Beet Pulp/ Stabilized Rice Bran

I feed Willy a beet pulp rice bran mix, once a day.

He gets 2-4 cups soaked beet pulp shreds, and 1-2 cups stabilized rice bran mixed in.

I'm confused about what ratio of calcium to phosphorous I should be following. I just eye it. I know the rice bran ratio should be almost half of the beet pulp ratio...

Does anyone know if I'm giving him unbalanced portions?

Thanks

The IDEAL ratio is 2Ca to 1P

But adult mature horses can handle up to 6 to 1

You need to look at more then just Ca/P ratio you need to look at TOTAL nutrition which the diet you are feeding is lacking

What kind of hay and how much ??

4 cups of beet pulp dry weight is roughly 1/2 lb

1 3/4 cup is 1/2lb roughly of rice bran

Thanks. He gets one flake alfalfa/grass mix twice a day. He's 16. He is turned out on 300 acre pasture several times a week, sometimes overnight.

Is there anything else about him I should take into consideration?

It looks like in my beet pulp/rice bran setup I should be feeding half the amount of rice bran I am right now (according to the 2ca 1p ratio)?

Why is he on this mix??
Is the one flake twice a day all the roughage he gets on the days he does not go out?? How much does that flake of hay weigh? Best guess is fine with me??

I would increase the beet pulp not reduce the rice bran .. is the rice bran fortified ??

I guess what I am asking is what are you trying to do with this diet?

He is known for getting hot on grain feed- haven't tried pelleted. He was on this diet when I bought him and had been doing great on it. He's an appendix qh, and has more of the physical characteristics of a Thoroughbred than a qh. So, he's a hard keeper. I've been under the impression this mix is good for hard keepers to maintain weight.

The flakes probably weigh about 10 pounds each, so 20 pounds of the alfalfa/grass mix per day (estimate)????

No matter if he's out in pasture or in his turnout, he eats the same amount of hay. If he's out to pasture he misses his beet pulp meal (which I only feed in the PM).

Does this help? I really appreciate your input.

If he were mine I woudl go with a GOOD vitamin/mineral supplement or a ration balancer which they are grain free and low NSC and as much hay as he would eat.. I hate to see any horse on limited forage.. I feel they should have and they actually do NEED feed stuff in thier system at all times to keep the gut moving

Are you sure they are ten lbs ?? Or are you on the HUGE three string bales??

It is actually not recommeneded to feed rice bran for long periods of time but I forget why

A good ration balancer will cost you about 50 cents a day and provide a GOOD BASE nutrition to build on and it properly balanced ... with him being older as long as you don't flip the Ca/P ratio you should be fine...

A ration balancer will not make him hot and will help him in digesting his other food stuff...

Yeah, HUGE 180 pound three string bales.

Ration balancer. Is that added to his mix now, or do I cut the beet pulp mix and go only with a ration balancer?

Do you have any suggestions on what brand?

I would not cut the beet pulp ...
Add the ration balancer too the beet pulp first and finish out your rice bran for now he may not need either once his nutrition level is increased

HEre you go take your pick LOL with the pasture in addition to the hay I would go with a grass one not an alfalfa one

Buckeye Gro N WIn or ALf Gro N Win
http://www.buckeyenutrition.com/dealers.html

Tribute feeds Essential K
http://www.kalmbachfeeds.com/Dealers.php?zipcode=16143

Front Runner 30% or 10% Supplment
http://www.frontrunnerhorse.com/

Kent Horsego12 or Horsego32
http://www.kentequine.com/Results.aspx

LMF SuperSupplement
http://lmffeeds.com/cart/index.php?m...products_id=10

Pennifield All Phase
http://www.pennfield.com/equinefeed/phaseFeeds.cfm

Progressive Pro Advantage grass or alfalfa formula
http://prognutrition.com/DealerLocator.htm

Purina Enrich32 or Enrich12
http://horse.purinamills.com/dealerlocator/

Seminal Equalizer
http://www.seminolefeed.com/ProductS.../Equalizer.mht

Triple Crown TC12% or TC30% supplement
http://www.triplecrownfeed.com/distributors.php


Brookes Feed All Phase
http://www.brooksfeeds.com/product04a.html

OK I think I got them all LOL I am sure I don't but as I remember more I will add them

Thank you so much.

Save yourself a bit of hunting you are prob able to get Purina's Enrich products, LMF SUper supplement or Triple Crown of the three Triple crown would be my pick followed by the LMF then the Purina

You MIGHT beable to get the PROGRESSIVE and if you can get it I have seen amazing results with their Pro Advantage Grass formula on a horse that was going to be put down but I talked to owner into ONE BAG and he gained about 200 lbs in one month on LESS feed and hay !! Please try to keep hay in fron to fhim as much as possible