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Discussion on 4 1/2 Month Old Won't Eat Grain!
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Member:
julieh
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Posted on Monday, Aug 11, 2008 - 3:23 pm:
Hello everyone, I have a situation I have never been in before. We have a foal born March 26th. We have been offering grain for weeks now and he won't touch it. He has no interest whatsoever in it. We have tried to creep feed him, offered from our hand, everything, but he shows no interest. I have heard this is a sign of gastric ulcers. It is time to wean him but we don't want to until he is eating. Has anyone had any experience in this problem?
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Member:
freshman
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 - 12:12 am:
Does he graze or pick hay normally?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 - 6:18 am:
In a otherwise healthy foal with a normal history I don't look upon a lack of interest in grain as a sign of disease. I may just indicate the foal is getting adequate nutrition from alternative forms. Can you give us a bit more on what the foal is eating?
DrO
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Member:
julieh
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 - 8:46 am:
He is eating orchard grass fescue mix hay and seems to eat it normally. He grazes just as he should, looks healthy, acts healthy. He will be 5 months old on the 26th of August. Should we wean him anyway and hope he starts showing some interest after the milk is gone? My husband thinks he is just getting what he needs from the mare, but I just think he needs to be eating grain by now.
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 - 9:40 am:
When you say grain, do you mean just plain oats? Nowadays it seems most folks refer to any concentrate as "grain" but it can mean pellets, sweet feed, corn & oats, etc.
I wouldn't be too concerned either except I need to give a Selenium sup here, and that works best in a small amount of "grain" so if you try something with perhaps molasses he might like it.
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Member:
dres
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 - 9:51 am:
I have never grained my young horses, even as working adults they do not get grain.. I do add their supplements in 4 pounds of a complete pelleted feed, there is no grain products in that..
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
kshayden
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 - 1:48 pm:
Julie,
I would think if he is on pasture grazing and also getting good hay, he only needs supplements. I use an old worming tube, mix wheat germ oil, a bit of syrup for flavor and his supplements and give that way. Works like a charm.
Ann,
Curious what pellet and supplement you are feeding. I am in Northern CA as well  .
Angie, what selenium sup are you feeding?
Thanks,
Kathy
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 - 2:27 pm:
Kathy,
Right now I am feeding whatever I grabbed locally. I find Selenium supplementing very confusing, so I am not much help there I am afraid. I bought a pelleted concentrate that says it has extra SE, but no idea how much concentrate to feed to get right amount. Then I bought a mineral supplement, and again, not sure if I need just that, or the extra one also!
Post that question under it's own heading, and maybe DrO can help us get is figured out.
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Member:
dres
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 - 2:41 pm:
Kathy, I feed ELK GROVE MILLING CO the stable mix I mix in them joint supplements for the riding horses, loose minerals , vit E tabs from CostCo.. I try to make it simple .. My gelding will get his flavored Bute in the mix as well.. I only feed 4 pounds of it , along with a orchard/alfalfa mixed hay.. 70%/30%
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 - 5:01 pm:
When I had babies I fed mother and foal in a long bunk with the grain spread out. Baby just had to try what mom and the other horses were eating. Then after they got a liking for it...started feeding baby separately and cutting mom off of it before the weaning.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 - 6:27 pm:
Julie,
If he is eating hay well then weaning should not be a problem. A way to balance the energy, protein, and calcium would be alfalfa hay. The article on feeding growing foals gives guidelines but start it slowly at about a lb a day for a week then double it weekly until you reach the recommended amount. The only supplementation you will need on such a feeding program will be minerals and the article gives guidelines on that too.
DrO
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Member:
ellebell
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 28, 2010 - 7:23 pm:
I am comparing my situation to this thread. I have a 5 month old colt who is still nursing. He has what seems to be a normal, healthy appetite for hay, either prairie hay (mixed wild grasses) or brome hay. He is growing normally it seems. I offer oats to all my horses, and he is the only foal or horse of any type I've had who has no interest in either oats and/or or pelleted feed. He sometimes nibbles a few bites then just turns away. My other colt born at the same time loves oats and can't get enough; he's slightly bigger. I'm a bit concerned because weaning time is approaching and I don't want him to lose weight. Should I start giving him alfalfa to increase the protein in his diet? Are there other suggestions?
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Member:
dsibley
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 29, 2010 - 9:11 am:
Have you tried mixing the oats with a sweet feed? Just enough sweet to make the whole mix smell like a bowl of candy...it might work. I use Purina's Omolene sometimes, and the picky eaters gobble everything up when it's mixed in.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 29, 2010 - 3:56 pm:
Hello PRUs,
I believe we can help you with your question but let me get you started off right so you can get the best answer as quick as possible.
You will get more responses if you start your own discussion rather than post at the bottom on another member's discussion. Each discussion is "owned" by the original poster and all replies in that discussion should either directly or indirectly address the concerns of the original poster.
To start your own discussion back up one page using the navigation bar at the top of this page. This will be a Article Page on this topic. Below the article you will find a list of already existing discussions on this topic. Under this list you will find the "Start New Discussion" button. This is a good topic on your subject so you should first review the article as it will have important information on your subject. Next check the titles of the already existing discussions to see if your question has already been answered.
If your question remains unanswered, now is the time to Start a New Discussion. Select a short title that describes your specific concern. A title like "Help!!!" does not help others find your specific topic. Instead something like "Ace for Colic?" allows others to rapidly find and understand what your topic is about just by viewing the title. This is likely to bring more responses from those with some experience with your topic and allows members to find answers to their questions quicker.
DrO
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