Beet pulp
Encyclopedia
Beet pulp is a byproduct from the processing of sugar beet
which is used as fodder
for horse
s and other livestock
. It is supplied either as dried flakes or as compressed pellets, but when fed to horses it is usually soaked in water first.
, so additional forage
or supplementation is required to provide complete nutrition. Sometimes molasses
is added to improve palatability.
, but occasionally is a replacement for hay when fed to very old horses who can no longer chew properly. A standard ration of beet pulp for horses is usually 2 to 5 lb (0.90718474 to 2.3 kg) dry weight. Before feeding to horses, beet pulp is usually soaked in water, at a ratio of one part pulp to about four parts water. The maximum amount of water is absorbed after three to four hours, but it may be soaked for as little as one to two hours, especially in hot weather when there is a risk of fermentation. Most commercial feeds designed for geriatric horses contain large amounts of beet pulp and are fed straight out of the bag without being soaked, and manufacturer's directions generally recommend giving such feeds dry unless the horse has dental issues that make chewing difficult.
Beet pulp is not usually soaked before feeding to cattle
or sheep.
. Any dry feed may cause choke, especially if the horse does not have free access to water, or if the horse has other risk factors linked to choking, such as a tendency to bolt
its food. However, while horses have choked on beet pulp, university studies have not documented that beet pulp is a particular problem. It is believed that choke related to beet pulp is linked to the particle size and the horse's aggressive feeding behaviour, rather than the actual feed itself. Nonetheless, the risk of choke associated with any dry feed, including beet pulp, can be reduced by soaking the ration prior to feeding.
Another concern expressed by horse owners is that dry beet pulp will absorb water and swell in a horse's stomach, causing digestive problems such as impaction
or colic
. However, a properly hydrated horse usually produces enough saliva to moisten any feedstuff properly, including beet pulp.
Thus, while research indicates that soaking beet pulp is not necessary to prevent , there are other reasons for soaking beet pulp. It may make the feed easier to chew, particularly for older horses with bad teeth. Soaking may improve the taste, and may be a way to hide supplements or medications. While horses usually drink enough water on their own, feeding soaked beet pulp can increase fluid intake, particularly in the winter when horses may drink less water than they need.
Sugar beet
Sugar beet, a cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose tuber contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beets and other B...
which is used as fodder
Fodder
Fodder or animal feed is any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. Most animal feed is from plants but some is of animal origin...
for horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s and other livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
. It is supplied either as dried flakes or as compressed pellets, but when fed to horses it is usually soaked in water first.
Composition
Despite being a byproduct of sugar beet processing, beet pulp itself is low in sugar and other non-structural carbohydrates, but high in energy and fiber. Among other nutrients, it contains 10 percent protein, 0.8 percent calcium and 0.5 percent phosphorus. It has no Vitamin AVitamin A
Vitamin A is a vitamin that is needed by the retina of the eye in the form of a specific metabolite, the light-absorbing molecule retinal, that is necessary for both low-light and color vision...
, so additional forage
Forage
Forage is plant material eaten by grazing livestock.Historically the term forage has meant only plants eaten by the animals directly as pasture, crop residue, or immature cereal crops, but it is also used more loosely to include similar plants cut for fodder and carried to the animals, especially...
or supplementation is required to provide complete nutrition. Sometimes molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
is added to improve palatability.
Feeding
Beet pulp is usually fed to horses in addition to hayHay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
, but occasionally is a replacement for hay when fed to very old horses who can no longer chew properly. A standard ration of beet pulp for horses is usually 2 to 5 lb (0.90718474 to 2.3 kg) dry weight. Before feeding to horses, beet pulp is usually soaked in water, at a ratio of one part pulp to about four parts water. The maximum amount of water is absorbed after three to four hours, but it may be soaked for as little as one to two hours, especially in hot weather when there is a risk of fermentation. Most commercial feeds designed for geriatric horses contain large amounts of beet pulp and are fed straight out of the bag without being soaked, and manufacturer's directions generally recommend giving such feeds dry unless the horse has dental issues that make chewing difficult.
Beet pulp is not usually soaked before feeding to cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
or sheep.
Safety issues
Some horse owners express two concerns about feeding dry, unsoaked beet pulp, one being that it is linked to chokeChoke (horse)
Choke is a condition in horses in which the esophagus is blocked, usually by food material. Although the horse is still able to breathe, it is unable to swallow, and may become severely dehydrated. A secondary condition, aspiration pneumonia, may also develop if food material and saliva accumulate...
. Any dry feed may cause choke, especially if the horse does not have free access to water, or if the horse has other risk factors linked to choking, such as a tendency to bolt
Bolting (horse)
Bolting when referring to equidae, generally refers to two different equine behaviors, both undesirable: the practice of running away without control, and the practice of eating food at a dangerously fast rate. However, there are other meanings as well...
its food. However, while horses have choked on beet pulp, university studies have not documented that beet pulp is a particular problem. It is believed that choke related to beet pulp is linked to the particle size and the horse's aggressive feeding behaviour, rather than the actual feed itself. Nonetheless, the risk of choke associated with any dry feed, including beet pulp, can be reduced by soaking the ration prior to feeding.
Another concern expressed by horse owners is that dry beet pulp will absorb water and swell in a horse's stomach, causing digestive problems such as impaction
Impaction
Impaction, from the Latin impingere, is a medical term used to describe several different types of blockage.- In Reptiles : Impaction occurs in reptiles when they consume something that they cannot digest. Common causes of impaction are rocks and sand which might be accidentally consumed when the...
or colic
Horse colic
Colic in horses is defined as abdominal pain, but it is a clinical sign rather than a diagnosis. The term colic can encompass all forms of gastrointestinal conditions which cause pain as well as other causes of abdominal pain not involving the gastrointestinal tract. The most common forms of colic...
. However, a properly hydrated horse usually produces enough saliva to moisten any feedstuff properly, including beet pulp.
Thus, while research indicates that soaking beet pulp is not necessary to prevent , there are other reasons for soaking beet pulp. It may make the feed easier to chew, particularly for older horses with bad teeth. Soaking may improve the taste, and may be a way to hide supplements or medications. While horses usually drink enough water on their own, feeding soaked beet pulp can increase fluid intake, particularly in the winter when horses may drink less water than they need.