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Discussion on How to Go Off Grass
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Member:
Aannk
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Posted on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - 2:01 pm:
Dr. O.,
Maybe it is covered on the site, but I am so tired and weary from all that has happened with Lil I didn't feel like looking for it, sorry.
I was wondering if there are guidelines on going from a 24 hour grass turnout diet to grain?
Lilly was getting about 12 pounds of grain along with alfalfa and 24 hours on grass at the brood mare farm. She is coming home, and we don't have ANY grass. What should I do?
My plan is to start her on a new feed (Fibergized by Pennfields) slowly (New Bolton is only feeding her 2 pounds of their own grain a day, I guess the feeding info hadn't been passed on!), add soaked beet pulp to the diet and continue her on oil. Anything else I can do?
Alicia
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 6:23 am:
You don't need to up her grain Alicia unless her condition is falling below your goals, you need to get a good grass hay Alicia, preferably the type she has been on and offer it free choice. Everything else stays the same.
DrO
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Member:
Aannk
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Posted on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 10:41 am:
There is absolutely no way this horse will or can eat enough hay to maintain weight. The hay we have seems good, but maybe I need to buy my own for a little while. Problem is, when they are out, they are on round bales, and I have no choice on that. I do want to keep her out as much as possible for a few weeks to help with swelling and stiffness. I will do as you suggest except I do plan on working her up to the recommended amount of grain for her weight.
Thanks 
Alicia
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 8:31 am:
That is always our feeding recomendation Alicia: all the good quality forage she will eat then enough concentrate to maintain the condition of your goals. From a health standpoint you should not substitute grain for forage, you can only supplement it.
Your mare now requires significantly less nutrients than she did the last month of pregnancy. If the quality of your hay is poor you may well need to increase her grain but this is not as healthy as improving the quality of the hay. If you had a known feeding regimen that worked for her before she was pregnant under the conditions she will be in it is fine to start aiming for that but I suggest you start her off where was before she returned home and after settling in make feed changes slowly.
DrO
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Member:
Aannk
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Posted on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 10:38 am:
That is what I plan on doing. I just called New Bolton to make sure they give me the amounts of grain and grass and hay she is eating and the percentages of fat and protein and fiber in the feed. To maintain her before she gave birth, the barn owners were feeding her a LOT of grain. I don't intend on returning her to that amount, but it will have to be more proportionally as they had grass. I will start her off at home with the hay and the grain NB was giving, then gradually turn over to the grain we feed, as well as adding more till I get to the manufacturer's recommended amount, which is 4 pounds a day of this particular feed. I figure it will take about a week to get there. She will be getting as much hay as she can eat, but again, she won't eat much.
Alicia
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