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  Discussion on How much to increase feed
Author Message
Member:
maggienm

Posted on Thursday, Sep 6, 2007 - 1:57 pm:

When introducing soaked alfalfa cubes to an underweight horse (the horse was started on 2cups of cubes measured dry) by how much and how soon should the quantity be increased?
The alfalfa is being fed with 1/2 oil as an addition to the diet to try to get some weight on this horse.
Member:
hwood

Posted on Thursday, Sep 6, 2007 - 2:09 pm:

Hey, Lori.
Has the horse had access to alfalfa in his hay?
If so, I don't think it would be a problem to increase it.
If not, it is probably good to do it over at least a week or two, just adding a cube or two each day.
I remember reahabbing one old guy, and I honestly don't think we took any special precautions with him. There was already some alfalfa in the complete pellets he was getting, and he was getting several cans of that a day, so to increase the roughage and give him more "chew time," we started adding a coffee can full of cubes in each a.m. and p.m. feeding and giving him a can of cubes in the middle of the day, too.
Member:
hwood

Posted on Thursday, Sep 6, 2007 - 2:10 pm:

I meant a cube or two per feeding each day.
Member:
maggienm

Posted on Thursday, Sep 6, 2007 - 4:06 pm:

This horse has been on pasture all summer, no alfalfa at all.
She is getting fed three times a day but the alfalfa only twice.
Ok so increase a cube or two a day, up to 2 - 21/2lbs per day.
This mare weight tapes at jsut over 1000 lbs.
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