Foal Feeding Programs

NaTaLiE · 07-17-2003 08:59 PM

Alright I posted this once and didn't get many answers so let's try again...

In September I will be getting a PMU foal and am not sure exactly what kind of feeding program to put it on. I was looking for a varity of opinions..as well as maybe if you could share your feeding program. Nancy....seeing as you've done a lot of this I'm particularily interested in your opinion.

At Jans farm the foals get 16% protein feed and lots of hay.

The barn I'll be keeping it at has an excellent supply of high quality hay from their own feilds and I was condsidering Phase 1 pelleted feed by hubbard feeds...here's what it says about it on their website

Quote:

Foal and Mare Pellets (#7652) is a pelleted, 16% protein feed using a variety of protein sources like soybean meal and alfalfa meal. The high nutrient content helps to provide for those high-demand workouts, reducing the need to use body stores and contains chelated minerals for high mineral absorption.

or there's the 16% sweet feed but I'm not as sure that I want to feed a young horse sweet feed...I don't like it much anyways.

Quote:

Pro-Gold 16% Texturized (#7692) is a 16% sweet feed. Balancing of high levels of vitamins and proteinated minerals allows for high levels of nutrient absorption. Pro-Gold feeds contain several protein sources like soybean meal and alfalfa meal, and are nutrient dense. The nutritionally balanced blend of quality grains is fortified to meet the vigorous nutrient demands of weaned colts, yearlings, growing two-year olds and horses under heavy work schedules, including lactation

Now my biggest question is how much are you giving your foals so that it's not too much...as that can be damaging to joints etc. but enought to maintain a healthy weight and growth rate

tmsStauffer · 07-17-2003 09:25 PM

I can tell you what I have Riot on...seems to be working really well...

He's on right now...1 lb of Omolene 300 in the morning with 1 lb of Buckeye Gro'N Win. Freechoice hay during the day with the rest of the gang and then the same grain at night.

Good luck in finding something that works for you

Susan · 07-18-2003 12:40 AM

I don't like feeding sweet feed to foals or adults. It is not good for them. just because it say's it's good on the package does not mean it is. You have to ask yourself why you are feeding grain. For vitiamins? For fat? There are much better natural ways of doing this. But it depends on where you live as to what kind of feed you can get. How much pasture will the horse have? What kind hay? Has the hay been tested? Some foal grains are not good for foals as they make the horse develope much faster than it should, leading to problems in the future. It is hard to have one specific diet that is good for a foal, as you'll get many opinions. But try to feed your baby as natural as possible, lot's of forage and fat and vitiamins which you can do by simply feeding hay, oil or some other form (flax, sunflower seeds) and loose vitiamins. That way, you aren't adding starch, sugars and things that are not good for horses.

NancyM · 07-18-2003 09:45 AM

Well, if you are getting a foal from Jan, it will probably be already eating grain. It is a good idea to keep them on some grain just to keep their condition up. Weaning, sorting etc and trailering is a big strain on their systems. Since they have been weaned for several weeks or a month by the time you get them, they will have been under stress for some time. I avoid this by buying straight from the sales. They will get sick, if they are not already sick when they get to you, so be prepared. Sometimes I use sweetfeed, other times oats. Many of the PMU farms feed oats, so sometimes the foals have already got onto them, and like them. The sweetfeed is higher in protien, and if you need to keep the weight on one, the higher protien will help. If you need to get nutrition into a stressed and ill foal, feed them what they will eat. I think the best idea is to feed free choice good quality hay. I use some alfalfa, and some grass, a mix. And get them on some pasture if you can before winter sets in. They have to be tame enough to catch before you can let them out into a field, or you will never see them again. Taming takes place during the 3 week isolation and quarentine that Jan advises, to check for incubating strangles. I do not usually use the "foal feeds", I find they are too high in protien at 18 %, and can cause some growth problems. The foals often really like to have a salt/trace mineral block to lick, I always have that on hand for them. Feed them enough to keep them healthy, but do not over feed.

Susan · 07-18-2003 02:24 PM

Yes, if you are getting the foal from Jan, it will have more than likely been fed sweetfeed. You can if you want, cut that out slowly. Sweet feed is loaded with starch and sugars which are very unhealthy for the horse. You do not need this feed to keep the condition of the horse up. Sweet feed has been fed for many years, but with new research, nutionists are finding that it is not the healthiest way to feed a horse. JMO I would get it on trace vitiamins and minerals right away.

ChewyDog · 07-19-2003 01:02 AM

Okay I feed....

Step 1-extruded 16%, for foals and broodmares
Step 2-sweet feed, 14%
I feed a combination of both for am and pm.

If not on pasture I feed a good quality local hay, and a little bit of alfalfa too.

I quite like the Step feeding program, which is similar to Phase, the Phase sweet feed is 16% though.

I like to feed sweet feed. IMO growing babies need the extra fat and protien. My older horse is no longer on it, but she was until she was two years old. Now she just gets Step 6, extruded, which is basically complete with higher %'s protien, since she is still growing and needs the extra.

Good luck with your baby and have fun with her!

MJP · 07-22-2003 10:53 AM

Last Sept we picked up two PMU foals. We started them once we picked them up on a mix hay and then we moved over to our alfalfa hay that the other horses were getting. We bought them this foal food that looks like coco puffs? They didn't eat it so we tried oats and they gobbled them up. They are a totally new baby when you get them and they do need to learn how to eat these things sometimes.
We slowly started to add a sweetfeed mix and then started with the foal food once they were liking the sweetfeed. It took a few days for them to even look at the pale of food!

Monka · 07-22-2003 02:49 PM

I agree with what Susan said. I talked to an equine nutritionist last week and he told me that new research showed that OCD and a whole bunch of other problems are caused by high amounts of starch and sugars in a foal's diet (not by high protein amounts as formerly suggested). This type of feed causes a spike in insulin which makes the bones and cartiladge grow quickly without supplying them with the necessary nutrients. So, he suggested to not feed foals any sweetfeed but to rather stick with a natural diet.

dbleglhrs · 07-26-2003 10:19 PM

All my horses from weinling, yearlings, show horses to breeding stallion get crimpt oats. Thay all do very well on it. This ia a pic of a long 2yo that was just pulled out of the pasture that was getting 4bls in the morning and 4bls at night.

07-17-2003 09:25 PM	#2
tmsStauffer Resident Hick Join Date: Jul 16 2003 Location: Southern Ohio-Bainbridge Posts: 12,105	I can tell you what I have Riot on...seems to be working really well... He's on right now...1 lb of Omolene 300 in the morning with 1 lb of Buckeye Gro'N Win. Freechoice hay during the day with the rest of the gang and then the same grain at night. Good luck in finding something that works for you __________________ Liberty(1995-2003) and Patriot(2003-2008) Currently Working On Artwork For A Brand New Equine SIM Game!

07-18-2003 12:40 AM	#3
Susan watch him Join Date: Jul 16 2003 Location: BC Posts: 1,808	I don't like feeding sweet feed to foals or adults. It is not good for them. just because it say's it's good on the package does not mean it is. You have to ask yourself why you are feeding grain. For vitiamins? For fat? There are much better natural ways of doing this. But it depends on where you live as to what kind of feed you can get. How much pasture will the horse have? What kind hay? Has the hay been tested? Some foal grains are not good for foals as they make the horse develope much faster than it should, leading to problems in the future. It is hard to have one specific diet that is good for a foal, as you'll get many opinions. But try to feed your baby as natural as possible, lot's of forage and fat and vitiamins which you can do by simply feeding hay, oil or some other form (flax, sunflower seeds) and loose vitiamins. That way, you aren't adding starch, sugars and things that are not good for horses. __________________ www.RadicalFrenchGold.com proud owner of money earning, winning Perlino QH stallion.

07-18-2003 09:45 AM	#4
NancyM Ultimate Member Join Date: Jul 17 2003 Location: Clinton, BC Posts: 4,240	Well, if you are getting a foal from Jan, it will probably be already eating grain. It is a good idea to keep them on some grain just to keep their condition up. Weaning, sorting etc and trailering is a big strain on their systems. Since they have been weaned for several weeks or a month by the time you get them, they will have been under stress for some time. I avoid this by buying straight from the sales. They will get sick, if they are not already sick when they get to you, so be prepared. Sometimes I use sweetfeed, other times oats. Many of the PMU farms feed oats, so sometimes the foals have already got onto them, and like them. The sweetfeed is higher in protien, and if you need to keep the weight on one, the higher protien will help. If you need to get nutrition into a stressed and ill foal, feed them what they will eat. I think the best idea is to feed free choice good quality hay. I use some alfalfa, and some grass, a mix. And get them on some pasture if you can before winter sets in. They have to be tame enough to catch before you can let them out into a field, or you will never see them again. Taming takes place during the 3 week isolation and quarentine that Jan advises, to check for incubating strangles. I do not usually use the "foal feeds", I find they are too high in protien at 18 %, and can cause some growth problems. The foals often really like to have a salt/trace mineral block to lick, I always have that on hand for them. Feed them enough to keep them healthy, but do not over feed. __________________ Visit us at http://www.cordovafarm.visit.ws/

07-18-2003 02:24 PM	#5
Susan watch him Join Date: Jul 16 2003 Location: BC Posts: 1,808	Yes, if you are getting the foal from Jan, it will have more than likely been fed sweetfeed. You can if you want, cut that out slowly. Sweet feed is loaded with starch and sugars which are very unhealthy for the horse. You do not need this feed to keep the condition of the horse up. Sweet feed has been fed for many years, but with new research, nutionists are finding that it is not the healthiest way to feed a horse. JMO I would get it on trace vitiamins and minerals right away. __________________ www.RadicalFrenchGold.com proud owner of money earning, winning Perlino QH stallion.

07-19-2003 01:02 AM	#6
ChewyDog Ultimate Member Join Date: Jul 16 2003 Location: Maple Ridge Posts: 2,214	Okay I feed.... Step 1-extruded 16%, for foals and broodmares Step 2-sweet feed, 14% I feed a combination of both for am and pm. If not on pasture I feed a good quality local hay, and a little bit of alfalfa too. I quite like the Step feeding program, which is similar to Phase, the Phase sweet feed is 16% though. I like to feed sweet feed. IMO growing babies need the extra fat and protien. My older horse is no longer on it, but she was until she was two years old. Now she just gets Step 6, extruded, which is basically complete with higher %'s protien, since she is still growing and needs the extra. Good luck with your baby and have fun with her! __________________ "If you can't annoy somebody, there's little point in writing." "The beatings will continue until the morale improves."

07-22-2003 10:53 AM	#7
MJP Member Join Date: Jul 16 2003 Posts: 73	Last Sept we picked up two PMU foals. We started them once we picked them up on a mix hay and then we moved over to our alfalfa hay that the other horses were getting. We bought them this foal food that looks like coco puffs? They didn't eat it so we tried oats and they gobbled them up. They are a totally new baby when you get them and they do need to learn how to eat these things sometimes. We slowly started to add a sweetfeed mix and then started with the foal food once they were liking the sweetfeed. It took a few days for them to even look at the pale of food!

07-22-2003 02:49 PM	#8
Monka Ultimate Member Join Date: Jul 16 2003 Location: The barn Posts: 1,674	I agree with what Susan said. I talked to an equine nutritionist last week and he told me that new research showed that OCD and a whole bunch of other problems are caused by high amounts of starch and sugars in a foal's diet (not by high protein amounts as formerly suggested). This type of feed causes a spike in insulin which makes the bones and cartiladge grow quickly without supplying them with the necessary nutrients. So, he suggested to not feed foals any sweetfeed but to rather stick with a natural diet.

07-26-2003 10:19 PM	#9
dbleglhrs Senior Member Join Date: Jul 17 2003 Location: Swanton, Ohio Posts: 666	All my horses from weinling, yearlings, show horses to breeding stallion get crimpt oats. Thay all do very well on it. This ia a pic of a long 2yo that was just pulled out of the pasture that was getting 4bls in the morning and 4bls at night. __________________ Double Eagle Photography http://www.doubleeagleph.com

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