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New “Forage Only” Complete Feed

Horse Care
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#221

I’m lucky to board at a place that has fast-draining soil and the barn owner is a leading site work contractor who keeps the arena, driveway, trails, pastures, and areas around the barn in really good condition. There is no problem getting sand, dirt, gravel, etc. any time. Plus, my horse is now comfortable around heavy equipment, LOL.

I do the same thing with the Unbeetable! It doesn’t look very appetizing when un-pelleted, but horse seems to enjoy it! LOL

ETA: It’s self-care board. I take care of the horse, the owner and manager (both great guys) take care of the farm. It’s perfect!

5 Likes
#222

I’m looking into adding this. For a few reasons… The hay at my barn has been hit or miss lately :confused: sometimes it looks great and sometimes it looks not great. He’s on TC 30 but thought this might be a good way to know he’s getting some good forage no matter what the hay situation is currently. I also would like to add flax, he tends to be on the drier side in his coat texture. I also wanted to add some alfalfa to his diet so thought this might be convenient.

How much does everybody typically feed? I was going to keep him on the ration balancer and of course he’s still will be on the hay at the barn. He is in good weight but could use a little more muscle and bulk still.

And is everyone soaking it or has anyone tried it dry? I know it says that it’s small and you can feed it dry. It just wasn’t sure if anybody is actually done that yet…

Thank you!

2 Likes
#223

I’m only feeding a couple of lbs a day, use a vitamin/mineral and the rest of the diet is hay/pasture. One is retired so he doesn’t need a lot of extra and the other is not getting a lot of hard work.

I have fed mine dry, it’s been fine.

1 Like
#224

Just coming back to this thread…the Unbeetable “just” beet pulp pellet DOES have some major advantages. The first is cost - it’s way cheaper than the standlee shreds that I used to use. Secondly, I’m using a lot less to get a lot more. Becuase it is compressed into pellets it takes a lot more water, and I’m finding it has cut the rations to about 1/2 the measurement that they were in shreds. I would not “not soak” these as they are rather large (although smaller than a hay cube).

I have been feeding Bluebonnet’s afalfa nibbles (or whatever they are called) for some extra alfalfa, and those I don’t soak - they are tiny and non-chewy.

I might try the forage-only next time, but for now the Unbeetable beet pulp pellets have my vote - I bought as many bags as I did the standlee and this might last me quite a long while.

1 Like
#225

I have always preferred beet pulp pellets over the shreds. You can get pellets from Standlee too, but their bag is only 40 lbs vs Unbeetable’s 50 lbs. But either way, usually you get double or more pounds of pellets for approximately the same cost as shreds. I soak the pellets because I had an older horse have a nasty choke on dry bp pellets, and I like the extra hydration.

I currently feed both beet pulp pellets and the Unbeetable forage only. I soak the forage only for one horse but the others eat it dry and have had no issues. I feed 1 pound or less a day, usually as just a small addition for those that need a few extra calories, or when I want to provide a touch extra forage on really cold days.

2 Likes
#226

I’ve been feeding between 4-6 lbs depending on individual needs. I have started feeding soaked bp and alfalfa pellets for dinner and then top dressing with the forage only. I was blowing through the bags of forage only and adding the bp/alf gives me a few extra days in between orders. I soak it. It doesn’t take much or long and I feel better with the little extra hydration.

#227

@Lunabear1988 My guy gets 4lbs/day that gets dispensed overnight from his auto feeder hourly. His preference is dry. I also tried replacing his beet pulp shreds and soaking the unbeatable instead, but the consistency of that moosh is less preferable to the texture of the shreds.

I may be reading these both wrong but you don’t get any “more” in terms of pounds. A pound is a pound is a pound. You may get more volume once the pellets are soaked vs the shreds but the dry weight is still the dry weight.

4 Likes
#228

I’m talking about cost per bag of beet pulp shreds vs pellets. In my area, a 25 lb bag of shreds is $17.99, while a 40 lb bag of pellets is only $18.99 (Standlee products). So for just $1 more, you are getting 15 more lbs of product. I was not trying to argue that somehow a pound of pellets weighs more than a pound of shreds. Of course the volume of a pound of dry pellets is much less than a pound of shreds. Soaked I would imagine they end up about the same.

8 Likes
#229

Got it. Yeah, Standlees price raises have been awful the past few years. When I started buying their beet pulp shreds it was like $12/bag in 2020. Now it’s up to nearly $20 for 25 pounds. I get the 30lb bag of Unbeetable shreds now and it cost me $33.28 including tax for two 30lb bags.

2 Likes
#230

Do you notice alot of inconsistency in the shreds? I see huge pieces and sometimes pellets. They seem to soak quickly, but I am surprised.

#231

No more than any other brand we’ve had! I’ve noticed a few pellets in each bag of unbeetable shreds Ive had, but they are few and far between

1 Like
#232

Oh sorry - I wasn’t being clear - I had mistakenly initially kept the same dry volume in pellets as I had been giving in shreds. That was a mistake that I should have picked up on immediately. But I didn’t until the next morning when I had to ration the pre-rationed rations!

But then the 50 lb bag of pellets was significantly cheaper than the 20 lb bag of shreds, so it was a double whammy of cost plus the volume issue means I can store a lot more as well.

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#233

I’ve totally done stuff like that, even when I double check sometimes :rofl::woman_facepalming:t2:

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#234

@ClassyJumper or @JB, does anyone know how many calories are in a pound of the Standlee Gastric Supprt feed?

#235

no idea, sorry!

1 Like
#236

Thanks! I’ll call Monday and ask. I will report back.
My two have decided Unbeetable is delicious after all but the Tractor Supply stores in my area are erratic w having a supply. I need to learn to give them way more lead time to order it.

3 Likes
#237

They’re carrying Forage Only at my TSC now! At least, when I was there a few days ago they had three bags out on the shelf. I had ordered some just weeks before because it has gotten too hot to soak other hay/beet pulp pellets for too long at the barn and I don’t want to have to carry them home with me to soak and bring them back out at each feeding (I do self-care board). So, knowing these pellets soak up super quick, I had ordered two bags. I have convinced the owner of the mare that lives with my gelding to switch from Standlee Alfalfa to Forage Only so we could just have one big can of forage pellets, so I’m excited that my TSC may actually stock it now! Both horses love it! I picked up another bag when I saw them out of pure excitement, LOL.

3 Likes
#238

I’d forgotten about this… I did call about calories in Standlee Gastric Support. I think it was around 1100; Safe carb was 1000. Mine decided they didn’t like Unbeetable but love both of the Standlee products.

#239

I saw a couple bags at mine too the other day when I was in there.

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#240

I guess I will have to check mine. Last time I was there they had their brand of beet pulp but not the Forage only feed.

2 Likes

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