Beet pulp for horses!

 

Beet pulp is a staple in most horse diets. Many fortified feeds contain beet pulp, or you can buy it as-is, or with molasses.

 

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  • Beet pulp is a by-product of the sugar industry. In some areas of the world, sugar is extracted from sugar beets, not sugar cane. The end result is beet pulp, a handy ingredient in your horse’s diet.

 

  • You can find beet pulp formulated in several ways, in pellets, shredded, and even in flakes. You can find it with and without molasses, and some manufacturers have even added other vitamins and minerals to their products to create a more balanced food for your horse.

 

Beet pulp has some great characteristics that work well for some horses:

 

  • High fiber, therefore high digestibility.
 
  • High calorie, which is great for the hard keepers out there or the high-performance horse that needs energy.
 
  • Helps in digestion as beet pulp is easily fermented in the hindgut.
 
  • Easy to eat! Horses with dental issues can easily chew beet pulp.
 
  • Low in sugars and starches, which makes beet pulp good for horses with metabolic issues.
 
  • It’s delicious! Beet pulp by itself is a favorite among most horses.

 

wet beet pulp in a bucket

The shredded beet pulp “soup” after soaking in water for about 15 minutes.

 

BUT…Beet pulp has some downsides, too, which may not affect all horses.

 

  • It’s high in calcium and potassium, which must be balanced with other ingredients in your horse’s diet. Beet pulp is not a good single choice for your horse’s food.
 
  • Some horses may decide to choke while eating beet pulp, although this is more common when fed dry. I like to add water to everything my horse eats, just in case. This helps with general hydration as well.

 

Some other tidbits about this tasty feed:

 

  • You may want to soak beet pulp before you give it. Pellets will take longer to get mushy than flakes or shreds. Don’t soak for too long, in warm or hot weather it may ferment. Bank on at least 15 minutes, longer for the pellets.
 
  • You can find beet pulp with and without molasses. Molasses adds flavor (like a bribe!), reduces dust a bit, and adds sugar. For metabolically challenged horses, skip the molasses and order the No-Mo version.
 
  • While beet pulp is fairly low sugar, you can remove more sugar by soaking, draining, and rinsing the beet pulp before feeding.
 

dry beet pulp in a hand

Dry, shredded beet pulp. The shreds are very small!

 

Just like every other diet change on the planet, make it slowly for your horse.

 

  • Start by adding a little more every day, it’s OK to take a week or longer to get to the desired ration. You can mix it into your horse’s other feeds if you like. Because beet pulp is higher in calcium, potassium and fairly low in protein and phosphorus, you need to be sure your horse’s overall diet can account for this if you feed more than 2-3 pounds a day. Generally, one pound of beet pulp is the fiber equivalent to one and a half pounds of hay.

 

Does your horse eat beet pulp? How do you prepare it for him?

 

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03/11/2024 02:08 am GMT

 

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