Speedi-beet or Fibre-beet?

[HaffiesRock]

Which one is better for a horse needing condition?

I usually buy speedi beet but on looking online at the fibre beet it claims to be more of a conditioning feed?

Currently pony gets about 2 small scoops dry but id like him to have a little more condition.

Can anyone recommend which they have used and which is better?

Thanks

 

[khalswitz]

Which one is better for a horse needing condition?

I usually buy speedi beet but on looking online at the fibre beet it claims to be more of a conditioning feed?

Currently pony gets about 2 small scoops dry but id like him to have a little more condition.

Can anyone recommend which they have used and which is better?

Thanks

I had a loooong chat with the rep at Blair about these two. Fibre-beet is supposed to be more conditioning, but has a lower DE - 11MJ/kg compared to Speedi-beet at 12. Fibre-beet also contains oat by-products so therefore also contains starch where Speedi-beet doesn't (FB 2% starch 5% sugar, SB 0% starch 5% sugar).

At the time I was comparing SB, FB, Fats Fibre and Alfa-beet for my boy, who has PSSM - and the highest energy was SB, also the lowest combined sugar and starch! I am currently finishing off the Alfa-beet from last winter but will be moving to Speedi-beet as it best suits his needs.

 

[HaffiesRock]

Thats why I asked as I noticed the DE was higher for Speedi-beet.

Might just stick with the Speedi.

 

[khalswitz]

Thats why I asked as I noticed the DE was higher for Speedi-beet.

Might just stick with the Speedi.

Yeah the rep was talking about the fact that the alfalfa content in Fibre-beet (and also in alfa-beet) is what makes it easier to digest? Apparently there's been studies done to show that horses get more from beet pulp when also fed alfalfa, hence the alfalfa in Fibre-beet and alfa-beet. However that's what I was told, I haven;t read any studies myself.

Personally I will be using speedi-beet.

For a little more condition, you could try adding oil or linseed?

 

[Fruitcake]

Had my little lami-prone / Cushings Sec A on SB but switched to FB when he needed a little more condition. I've been really pleased with it. He did well on it. (Also read the info about how alfalfa apparently makes it easier to digest).

I suppose you could use SB and add some alfalfa or soaked Simple System lucie cubes (compressed alfalfa- go a similar consistency to SB when soaked).

 

[Spot_On]

I had very good results with SB but FB triggered off lami unfortunately, so it was a no go.

 

[khalswitz]

Out of interest, found out why FB is more conditioning - you can feed more of it, so a slightly lower DE but can feed in greater volumes. You're not supposed to feed more than I think 1.75kg a day of SB, but can feed up to 2.5kg of FB (I guess being 1.75kg of SB plus the rest made up of alfalfa and oat fibre).