Feed questions

[gemmaw]

Does feeding straights as a permanent diet damage the liver and does feed bran cause ricketts???

just a couple of things i've heard this week, interested to know what you've heard??

 

[air78]

Isn't rickets caused by malnutrition???? My dad's always joking that he had them during the war

If all you fed was bran, then yes it may cause rickets as it has very low levels of vits and mins.
Don't know about the liver damage though

 

[dwi]

Not as far as I know about straights. I used to work at a RS that had 30 - 40 horses all fed on straights and were the picture of health. In the big scheme of things feeds such as nuts and mixes have only been around relatively recently. I can't believe that all horses before the 20th C had liver damage

 

[SirenaXVI]

[ QUOTE ]
Isn't rickets caused by malnutrition???? My dad's always joking that he had them during the war

If all you fed was bran, then yes it may cause rickets as it has very low levels of vits and mins.
Don't know about the liver damage though

[/ QUOTE ]

Rickets is caused by a lack of calcium and is the reason they gave school kids milk after the war.

Bran has a high phosphorous level which prohibits the absorbtion of calcium in the horse and can cause 'Big Head' disease, so if you feed bran you should always supplement with calcium - limestone is a good source.

Never heard of liver damage from straights