Grass Issue

G

Gentle_Warrior

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 December 2006
Messages
2,529
Visit site
My lad is a typical greedy cob, have a brilliant bit of land where the grass is not brilliant quality. But because it has been so dry and warm lately there is now no grass at all. We are resting one of the padocks at the moment but it is not reviving that well or quickly. We normally move them every 6 weeks.

The issue is that yes, it is brilliant as I am able to keep his weight down, but because he is so hungry he is starting to lean over the fencing and breaking it to get to the grass on the other side. He is fed each morning Baileys Lo-Cal (no engergy no nothing - just for vitamins and minerals) and about quarter chaff - once a day.

He is ridden minimum 2 x a week - find it hard during the week thanks to work, but try to lunge 2 x during the week aswell

What would you do?

put a section hay out
add a small topping to his meal of e.g. Baileys No 4 and poss feed 2 x day ?
Ignore him and spend hours fixing fencing each week and risk him getting out (p.s. has no respect for electric fencing)

Appriate some ideas.
 
I have to restrict grazing and feed hay all round, so my answer would be that you need to replace the forage he would normally be getting with something else, whether it's chaff, a fibre replacer or hay (soaked is lower calories.) If he's a good doer he won't need feed as such, but he will need plenty of fibre to keep him happy and healthy. :)
 
Thanks TouchStone, I was edging towards the hay route I must admit, I really dont want him putting the weight on through a topping feed. Will start with a section a day and see what that does for him !! Will prob give in the evening as there are always people around during the day to keep an eye on him and nights are the worst.

Does that make sense ?
 
Why not try him with more chaff and some well soaked hay? Gives him something to do and not too many calories. I'd also try double fencing with electric tape to make it harder for him to lean on it. Good luck with it, I hope all our grass comes back soon (our rain has just started!)
 
Up the fibre and you could feed a mix of hay and straw out in the field which will keep the feed value down, feed his tum and if spread out, keep him occupied.

Mine are on two large fibre meals a day - winter rations and they have nibble grass. Our fields are have electric tape all round to keep their bums off the fences as well. If it keeps on like this, I will have to start putting out hay as well.
 
I have been giving 2 fatties (15h & 11.3h) about half a bale of hay a day between them (1/4 in the morning 1/4 at night), which has been soaked for 24 hours. As it is decent hay, it smells and I assume tastes ok as they are eating every scrap, but it is keeping them amused without the excessive weight gain!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top