Latest on Sugar beet

[solomon]

uckeleequine.wordpress.com/2014/02/18/beet-pulp/

[racaille]

Quote:

It can help substitute for hay as a fiber source during periods of shortage.


There is no shortage of hay so why substitute? It was developed for that reason: after the war there was an acute shortage of hay and people cast around for other sources of fibre.

That article does not address the colic issue at all.

The Liverpool University study is summed up here

medblog.medlink-uk.net/horseandhoundvetreview/2013/01/17/large-colon-torsion-is-your-horse-at-risk/

Interesting comment at the end about horses (in light or medium work) needing just hay/haylage/grass or all their nutritional needs.

But of course the feed companies have their own vested interests.

[brigadier]

You cant really argue with a veterinary based research study, but you can make your own informed choice and I know what I choose.

I do however feed it to my sheep and they LOVE it!

[solomon]

It's true most of our horses in the UK are routinely over-fed. Pete doesn't need the calories from the sugar beet. He just needs the minerals for his feet. Seriously considering feeding him less of everything just one tasty feed with the minerals added. The question is how to make it tasty without sugar!

[ernieburt]

Having an elderly and a growing Tb hay/haylage or grass alone (our grazing) will not give sufficiant calories for good condition/energy for my boys so I have to provide that for them, also without getting my halage/grass analysed constantly I don't know that they are getting the vitamins/minerals/protein etc that The dude needs to develop and Nobes needs as old chap (his digestion isn't what it was). No feed I am going to give them will be "natural" but if I can make it as good as I can by making it low sugar/starch and high fibre/calories then so be it. Liverpool University are my vets and know what my boys are fed and not once have they shown concern in fact in January gave Nobes a full health check and congratulated me on his fantastic condition. Next time I see them (June) I will have a chat about their report and get back to you but they are obviously not overly concerned at this point about unmollassed suger beet products.