What is in horse sweet feed?
5 min read
Asked by: Lance Wheatfall
“Sweet feed is primarily composed of grains (usually oats, barley, or corn), a supplemental protein, minerals, and vitamins, with relatively high levels of molasses.” The grain is whole or coarsely crushed and is plainly visible and discernible in the mix; the supplement is usually in pelleted form.
What are the ingredients of sweet feed?
Sweet feed is a mix of corn, oats and other grains; molasses is added to it, generally about 10 percent by weight. Adding molasses minimizes the dust from the fines, or tiny bits of grain, while also adding sugar for energy.
Is sweet feed good for my horse?
Sweet feeds are highly palatable to your horse. They allow you to see individual grains to inspect for quality. Pellets and extruded feeds are usually highly digestible because the grains have been processed (ground up) into small pellets. This tends to digest quicker in your horse’s digestive tract.
What are the pellets in sweet feed?
Not too many years ago, the average textured “sweet” feed was made by mixing various whole and processed grains (oats, corn, barley), a mechanically ground protein source, usually soybean meal, and a dash of loose vitamins and minerals.
Is all stock and sweet feed the same?
F-R-M ALL STOCK 10 FEED IS A TEXTURED (SWEET) FEED AS A MAINTENANCE DIET FOR HORSES, CATTLE, LLAMAS, AND GOATS. *Warning: Contains Copper. Do not feed to sheep or other copper-sensitive animals.
Are oats better for horses than sweet feed?
“First, there’s nothing whatsoever wrong with good-quality plain oats,” Whitehouse said. “Oats and other cereal grains form the basis of many, many textured and pelleted feeds, as they provide significant energy and other nutrients. Oats are a key ingredient in many KER-formulated feeds.”
Does sweet feed help a horse gain weight?
Adding highly digestible fibre sources such as sugar beet is beneficial for promoting weight gain in horses. Dengie Alfa-Beet is an ideal feed for underweight horses as it combines alfalfa with unmolassed sugar beet.
Does sweet feed make horses hot?
But it’s a myth that only certain feeds, like corn or sweet feed, are responsible for causing those excessive energy spikes (silly, stupid behavior) in horses. While there’s no denying the change in behavior that can happen after a feed dump, the issue isn’t always the type of feed, it’s the amount.
What does molasses do to horses?
The sugar in molasses is a direct energy source of so-called ‘fast energy’ for horses. If you give your horse a lot of work to do, it is necessary to include sugar in the hard feed as a source of energy. That is why molasses is often used in horse feed. In addition, molasses is a good source of potassium.
How long before and after riding can you feed your horse sweet feed?
Don’t feed immediately before or after exercise
Ideally, you should wait an hour or so after your horse has finished a meal before riding them. If you’re going to do something really strenuous, it should be closer to three hours.
Can horses eat all stock sweet feed?
All-stock feeds claim to be acceptable for all forms of livestock, including horses.
Can horses eat livestock feed?
It’s generally okay for cattle and horses to eat grass together in a pasture, munch through similar, good-quality hay, and drink the same water. However, horses should not be given grain-based feeds designed for cattle.
What does textured sweet feed mean?
A sweet feed, or a textured feed, is a grain mixture (oats, corn, barley, bran, etc.) with molasses, protein, and vitamin-mineral pellets added to it. Sometimes, additional fat, fiber, or yeast are added to a sweet feed. These feeds are great for horses who need to put on weight due to the added fat.
Is 12% sweet feed good for horses?
Sweet feed is bad for horses—it’s nothing but sugar.”
How much protein does sweet feed have?
Producer’s Pride 12% sweet feed is a textured feed intended for horses and ruminants. It provides 12% protein and a high-inclusion of molasses to encourage palatability.
What is the most nutritious feed for horses?
Roughage/Forage Roughage, found in hay or grass, is the bulk of the horse’s food. Grass or alfalfa hay, or a combination of the two, are good sources of roughage. Grass hay is generally higher in fiber and dry matter than alfalfa, but alfalfa may be higher in protein, energy, vitamins and calcium.
Why horses should not be fed grain?
The amount of energy being consumed by the horse to keep the grain out is greater than the amount of energy being produced by the digestion of the grain. A net negative energy consumption occurs causing the horse to use fat and muscle to maintain life.
What horse feed is high in protein?
Protein Sources
Your horse consumes a variety of ingredients from roughage to grains that each have varying levels of protein quantity and quality. High quality protein – Sources high in quality protein are legumes such as soybeans, tick beans, lupins and seed meals from sunflower and canola.
What horse feed is best for weight gain?
The 7 Best Horse Feed for Weight Gain — Reviews 2022
- Crypto Aero Wholefood Horse Feed — Best Overall. …
- Tribute Equine Nutrition Essential K Horse Feed — Premium Choice. …
- Total Feeds Total Equine. …
- Buckeye Nutrition Gro ‘N Win Pelleted Horse Feed. …
- Bluebonnet Feeds Triple Crown Senior Horse Food.
What is the fastest way to put weight on a horse?
What is the fastest way to put weight on a horse? High fat, high protein grain combined with a rich alfalfa hay can quickly put weight on a horse, if there is not an underlying medical condition.
What does apple cider vinegar do for horses?
Apple Cider Vinegar works to acidify the horse’s stomach for better digestion, cleansing the digestic tract. It can also aid in the absorption of minerals and helps balance the acid/alkaline ratio which is essential for good health.
