I only pop in a couple of times a week and rarely see them.

He's always been a fairly good doer with me. We were ex dairy grazing so very good quality grazing and he was rugged and in at night and fed speedibeet, superbarley rings and nuts in a ball in the winter with the 'healthy hooves' so expect he's feeling the cold a bit until it's time to rug. He's also moving a lot more with the herd and probably dropped a bit through stress getting sorted with the pecking order somewhat. She's very good and attentive and does tend to rug if the temperature drops. This was him before first photo in May, I'd brought him back as he was injured and was rehabbing him at the time.

And the second photo top about 3 weeks after buying him in Oct 2021 and four months after rehabbing him bottom photo. Last photo June again during rehab before he went back 1st July. So mixed bag of weight really.
 

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ester

ester

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Is she up for soaking (given you mention veteran vitality) as that does change the options
Pure feeds tick the main boxes other than cost, it can work out pricey
 
Birker2020

Birker2020

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Tiddlypom said:
I'm rather surprised that he's dropped some weight - the grass growth has been nuts this year as it's been so wet. I'd expect him to be a bit porky currently. He does look a bit ribby especially in the second pic, though.

How are the other retirees faring?
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They seem okay TP. But I think a lot of its muscle loss and it does depend on his stance, this photo taken same day. Looks better on this one. Going up tonight so will take some photos.

I love where he is and the lady is very on the ball with feeding/rugging etc. But last night it was 8c so cold really.
 

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Birker2020

Birker2020

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ester said:
Is she up for soaking (given you mention veteran vitality) as that does change the options
Pure feeds tick the main boxes other than cost, it can work out pricey
Click to expand...
I used to feed it to Bailey and forgot it had to be soaked! I used to use speedibeet with it. Totally forgotten. 😐
 
criso

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ester said:
YO doesn't want to be adding stuff though.

I think the spillers is a good shout
Click to expand...

You could always premix the linseed and chaff in the bin.

If no soaking I would probably go for grass chaff which is about the same calories as the conditioning fibre. Grasstastic is the one I use as it's reasonably cheap. Then add micronised linseed to it in a feed bin and mix so the yard can just feed one thing.
 
Birker2020

Birker2020

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Amymay said:
Will they be putting hay out in the winter?
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Yes they have as much hay as they want on the hard standing in big round feeders, there is four or five feeders- see photo. They can come and go as they please, so they are on the hard standing at night, those that are breakfastsed come in for theirs then they gradually mooch down to the fields but are free to come back and eat the hay throughout the day.

The number of bales used is split between the liveries at the end of the month.
 

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AmyMay

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Birker2020 said:
Yes they have as much hay as they want on the hard standing in big round feeders - see photo. They can come and go as they please, so they are on the hard standing at night, those that are breakfastsed come in for theirs then they gradually mooch down to the fields but are free to come back and eat the hay throughout the day.
Click to expand...
Is there more than one feeder?
 
Squeak

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Birker2020 said:
Looks great tonight:)
Click to expand...

He's such a gorgeous boy. Tbh based on him looking well yesterday I'd be inclined to leave it a bit longer. It's really easy to get in to a vicious cycle of feeding hard feed instead of getting them to utilise fibre and it sounds like the yard has a great set up to allow him to get as much hay as he needs in winter.
 
Birker2020

Birker2020

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Squeak said:
He's such a gorgeous boy. Tbh based on him looking well yesterday I'd be inclined to leave it a bit longer. It's really easy to get in to a vicious cycle of feeding hard feed instead of getting them to utilise fibre and it sounds like the yard has a great set up to allow him to get as much hay as he needs in winter.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I totally adore him. We may not have had much time together under saddle but what we shared in rehab/ground work time and just mooching around with together has meant I've bonded in a different way to usual. Much stronger at this point in time I think. And the fact he so cheeky and funny helps!

Yes he's not looking too bad. I think it depends what angle I take the photo. The fields are massive, that's why I am surprised he's not looking like a hippo! But maybe it's because he's no longer in at night and he's moving around more.
 
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