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  Discussion on Feeding a suckling senior feed
Author Message
Member:
Tonja

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 - 2:53 pm:

Hello!!

I have read "Nurtrion an Overview" and the articles about feeding the young horse and so forth and I am still wondering if a senior feed is okay to feed a 6 week old healthly happy weanling and have that be his feed his whole life? I have tried Buckeye Foal Starter and others and he will not even touch them but likes the mare's Nutrena Senior (she is 20) The analysis of the senior feed is as such:

Protein 14%
Fat 5%
Fiber 16%
Cal .85%-1.0%
Phos. .70%
Lysine .65%
Methionine .25%
Magnesium .3%
Zinc 140ppm
Copper 40ppm
Vit E 85IU/LB
Selenium .3ppm
Vit C 75mg/lb
vit A 6000IU/LB
Vit D 450IU/LB
Biotin .45MG/LB

The ingredients consist of Beet Pulp, soybean hulls, alfalfa meal, maizes distillers grains, vites and mins, probiotics, linseed, veg, and soybean oil.

My colt is an average sized QH and the mare is a good milk producer. My hay is mixed hay with late cutting alfalfa that I mix in.

I know less is usually better so I am not too worried yet that he is not eating anything but milk and the senior (licks mare's dish after she is done) but I am thinking ahead.

I have been told to feed a supplement with oats but I always fear of imbalances. Also, there are soo many feeds out there and they all have a different idea about what is best (sales pitches). I like the low carb high fiber for my older horses but I know little ones are different and am wondering if a higher energy lower fiber is better for him for now until his cecum developes. Also, where I live I have to order everything except Nutrena so I have stayed with the Senior feed for my older horses and they all seem to like it but am wondering if that is ample for my foal when he reaches 8 weeks and the mares is still able to give him is vites and mins but lacks in energy and protein.

I appreciate any detailed info/help/ideas you could provide me. I just want what's best for my colt. Sorry I got so wordly :-(

Thank you
Tonja
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 - 7:14 am:

I don't see anything in the analysis that suggests this would not be an acceptable concentrate for a foal but you should contact the company and see if they have had any experience with feeding it to growing foals.
DrO
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