Feeding Bran, what supplement

[Busterbum22]

I feed both of my horses Bran, Alfa-a, Blue chip, Hebal Cool Mix and sugar beet. I was recently informed that a supplement should be fed with bran, as I already feed Blue chip I didn't think extra supplements were needed. Any suggestions.
Thanks

 

[Wally]

Sounds like she's getting all she needs!

 

[virgin]

I think you are talking about the high phosphorus:calcium ratio that is present in bran.

The horse CAN get a condition know as 'big head disease' (or NSH) which can occur when a diet with a high phosphorus to calcium ratio is fed. This is may be one of the reasons that bran is not so widely fed now. Anyway do not panic as you are feeding sugar beet and this has a high calcium content and should balance the high phosphorus content of the bran, along with all the other feed they receive it should all balance itself out.

 

[Sharon H]

Please don't take this personally, I'm not trying to offend anyone. I find it intriguing that people buy a ready-made carefully balanced feed and then start adding lots of other things to it. Why? If your horse has a particular deficiency of some sort, I can understand it but the feed manufacturers go to a lot of trouble to balance their feeds and if you pick the right mix and feed in the recommended amounts, they should contain everything that the horse needs. In the old days skill was needed to strike a balance between the different feedstuffs, now it is done for us, yet we still seem to have this hangover from those days about adding a bit of this or a bit of that. It worries me that because a lot of the 'old' knowledge has gone and people don't have faithful old family grooms that have spent a lifetime with horses, they run the risk of unbalancing these feeds which can actually do more harm than good. This is my particular 'soapbox' by the way, in case you hadn't noticed! Apologies once again if I have offended anyone, I just think that it is an important point to remember.

 

[LouiseS]

I tend to agree with Sharon H - if you buy a complete mix why add to it - assuming you are not trying to deal with a specific problem? I am quite surprised to see bran being fed now - I do remember before there were mixes (I was very young at the time - honest) and bran then used to form the basis of all feeding with oats added according to work with sugar beat for those who needed a bit of extra help with keeping weight on during the winter and extra salt for ones that sweated a lot. All looked healthy on this diet but I am sure it was very unscientific although interesting when the oat ration was incorrectly assessed!

One problem there is with complete mixes though is how much is fed - if you can feed the manufacturers recommended amounts (ie enough work is being done etc)then stick to the mix but if only very small quantities are fed either because of low exercise or weight gain then perhaps it is advisable to include a supplement for purposes of vitamins/minerals etc. Ditto I see nothing wrong in adding sugarbeat and possibly chaff particulary in winter feeds and depending on the horse.

Would be interesting to hear other peoples views.

Louise

 

[Rachel R]

Why bran?

Can I but in and ask why the bran is being fed? If it is for no specific reason then I would ditch the bran, rather than worry about balancing it. Bran these days really has little feed value anyway, save yourself the money.

Rachel

 

[Busterbum22]

Thanks for the reply's. They have all help a lot. As both of my horses enjoy the feed they having now. and my mind has been set to rest. I will continue with my current feed plan, as they have always done well, I don't see the need to change them. My main concern was the Calcium but as it was pointed out the the sugarbeet has a high calcium content I will leave well alone. Thanks again
regards