what's a good rate to put on weight?

[kerrie_jay]

Hey I've had my 16.1 ex racer for three months now. I weighed him when I got him and he was at 482kg. I haven't weighed him since then until today where he weighs 496kg. When I got him he was a bit ribby but not skinny so I just wanted to fatten him up a bit! You can still see his ribs a bit and I was just wondering whether he was putting on weight at a good speed or whether it was too slow or too fast. Is it bad for them to put on weight too fast or slow? He has put on 14kg which is about 4.5kg per month. I know this might be a stupid question so thanks very much in advance!

 

[HollyB66]

I think it is an interesting question. When I got my new girl you could see her ribs quite easily, unfortunately I didn't weigh her. A few weeks later people at the yard said they thought she was putting some weight on and was looking better.

I got a weight tape last week and she measured 899 lbs, this week she measures 912 lbs. So that seems to be 13lb in a week - she has very little hard feed but ad lib hay.

I shall be measuring her each week now as I may have got my first measurement wrong - but I would like to know what a sensible rate of weight gain would be. My girl is 14.3 hh.

 

[deicinmerlyn]

What are you feeding him? I have an ex racer too which I have had also for 3 months and in spite of feeding him masses of food he isn't gaining any weight!

I'd say that at least your boy is gaining some and it is better to gain slowly rather than too quickly.

 

[kerrie_jay]

He is fed per day 2 double handfuls of alfa a oil, 2 scoops of bog standard horse and pony nuts, 2 mugs of equilibra 500 balancer and a scoop of speedibeet split into three feeds and ad lib hay which is really good stuff. was actually wondering whether to alter it slighty if he was calssed as putting on weight slowly.