Speedibeet or Fibrebeet?

[Kat]

Which is better for putting on condition/muscle for a poor doer?

I have used speedibeet in the past but the rep at Burghley thought Fibrebeet might be better, but then the leaflet he gave me just went on about how good it is for good doers and laminitics

So, which shall I buy?

I want low sugar/slow release as madam can be a bit of a stresshead but she also needs to put some weight on before the weather gets too bad.

 

[Ali2]

Speedibeet has a bit more energy at 12 MJ/kg against Fibrebeets 11MJ/kg and has 5 % sugar and no starch whereas Fibrebeet has 5 % sugar and 3 % starch. However Fibrebeet has a bit more protein at 10 % vs Speedibeets 9 %.

I'd go for speedibeet and consider adding lysine as a likely limiting amino acid if you're concerned about protein quality and muscle building

 

[Kat]

Speedibeet has a bit more energy at 12 MJ/kg against Fibrebeets 11MJ/kg and has 5 % sugar and no starch whereas Fibrebeet has 5 % sugar and 3 % starch. However Fibrebeet has a bit more protein at 10 % vs Speedibeets 9 %.

I'd go for speedibeet and consider adding lysine as a likely limiting amino acid if you're concerned about protein quality and muscle building

She's already on Pure Condition which contains a full vitamin and mineral balancer so she should be ok for vits and mins. I could just up the quantity as she's on the minimum amount for her weight (she has been weighed), but I thought adding beet would be cheaper and possibly more appetising.

 

[JenHunt]

I would go for the speedibeet as well.

On ones who struggle to keep condition we feed an entire tubtrug of speedibeet per night - they soon get over the novelty and pick at it like haylage all night, but it's a more calorie efficient way of feeding them large quantities of it, and ensuring they get the hard feed (mix etc with the vits and mins in!) without over-stretching their stomach!

 

[BlackRider]

I've just swapped from speedibeet to fibrebeet as it is meant to be more conditioning, as it contains alfalfa too.

 

[rhino]

I prefer speedibeet, tried fibrebeet for a winter but wasn't too impressed

 

[Pearlsasinger]

It depends on whether you want to feed alfalfa or not, really. Many horses cannot tolerate it. We use Speedibeet to maintain our 30 yr old's weight.

 

[tallyho!]

It's much cheaper to buy Speedibeet and alfalfa pellets (providing tolerance to it is all fine) and mix to your liking

 

[Louby]

Im looking into this too at the moment and Im going to try and get soak n soft solution mash. Fibrebeet is apparantly the same as alfabeet, which Ive been feeding for a while without much success!

 

[Kat]

Im looking into this too at the moment and Im going to try and get soak n soft solution mash. Fibrebeet is apparantly the same as alfabeet, which Ive been feeding for a while without much success!

Fibrebeet and alfabeet aren't the same. Fibrebeet is like a mix of speedibeet and alfabeet. Also Fibrebeet only takes 45 mins to soak in cold water.

Anyway thanks for the suggestions and feedback everyone, we fed a sample of fibrebeet and she ate it fine but decided that given that there is more energy in speedibeet we'd stick with what worked last year and I've bought a bag of speedibeet. It is a nicer consistency and easier to use.

 

[PolarSkye]

Another vote for Speedibeet . . . Kal gets it when it's particularly cold and wet in the winter. It helps keep his weight/condition up without hotting him up at all. It's fed alongside Alfa A Molasses Free and Blue Chip with a splash of oil.

P

 

[legaldancer]

Fibrebeet and alfabeet aren't the same. Fibrebeet is like a mix of speedibeet and alfabeet. Also Fibrebeet only takes 45 mins to soak in cold water.

Anyway thanks for the suggestions and feedback everyone, we fed a sample of fibrebeet and she ate it fine but decided that given that there is more energy in speedibeet we'd stick with what worked last year and I've bought a bag of speedibeet. It is a nicer consistency and easier to use.

I must say I thought they were the same. Alphabeet is 50/50 unmollassed beet and alfalfa combined and pelleted. Is fibrebeet more like a 75/25 mix then?

I am feeding a poor doing laminitic Alphabeet, unmollassed Alpha Oil and a dollop of veg oil twice daily. Since changing from Kwikbeet and a straw/alfalfa chop she has put on weight. She also gets Formula for Feet.

Incidentally I experimented with mixing unmollassed beet flakes with Alfalfa pellets and the cost worked out about the same. I think it was only 50p cheaper!