Have you had a chance to look at this feed? It is kind of like the Buckeye feed, only a little different.

http://www.prognutrition.com/equine/default.asp

I have broodmares ranging in age from 6 - 24 & I do show the babies.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Where are you from? Iowa

How did you locate this forum? Looking on Nutrition

Hi Dar,

I haven’t seen this brand before. Thank you for sending me the website. I took a look at their products and I like the Diet Enhancers. And,their low starch feed looks promising. Unfortunately, they do not list the ingredients, which many feed companies choose to omit. This makes it difficult to fully evaluate the feed.

However, you can add the enhancers for growth and the low starch is fine for broodmares, in combination with quality grass and legume hays.

I don’t care for the other products because they contain too much grain (oats). I notice that many of their products are corn-free, which is good, because I stay away from corn for horses. Nevertheless, horses’ digestive systems are really not meant to handle so much starch, even from oats.

I hope this is helpful.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

I used Buckeye for years and then this area changed to Progressive.

For years I have fed nothing but the oats with this type of top dress. (yes the tubs of mineral out in pasture & added to feed for foals.) I have never had a problem with feeding oats. I do not feed corn. I do add beat pulp, but not a lot. I do use grass / alfalfa hay. (About a 60/40)

Just to give you more of an idea of the mares & remember these are very in foal pictures of the mares on thier pages.

http://www.strohbehnquarters.com/mares.html

Betty is the 24 year old gal. I have to prove her age to a lot of people.

This will be the 1st year I have used the growth 16 % on the foals vs the added top dress with oats. I do fit for futurities, and I do watch the foals legs and do not push as hard as some do. I want them sound.

Where are you from? Iowa

How did you locate this forum? Looking on Nutrition

Hi Dar,

Many people feed oats and do not have problems, as long as you limit the amount you feed. But, to give you an analogy – it’s like a person eating potatoes at every meal. It’s not particularly harmful, but not the best, either. And, if that person is slightly overweight, it can become a problem because as we age – and as horses age, to get back to horses, they become more resistant to insulin (especially if they put on some body fat, as broodmares will do).

So, it is very helpful to keep insulin levels on a more even keel. Feeding large amounts of carbohydrates can produce large fluctuations in insulin levels.

And, it is well documented that excessive carbohydrates leads to Developmental Orthopedic Disorders (DOD) in foals. So, this is why I shy away from feeding broodmares diets that contain oats.

Beet pulp is excellent and I like your 60/40 mixture of grass/alfalfa. I looked at Betty – she is stunning. A really beautiful gal.

I hope this helps clarify things a bit.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

yes it does. Actually the mares get 4 - 5 # oats a day depending on if they need more or less. I can adjust beet pulp to it.

Now .. please a clarification on beet pulp. When feeding beet pulp you should reduce on the other intake feeds as directions say? Some do not do that and make it an added to the feeding program. What is the correct way? I have also been always told to soak it in water, as not to cause impations.

Thank you

Where are you from? Iowa

How did you locate this forum? Looking on Nutrition

Hi Dar,

Beet pulp is a good source of energy (calories) and has similar nutritional value as grass hays. If you feed it in addition to other feedstuffs, you can generally expect your horse to gain weight. Broodmares, during their last three months of pregnancy, certainly require additional energy, and beet pulp can provide that (along with a good vitamin/mineral supplement designed for broodmares).

If you are wanting to cut down on the amount of oats you are feeding, beet pulp is an excellent alternative. You do not need to soak it first. However, soaking is useful, especially during the winter, when water consumption typically decreases. But, it will not cause impactions if fed dry.

Dr. Getty