Hay replacer feeding schedule

[eihsop]

Hi everyone,

Does the "feed less than the volume of a rugby ball per meal (2 kg-ish)" concept apply to hay/forage replacers? I want to increase the quantity of soaked TopSpec Fibre Plus I am feeding as a hay replacer to my golden oldie who can't chew but I'm concerned about the massive volume of feed this would be per meal. My horse will scoff 2 kg (dry weight) of Fibre Plus (made into a mash) in 15 minutes.

I know hay replacers should be split into as many meals as possible but I can only do 3 feeds a day (8am and 5pm done by livery yard and 9.30pm done by me - I live 30 mins from the yard which is only open 8am-9.30pm). Vet advised my old boy needs 2.5% bodyweight (ie 9/10 kg) of forage (dry matter) daily. Using a complete forage replacer (I'm using TopSpec Fibre Plus, as advised by vet) this would mean a large volume of feed per meal..

His current feed schedule is ad lib haylage +

8 am - TopSpec Fibre Plus (1kg), equerry conditioning mash (1 kg), cool mix (1 kg) (only using as included in my livery cost) + 60 mL linseed oil

5 pm - TopSpec Fibre Plus (1kg), equerry conditioning mash (1 kg), cool mix (1 kg) + 60 mL linseed oil

9.30 pm - TopSpec Fibre Plus (2kg) + 30 mL linseed oil

Should I consider the FibrePlus to be like a big haynet of forage instead of thinking of it as a traditional bucket feed/grain? I'm just concerned about colic with how much feed he will be eating in one "sitting". I'm new to total hay replacement and would love any advice from those with more experience!!

Back story if you are interested: I'm really struggling to increase my 14.2 24 y/o geldings weight (he is currently worryingly underweight at 371 kg). He has very poor dentition (due to extensive senile excavation of the cheek teeth) and can't manage long or short stem forage (he still gets haylage to chew for mental satisfaction (nutritionist's advise) but severely quids it all - don't think much of it gets swallowed). He also severely quids grass. He's under the care of a vet who advised me to substitute forage by adding a topspec fibre plus as a hay replacer to his current diet of Equerry conditioning mash and a bluegrass cool mix (2 kg daily) and to add carron oil for calories. I've owned him most of my life (and his) and I'm desperate to get him back in good condition, open to any suggestions regardless of cost!

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

When my mare was ill and on soaked grass nuts only I had to feed her every 4 hours so a couple of in the night trips too…this to avoid a huge deluge to the stomach.

 

[Highmileagecob]

My old cob is on mainly forage replacers, but still has chewing teeth, although they are reduced in number. Soaked sugar beet mixed with dampened dried grass chaff has kept his weight stable, and Silvermoor veteran haylage has been a lifesaver - it comes ready chopped into 2" lengths. He also gets a double handful of Pink Mash, which is then soaked and mixed with bran, as a base for his pain meds and balancer. All this is split between five or six trug buckets to keep him moving around, and a net of soft meadow grass haylage provides a back up.
I did try soaked haycobs, but the recommended amount was inhaled in about ten minutes. Unfortunately, I think we have to accept that we are doing our best for our oldies. Mine has been on this regime for two winters, and still goes out to play fight with the youngsters.

 

[meleeka]

I’m very lucky in that mine grazes her hay replacer, so doesn’t pig it all in one go. You could try multiple buckets spread around and also putting large, smooth stones in the bucket, so he has to eat around them. I saw this the other day, I’m not sure how effective it is, but there’s a video on Munchkins Shetland page showing it in action and others on Youtube.

Parallax Grad-Dual Feeder

A non tip slow feeding trough for hard feed. PROVEN to slow down consumption by 50% or longer. Avoids wasted supplements and medication.

gsequestrian.co.uk

 

[Highmileagecob]

I tried the stones, and old supercob simply upended the bucket....

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Feed Equijewel alongside what your feeding it's worked on every horse I've tried it on, you don't have to feed loads either.

 

[nikkimariet]

You can feed more linseed oil than that. Mine gets 300ml. Endurance bods feed up to 500ml a day but you’d need to check vit d/selenium.

If he’s getting no hay (and presumably no grass), is that enough fibre a day?

 

[Goldenstar]

Take a look at the trickle net chop net it’s expensive but the horse shakes it and the chop falls out
You do need to have bare floor under it
I hang mine from a rope attached to the A frame of the building so it hangs free of the wall that works best for my horse.
I feed my horse top chop zero as a partial hay replacer I give huge trugs of enough to last all night
I think you will find for a grass or based chop the horse will regulate itself it you feed it straight.
Mine love Timothy chop and they would be fine given that in large amounts they would eat a lot at first but settle when it was not novelty.

 

[meleeka]

Take a look at the trickle net chop net it’s expensive but the horse shakes it and the chop falls out
You do need to have bare floor under it
I hang mine from a rope attached to the A frame of the building so it hangs free of the wall that works best for my horse.
I feed my horse top chop zero as a partial hay replacer I give huge trugs of enough to last all night
I think you will find for a grass or based chop the horse will regulate itself it you feed it straight.
Mine love Timothy chop and they would be fine given that in large amounts they would eat a lot at first but settle when it was not novelty.

Do you wet the Timothy Chop and if so, how much?

 

[Goldenstar]

Do you wet the Timothy Chop and if so, how much?

No I don’t wet the chop .

 

[Lurfy]

My oldie with minimal teeth mainly gets spedibeet and chaffs (lucerne and oat) and pellets. These are given wet morning and night. During the day he gets a big tub of wet lucerne chaff to eat slowly. He self regulates and doesn't eat it quickly. He gets so much of it the novelty is not there. He also gets irrigated lucerne hay which is very soft so he can eat the leaf and leaves the stalks. He is on grass 24/7 (except in Spring). So far he is doing ok weight wise, but it is a constant job monitoring him and adjusting feed quantities. When he can no longer manage the hay I will try some hay cubes soaked I think. Although they are probably like the chaff I think.