Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Dr. Getty
Hi Dr. Getty,
I wonder what your thoughts are of Vita Royal supplement and feed line. I recently read a book Hay Plus for Horses. One thing she writes about is beet Pulp is a residue from the processing of sugar beets,is a agricultural waste product that contains sugars not on the label. While growing in the fields the beets are dressed with commercial fertilizers contaminated with heavy metals and hazardous wastes. Well it continues on from there. It tells you not to feed IR horses beet pulp. Yet my experience is I had a IR horse who I feed beet pulp to for years and he did well. The book talks a lot about this type of contamination to our horses and in all commercial feeds. I just wondered how so many have used beet pulp but now this book is calling it terrible??
Thanks,
Della
Where are you from? TX
How did you locate this forum? Worked with Dr Getty
Hello Della,
I am not specifically familiar with Vita Royal and if there is a specific product/supplement that you'd like me to take a closer look at, let me know.
But, I do not agree that beet pulp is dangerous. It is simply the pulp of the beet plant. If you squeeze the juice out of an orange, what is left if the pulp. Same type of thing. And regarding the use of commercial fertilizers, just about all animal feeds (as well as human foods) are grown from fertilized fields, even natural fertilizers such as cow manure. So, I don't buy the hysteria surrounding beet pulp.
I have fed it for years to my own horses and have hundreds of clients who have, as well, with no ill effects. The horses are healthy, shiny, energetic, and live long lives.
I truly like beet pulp. It is very, very low in sugar. There is a lot of misconception about it being high in sugar because the NFC (non-fibrous carbohydrate) level is high. NFC includes pectin, a water soluble fiber and that's where the beauty lies. Pectin is digested in the hindgut by the microbes that live there. So the horse derives calories from pectin but there is no insulin response from pectin digestion. This makes it perfect for the insulin resistant horse.
Thanks for writing about this important topic.
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse
I wonder what your thoughts are of Vita Royal supplement and feed line. I recently read a book Hay Plus for Horses. One thing she writes about is beet Pulp is a residue from the processing of sugar beets,is a agricultural waste product that contains sugars not on the label. While growing in the fields the beets are dressed with commercial fertilizers contaminated with heavy metals and hazardous wastes. Well it continues on from there. It tells you not to feed IR horses beet pulp. Yet my experience is I had a IR horse who I feed beet pulp to for years and he did well. The book talks a lot about this type of contamination to our horses and in all commercial feeds. I just wondered how so many have used beet pulp but now this book is calling it terrible??
Thanks,
Della
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO
Dr. Getty,
Again thank you so much for the insight on beet pulp, I just had someone tell me today that is bad to feed very high in sugars they feed it to their cows to gain weight. I understand totally what you are saying, and in fact fed it to my IR horse for years,I love beet pulp as well. I was just amazed how the book totally went after it and called it trash!
Your the best!
Della
How did you locate this forum? Worked with Dr Getty
Hi Della,
I think many people confuse the term NFC with NSC. NFC refers to non-fibrous carbohydrates and this number includes pectin. It tends to be high in beet pulp because beet pulp contains so much pectin. Pectin does not produce the insulin response that starch does, making it excellent for horses with insulin resistance. It does provide calories for horses, as many as oats, without any of the laminitis dangers that oats provides. So, an overweight horse should not have a large amount of beet pulp, simply because he doesn't need the calories. But it serves well as a carrier for supplements. Or, if the horse needs the calories, it works well as a feed source without the problems that oats creates.
NSC stands for non-structural carbohydrates, which does not include pectin, but rather sugars, starch, and fructans -- all of which can contribute to laminitis and insulin fluctuations.
Hope this helps clarify things a bit.
All the best,
Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse
Again thank you so much for the insight on beet pulp, I just had someone tell me today that is bad to feed very high in sugars they feed it to their cows to gain weight. I understand totally what you are saying, and in fact fed it to my IR horse for years,I love beet pulp as well. I was just amazed how the book totally went after it and called it trash!
Your the best!
Della
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO