Interested in hearing what you use and why.
Me too!
Right now, mare is on:
8 lb alfalfa hay
20 lb grass hay
1 qt triple crown senior
a little bit of selenium yeast
source
tri aminos
2000 IU vit E
flax
ready to make changes for the last four months, but not sure which direction to go. Considering Calif Trace. I’m in the PNW.
I increase feed, but don’t add anything special. I feed McCauley’s EKG-16, formulated for broodmares and growing horses. 16% protein, balanced for alfalfa based forage. Most mares get 4lbs daily, bump up to 6lbs last month or two, and 8-10lbs postfoaling for lactation. I also feed 1lb dry measure beet pulp, and unlimited quality alfalfa hay.
Increase nutrition. Calorie increases are totally mare-dependent.
1qt TC Sr is under-feeding from a nutritional perspective for all but maybe a small pony. 1qt is 1.08lb. TC 30 would be a much better choice.
Use the best quality (ingredients), lowest NSC Growth or Sr feed or ration balancer you have access to.
By the time the mare foals, her protein needs are about 150% of normal. Once she foals and starts producing milk, it’s bout 200% of normal.
Other nutrients rise bit, especially copper, but if you’re increasing the sr/growth or balancer according to how pregnant she is, that’s taken care of.
If using a ration balancer for example, and she normally gets 1lb, I’d be at 2lb by 5-7 months, 3 by 9, and if she’s a big girl (ie 14-1500lb range), 4lb by 11 months.
Beyond that you don’t feed more balancer if she needs more calories. Add alfalfal pellets or switch to TC Sr (just using TC as an example)
I just added TC 30 last week and forgot to mention it!
ill up the Sr.
thank you!
Breeding jumpers, one mare is quite large at 17hh.
Platinum - I like using it because it’s a one stop shop and I can continue feeding to foal once foal is weaned
High Quality grain with 16% Protein approx 6lb/day last couple months.
About 5-10lb high quality Alfalfa depending on size of mare (I would get Standlee compressed bales)
Free choice orchard grass or orchard blend hay, no fescue, on a drylot last 90 days before foaling.
