![]() ![]() “Beet pulp has a higher calcium content than grass hay, so I wouldn’t recommend it for a horse that has a tendency to make kidney or bladder stones, accumulates calcium carbonate sludge in the bladder or has kidney disease,” advises Dr. Like alfalfa hay, beet pulp is relatively high in calcium and very low in phosphorus (about 6:1)-an important consideration when meal planning. For example, the fiber content of beet pulp is in line with most hays, and the protein content is similar to good quality grass hay (7 to 8 percent). “I believe that feeding horses long-stem hay, when they can handle it, is a more natural feed,” says Tina Kemper, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM, of San Luis Rey Equine Hospital in Bonsall, Calif.īut some of the nutritional benefits of beet pulp are comparable to many types of forage. Beet pulp is generally considered safe for most horses, but it isn’t necessarily a substitute for good quality forage unless your horse has dietary restrictions. ![]() ![]() Who Gets Beet Pulp?Ī horse’s age, breed and performance level all influence his nutritional needs. As part of a complete feed, beet pulp can be a little pricey-but served plain alongside hay or pasture, it’s a cheap side dish. Bagged and shipped, it’s available nationwide at a feed store near you. Pulp is the high-fiber material that remains after sugars are extracted from the beets-from there the “mush” is squeezed, dried and formed into pellets or shreds. As its name suggests, beet pulp comes from sugar beets (the same root crop that provides “sweetness” to lots of our favorite edibles such as candy, syrups and cereal). ![]()
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