This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Colic, Diarrhea, GI Tract » Diarrhea in Horses » Diarrhea an Overview »
  Discussion on Beet pulp for diarrhea
Author Message
Member:
lynnland

Posted on Friday, Jan 29, 2010 - 2:11 pm:

Hi Dr. O,

Just reading your overview article on diarrhea. There seems to be quit a bit of discussion on beet pulp reducing diarrhea. The article seems to suggest that you replace all the horse's hay ration with beet pulp (presumably slowly). Is that the intent or have people seen positive effects of adding some beet pulp and still keeping the hay?

Thanks

Lynn
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jan 29, 2010 - 5:24 pm:

Hello Lynn,
I would start slow perhaps replacing 2 lbs of forage with 2 lbs of beet pulp at a time, then give it 3 weeks, then add 2 more, etc... Watch out though beet pulp has a higher energy density than hay so if you start seeing increased condition you have have to decrease concentrate. For more on feeding beet pulp see, Horse Care » Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding » Beet Pulp.
DrO
Member:
lynnland

Posted on Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 - 8:20 am:

Hi Dr. O,

Just wondering whether you think it would be worthwhile to try the beet pulp when the horse is turned out all day in a paddock with a round bale?

Thanks

Lynn
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Mar 12, 2010 - 7:10 am:

If it is the only way to expose the horse it seems like there would be little to lose LynnL.
DrO
Member:
lynnland

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010 - 1:19 pm:

Hi Dr. O,

I started Peety on 3 cups of shredded beet pulp (soaked) 2 x per day. I don't have a scale small enough to get the weight but it cannot possibly be over 1 lbs total dry beet pulp. I stared on Friday (March 12th) pm feed. The diarrhea cleared up but he is pooping a lot when I ride (~8 real piles/hr). I board so cannot say if this goes on as much all the time. Given his history it is making me a little nervous (this is the same horse posted under the ulcer section - sucralfate treatment duration). I realize that we would expect a change in manure amount or consistency with a feed change but this seems disproportionate to the little bit of beet pulp added. What do you think?

Thanks
Lynn
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010 - 8:56 pm:

Lynn, I usually only get worried when horses quit pooping.
DrO
Member:
lynnland

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 24, 2010 - 9:45 am:

Hi Dr O. and company,

OK, the beet pulp did indeed clear up the diarrhea in about 2 days. He was producing the prettiest darn poop I have ever seen. However, he just kept getting worse under saddle (hanging head low, heavy on the forehand, behind the leg) and he was pooping so much with a constantly rumbling gut...so I gave up after 10 days (yup, I chickened out!). After I DrOpped the beet pulp and went back to his old feed he was so much better under saddle (elevated and energetic). Poop is back to being looser but less cleaning needed. So, for those of you out there with just a little watery manure and no other issues you should give the beet pulp a try! This little experiment does suggest to me that the problem is his digestive system.

Cheers

Lynn
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 24, 2010 - 9:00 pm:

Hello Lynn,
This sounds like an energy problem but also protein and vitamin problems are possible. There are tens of thousands of horses on primary beet pulp diets who do not experience the problems you describe. Did you balance the beet pulp diet as recommended in the article of feeding it? I would have also recommended adding oil and a vitamin
DrO
Member:
lynnland

Posted on Thursday, Mar 25, 2010 - 7:41 am:

Hi Dr. O.,

Thanks for the reply. The horse was started on Bukeye's Gro N Win in November as I was wondering whether it was a vitamin issue. He did improve on it but the problem did not go away. I'm not convinced that the very small amount of beet pulp we added would require me to re-balance his diet (?).In our barn 2/4 horse are feed a substantial amount of beet pulp so I realize that this is not a normal reaction. However, my horse does have a problem and given the extreme flatulence and large amount of manure he produces when not feeling well (along with the other under saddle symptoms) I am assuming that we are dealing with a digestion problem. As for the energy, when he is producing more poop he is low on energy and then a few days later might be better and be bouncing off the walls. He is a fit 6-year old horse so...when he has a day or two off then starts off trotting with his head to the ground and really slow, with lots of gas and manure, I can only assume something is hurting. I may go back to the beet pulp experiment at a later date but it was not nice to seem him in even more discomfort.

Lynn
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Thursday, Mar 25, 2010 - 8:26 am:

Hi Lynne,

I think what you might be having is a volume problem ( as far as the poop amounts, go). I don't think it was the beet pulp per se that was the problem, since the diarrhea cleared up so quickly. It may be that the combination of the beet pulp and the 24/7 hay from the round bale may be too much for your horse. Although, I like Dr. O would worry more about not pooping, than too much( as long as it looks good).

I use a complete feed as the basis of my feeding program and I add triple cleaned oats to that for the energy factor. I also feed hay but in limited amounts. I tried the 24/7 hay and I got what you got constant poops.

As an experiment and because I do feed a complete feed that contains beet pulp(that I do not soak), I cut my horses hay almost in half. Voila, the gassiness,the constant poop and the bloating went away. He has what I consider the right amount of poop at the right consistency.

Maybe, if the beet pulp worked so well, you might want to add some oats,and reduce the hay and maybe you'd get the best of both worlds. No Diarrhea and a more energetic horse.

Rachelle
Member:
lynnland

Posted on Thursday, Mar 25, 2010 - 12:19 pm:

Hi Rachelle,

Thanks for the input and case history! Ya, I agree that hay is potentially the culprit. However, I don't own my own farm and can't control the hay situation. There are 4 horses in a small field, 3 are very fit and playful/rough. The rare times the hay runs low they are simply bad. The barn owners work all day so the round bale is the best answer. This is not an area with lots of farms to choose from, especially if you want to ride over the long winters. The barn I board at is immediately across the road from the biggest/only hunter/jumper training facility for hundreds of kilometers. So, I'm not sure that moving is an option. Locking him in the barn alone is not really feasible either. Now, it is interesting to note that although he is better in the summer when his hay consumption is reduced, he still does have flare-ups (but goodness knows what he is eating as we do have lots of nice shade trees in the paddock).

Not sure where to go from here. As he pretty much only gets hay, that would have to be the problem. Today's solution: I will cross my fingers and buy a lottery ticket!

Lynn
Member:
lynnland

Posted on Thursday, Mar 25, 2010 - 12:27 pm:

Oops, just one addition. I get that too much poop is not a problem to most people. However, this might only apply to horses that are not expected to do anything other than hang out in a field or go for the rare hack. If the horse you mention was being raced did you see an affect on performance? My horse (Peety) is unlikely to roll over and die as a result of this (unless he gets impacted, then??...). However, if I can't use the horse I cannot keep him, and that is a really sad thought.
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Thursday, Mar 25, 2010 - 5:29 pm:

Lynn,
Maybe its a timing problem as well. I had that with my racemare who for all intents and purposes came in to her stall and pooped about 12 times( I swear she held it all in until it was time to go to work) before she would get her harness on or have to go and tow and they were loose poops. As many times as she pooped in the stall she never pooped on the track, except to empty out before she turned to the gate to race or train and she pooped a normal amount during the day that were not loose.

It may just be that you are not giving your horse a chance to completely empty out before you ride and maybe if you adjusted your schedule before you rode it would help the entire situation.
For example: If your horse gets fed before you ride, try not feeding him so close to your session. If your horse doesn't get fed, feed him.

Is there anyone there that can maybe bring him in a few hours before you ride. Since I am not familiar with your schedule, its hard for me to tell you what would be the best in your circumstances. Is there a place where he could be separated from the other horses, so he does not eat all the time?

With the mare above, putting her on Triple Crown Safe Starch forage really helped both in cutting down the poop and firming up her manure.

Oh and too much poop never hurt her performance. The jury is still out on the colt, the only thing I noticed with him was that he had to take one poop on the racetrack and until he did he acted like an idiot. The good thing was it only took him a few steps on the racetrack to poop and then he was fine.

Just some thoughts
Rachelle
Member:
lynnland

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 - 10:52 am:

Hi Rachelle,

Thanks for the ideas. I do ride him at different times of the day depending on the day of the week. There is no one there to bring him in a few hours before I show up and I would wonder what he would do to his stall if brought in and left alone for hours. However, I have ridden him after he has been out in the field for hours without much to eat (when the hay bale was pretty much gone and before another was put out, or in the summer when there is little to graze on). Didn't notice a difference but I have started keeping a daily diary so I will try to remember to note these things.

Thanks

Lynn
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC