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Horse with inability to process protein

3K views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  loosie 
#1 ·
I have a filly who is 17 months old. She has the inability to process large amounts of protein and it deposits into ther back legs (found this out cause she was eatting alfalfa)

So my questions is what can i feed her to insure she gets everything she needs?

I prefer purina grain (i have switched her over to our local grass hay)


Would i beable to just feed her a ration balancer with her grass hay and she will have everything she needs?

Any ideas would be great.
 
#2 ·
High fat, low starch is going to be your friend. Beet pulp and stabilized rice bran are good fillers, and adding a mineral supplement to them will be good. If you can find a low protein/starch ration balancer that would also work.

Generally horses need hay, minerals and water. If she is losing weight on the grass hay then I would add in a filler or ration balancer. You should also send in your grass hay for testing as some of it can be high in protein...

Good luck!
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#3 ·
High fat, low starch is going to be your friend. Beet pulp and stabilized rice bran are good fillers, and adding a mineral supplement to them will be good. If you can find a low protein/starch ration balancer that would also work.

Generally horses need hay, minerals and water. If she is losing weight on the grass hay then I would add in a filler or ration balancer. You should also send in your grass hay for testing as some of it can be high in protein...

Good luck!
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Okay. Thank you very much, my other horses get beet pulp already so thats easy.

Does anyone have a good mineral supplement in mind?
 
#4 ·
At 17 months she still needs adequate protein or more specifically lysine so reach her genetic potential. You need to work up her diet on alfalfa then with the change to grass and see where she falls. It migh help you figure out what her threshold is for protein as well. Start by weighing out everthing she puts in her mouth so you know what you're dealing with. Was the alfalfa super dairy quality or horse quality?
 
#5 ·
Rich diets grow them too fast. Stick with the grass hay and let her grow at her natural rate. Genetics will place her where she is supposed to be. I've seen horses remain smallish well into the second year then have a growth spurt. If nature wanted horses to have all these supplements wild grains would be emerge with seeds already developed. No, instead it happens in the Fall as forage growth slows down. If you are concerned about dietary defficiencies, have your hay and later your pasture tested then go from there.
 
#6 ·
I prefer purina grain (i have switched her over to our local grass hay)
For the health of your horse, I would say your 'preference' doesn't matter. Sometimes we need to make concessions for the sake of our critters.

Research the condition and talk to an equine nutritionist (University or extension service should be able to help). At this age she needs protein to continue developing her muscles. A good nutritionist - with help from your vet - can steer you in the right direction to do everything your filly needs to grow strong.
 
#9 ·
3rd cutting can mean just about anything but typically, it is the cutting that dairies prefer because it is the best. Highest in protein, Ca and RFV which are important for milk quality and quantity. Protein content can reach as high as 24%+ if growing conditions and harvesting is optimal. Are you cutting it with grass like the other horse? Does she leave white rings where her pee dries on the ground? That's a dead giveaway that it's high octane. You're seeing excess Ca ending up in her urine and that will go hand in hand with the high protein.
 
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