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Post by likyalips on Apr 6, 2006 11:19:57 GMT 1
My horse has recently lost loads of weight due to having a virus/cold hes fine to work and everything but he is still stick thin the grazing at my yard is v.poor fields r covered in mud and so cannot get a plump belly from grass !! please HELP!!!
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Post by likyalips on Apr 6, 2006 11:31:43 GMT 1
please reply!!
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auburnalia
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Post by auburnalia on Apr 6, 2006 12:07:34 GMT 1
I had the same problem with my TB and I had to be carefull about not to blow her mind by overfeeding. If you can, try and feed Haylage as a substite for Hay. I added Blue Chip to her dinner (I love the stuff, she looked great) I tried a cheaper alternative before and it just didnt work.... I also bought some Equivite Body Builder from my local feed shop, this comes in the form of pellets and is a milk formula so is non heating and added that too! (about 12 quid for a 2kg tub). after about 3 months I stoped giving her the Equivite but kept her on the Blue Chip as it kept her condition looking good (You may prefer Top Spec, I know some people do?) Remember to keep him warm too...... I hope that helps a little! Good Luck!
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Post by june on Apr 6, 2006 12:20:16 GMT 1
There are several feeds you can use for weight gain. The best reuslts I've had are from using a mixture of Dengie Alfa A Lite (unmollassed), Top Spec Balancer and then adding either Top Spec cool and Condition or Top Spec Conditioning Flakes or a product called Ultimate Finish supplied by Baileys. All three of these feeds are high calorie. The cool and Condition cubes are cereal free so non heating. The Conditioning flakes are cereal based but are higher calorie than the Cool and condition so you don't have to feed very much of them and horses find them very palatable. The Ultimate Finish is the highest calorie but some horses don't like it.
For horses we get in to our yard that are in poor condition we start by feeding them 4 times a day reducing to 3 times and then to twice a day as their condition improves. The feed is given quite wet to ensure they are taking in sufficient water to help it pass through the gut. They always have access to hay when stabled and if the grass is poor they get access to hay in the field too.
Hope that is of some help. Top Spec balancer is an excellent product and ensures the horse is getting all the vitamins and minerals he needs without having to add any other supplements. The other products that I mentioned should be fed alongside the balancer as they are purely for weight gain and don't contain a broad range of vitamins and minerals.
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pd
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Post by pd on Apr 6, 2006 12:30:45 GMT 1
Did your horse have a lot of drugs to get over the illness? If yes, then they might be in need of something to boost their digestive bacteria, like a probiotic. I had this situation once and found probiotic made her pick up very quickly. I'm sure it was called Protexin, got it from the vet.
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Post by june on Apr 6, 2006 12:43:23 GMT 1
Probiotics can acidify the gut though which is not desirable for horses. Something like Alltech Yea Sacc is a safer option. Jackie Taylor on the DG can supply that. There is Yea Sacc in Top Spec balancer too.horse
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gillmcg
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Post by gillmcg on Apr 6, 2006 13:17:59 GMT 1
What are you feeding him at the moment? On another thread you mention oils?
I've found the secret to be the best forage you can find together with more forage topped up with unmollassed sugar beet! Linseed is also supposed to be good. Personally I'd go for a low/no sugar diet and give ad lib good quality hay or haylage (24/7 if there is no grass), unmollassed alfalfa and sugar beet in a bucket feed with linseed. Nutritionists also recommend Top Spec vit/min supplement as being the best you can buy.
You mention he's fine to work - how much work are you doing? If he's got no forage (poor grazing) and has had a virus/cold he may not be getting enough to spare on work!
I think a plump belly is mostly gas from fermenting grass not fat - fat is normally laid down behind the shoulder, crest of neck etc. Big bellies are also caused by lack of muscle tone. Please correct me if I'm wrong anyone.
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Post by june on Apr 6, 2006 13:27:15 GMT 1
I'd certainly agree with you gillmcg. Big bellies are gas, lack of muscle or in foal!
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Post by amma on Apr 6, 2006 13:32:39 GMT 1
Hi condition cubes are great for putting on weight. can you feed 3 or 4 meals a day? you can feed upto 50% total food as condition cubes, but usually 30% devided into as many feeds as possible does the trick. After a couple of weeks you will see a big difference.
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Post by stephandwinni on Apr 6, 2006 14:59:23 GMT 1
Firstly I woudl feed a short course of probiotics - any illness can seriously kill off the hind gut bacteria. The I would look at what she's getting - firstly forage - bulky feed, grass and hay - feed as lib hay wherever possible. Next look at vitamins and minerals, like some of the others I woudl feed a balancer as it can be fed all year round, on its own if necessary once they've put weight on. Top Spec Balancer has about the best profile of any and works out cheaper than some also. Then you need a buket feed that helps her gain weight naturally - forage again. A mix of beet and alfalfa (unolassed pellets, both), well soaked, is a great way to get weigth on gradually and naturally, you could also go to higher energy forages like a high energy grass nut, or to an oily product (or pure oil) like linseed, soya or copra.
This approach means you avoid cereals and molasses which just aren't natural feeds for horses. And the same principles can be applied to feeding good doers as well!
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cp
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Post by cp on Apr 6, 2006 18:33:50 GMT 1
My TB is very hard to keep weight on - but I think (touch wood) I've cracked it this winter. I feed ad lib (as much as he can eat) haylage, plus Dengie Alfa A Oil and Yea Sac (also from Dengie) which is a pre-biotic designed to help him maximise the nutritional value of his food. I also feed a comprehensive vitamin and mineral supplement (Equifeast).
I've found this has kept the weight on without being too heating. I've also topped up from time to time with Speedibeet - again because it is lower sugar than conventional sugar beet it is non-heating but puts the weight on.
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Post by sarah1765 on Apr 6, 2006 19:56:07 GMT 1
k havnt read all the posts, but id say ad lib haylage blue chip, conditioning mix. dodson and horrell build up suited my mare but it does hav quite a bit of barley. def blue chip n try conditioning feeds, i hav heard spillers conditioning mix is meant 2 make them reli hyper tho...
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Post by likyalips on Apr 6, 2006 21:54:58 GMT 1
where could i get this blue chip and wjat do youo all think of barley?
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auburnalia
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Post by auburnalia on Apr 6, 2006 22:02:15 GMT 1
Blue Chip's website is: www.bluechipfeed.com/You can buy it off there but will pay a little more. Most feed supliers stock it as it is so widley used, I used it with Baileys Number 2 - Working cubes, I was advised that for weight gain to use the conditioning cubes but I needed to think about the heat content as well so decided on Number 2 which worked really well - the Baileys Ultimate Finish is supposed to be good too. I fed Soya oil too which keeps their coat nice and healthy too. What do you feed at the moment?
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Post by Louise C on Apr 6, 2006 22:06:38 GMT 1
Barley is a good weight gain - as with anything else introduce gradually, one horse I know came out in lumps and bumps when on it, she's allergic to it:-( I use Top Spec, sugarbeet and chaff in winter, also good for keeping weight on:-)
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