Question about feeding oats.

[Mince Pie]

I'm thinking about putting my cob onto oats to give him a bit more energy as he's always been a lazy sod regardless of how fit he is! I know that you have to balance the phosphorous/calcium levels, but how much oats do you need to feed before this becomes an issue? He would be getting max 2 mugs a day. Also he reacts to alfalfa so would be using limestone flour, how much would you feed? I was told that you needed to feed a 1:2 ratio phosphorous:calcium but 4 cups seems a bit much?

 

[marmalade76]

Mine are good doers so only get a handfull or mugfull this time of year so I don't worry about it. In the winter when they get more oats they also get sugar beet which also helps balance it.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

2 mugs of oats is not 2 mugs of phosphorus, there's other nutrients in oats too. Plus oats don't weigh anything much but limestone flour is much heavier. I think your amounts are all wrong for balancing. 2 mugs is nothing, I wouldn't worry about it, but you could use sugarbeet if you want to add calcium.I think Mollichaff Original has salt and limestone flour added to it as well.

 

[Miss L Toe]

I don't think two mugs of oats [160gms] will have any effect on the energy of your boy, to be honest a good scoop of oats, about 800gms would be nearer the mark, and 20gms of limestone flour will balance this off. Or some sugar beet pulp.

 

[Goldenstar]

I don't think two mugs of oats [160gms] will have any effect on the energy of your boy, to be honest a good scoop of oats, about 800gms would be nearer the mark, and 20gms of limestone flour will balance this off. Or some sugar beet pulp.

It depends on the mug doesn't it OP will have to wieght it my mug holds 220 grammes and I have certainly seen marked differences on 440 grammes.
As for balancing OP unless you are feeding a lot of oats don't worry if you are feeding a good supplement if not if unable to feed Alfafa I give a 25 gramme spoon per kilo safe in knowledge that most of ends up peed away.

 

[Mince Pie]

Mug in question is an average sized builders mug. Was going to start off with a little and then build up.