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Beet Pulp Pellets vs. Shreds

It was just a cheap basket from a box store. Kind of addsan “industrial look” to your office corner with metal fixtures of metal lamp, mesh pencil cups… I have seen them in black and silver, round and square, probably 18 inches tall. Mesh was small, beet pulp can’t escape! Maybe you can spot one in the stationary section of a Meijer or Walmart type store. Probably a little more expensive at a Staples type store. Sorry no links for you.

found on on Amazon :D. Of course.

Add me to the list of those who feed plain,no molasses beet pulp pellets, and for all the reasons others have mentioned. I have hot water in the barn, and a heated feed room, so I make in the morning for the evening feed, and then at night for the morning. When I make up their meals I also add hot water to the whole thing and let it soak again for a while. As others have mentioned, I am happiest knowing I am getting as much additional water in their gut, especially in winter.

I have fed both pellets and shreds, but much prefer the shreds. I can dump shreds directly in my feed buckets, add water, and feed within a few minutes. By the time I have measured out ration balancer, flax, and salt and check hay the beet pulp is ready to go.

i also recently had a feed company nutritionist tell me that shreds would be more helpful for my 27 y/o pony than pellets, due to being long stem fiber.

Now I want to get some of each and soak them to see how they compare once soaked.

I do not remember thinking ‘wow these pieces are much smaller’ when I switches to pellets from shreds. Pelleted beet pulp certainly are not a fine mash when soaked, not like soaking a regular pelleted feed.

I feed pellets. I find no difference in their consistency once soaked–pelleted beet pulp is identical to shreds, with enough time. Pellets are cheaper and cleaner IMO–the shreds always had dust and gunk, while the pellets are just, well, pellets. I don’t soak them as long as some folks do–I use hot water and find it to be comfortably soaked within 15 mins, sometimes less. I also don’t have anyone who is a choke risk, either, though.

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Since I don’t feed much beet pulp, and only to one pony, I use the pellets. I put them in a small cooler add hot water from my house and by the time I get to the barn and finish grooming/riding or whatever, his snack is ready. Usually a couple hours to soak and they are soft without being mushy.

Beet pulp doesn’t become long stem fiber or not based on shredded or pellet. Long stem refers to roughage two inches or longer. Beet pulp is a fiber supplement. Shredded or pellet really depends on the person.

I feed pellets because I can’t get molasses-free shreds easily. I also appreciate the easier storage/compact nature of them.

I only have one horse on them, boarded. I bought this for my BOs to make it easy:

https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/tasty-2-piece-colander-and-bowl-set/6000200236406

Pellets pre measured in bags, line marked on colander for water, soak between feedings, any excess water drains off into the cup and can be used to wet my other horse’s hay pellets :slight_smile:

Many consider all beet pulp long stem fiber because of the way it behaves in the gut, which is why so many of the complete senior feeds include it.

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Yes but shreds or pellets isn’t the deciding factor. The difference between the two is soaking time and storage.

Agreed. But the pelleted beet pulp is in very short, chopped form and the shreds are shredded and not chopped and are in longer pieces.

Maybe it’s been a while but after soaking both, there’s no difference to my eye.

Interesting- I find the pellets make a more mash-y type of meal, whereas the shreds plump up to be more chewy. My mare definitely prefers the shreds. (neither with molasses.)

How long is too long to soak shreds? I noticed last night, and I think it was a one off, that one of Charlies containers appeared to be soaking overnight. He has beet pulp shreds (1 cup), flax (1/3 Cup), and CT-plus (1 scoop/serving) in the mix.

I don’t like a long soak mainly due to the flax turning super gummy if left in water too long. Is there any inherent risk to the mix being soaked overnight or just the beet pulp being soaked overnight?

I did let the BM know and they said they will let the staff know. I was thinking either to put notes on his containers saying not to soak for an extended amount of time but would like to know if there are any risks if it does end up being soaked for hours OR separating his flax/CT Plus out and having them use it as a top dressing on the soaked beet pulp.

I don’t know how hot it is where you are but soaked beet pulp can get “sour” pretty quickly in warm weather. Ditto hay cubes. Even in cool weather my horses preferred something that had been soaked maybe 30 minutes beforehand vs soaked all night.

I also use shreds because they soak much much faster, which also makes it easier in boarding situations. I live in a hot humid place so soaking pellets all day or all night isn’t a great option because as @SusanO mentioned it can sour.

I also like using beet pulp if a horse needs to get more water in or is being picky about a medication and so it’s very helpful for these reasons to have something that will soak very quickly.

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@SusanO @blob99

Summers can be very hot and humid here. The feed room is pretty cool, but I would rather err on the side of caution. Thank you!

With the staff being made aware, I am going to keep everything mixed together and add notes to each container to add the water shortly before feeding. I don’t want to add any more confusion or have to get and fill another 14 containers for the flax.

I’m considering switching my horse’s carrier for her v/m from timothy pellets to beet pulp. But I have some questions on beet pulp.

  • I read that you have to rinse it first though - is this correct?

  • How long do you soak shreds for?

  • What about Speedi-Beet? It’s seems more expensive than others. Worth it? Why?

I got a sample of Speedi-Beet that I gave my mare and she was VERY enthusiastic about it over her timothy pellets, which is why I’m thinking of switching. But I don’t know if other brands are similar . . . and I can’t find Speedi-Beet anywhere close by.

How

Unless what you get is pretty dirty, no. Some brands do seem to be dirtier. I never rinsed the Mid-West Agri shreds for years and never rinsed

Literally minutes in tap-hot water in the Winter is all I needed to be sufficiently plumped and soggy, same during the Summer with barn faucet water and warm air temp.

It does soak faster, but TBH, not worth it if you can use hot water in the Winter

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