Please help with feeding amounts for my colt - how much?

Question

Hi guys. Ok I live in a rural part of Turkey whereby you cannot purchase bagged horse feed, you cannot even by a headcollar in this town! (I had a friend bring one over from the UK for me!)

I can only buy barley/oats/chaff/cotton pulp (a bit like beet pulp) by the kilo.

So I have a six month colt and would like advice on feeding amounts for him. I have been giving him a mixture of the above twice a day but if anyone can give me a better outline of amounts of grain and pulp to feed him, Id be really grateful. i:e: scoop/cup amounts.

He is on the scrawny side with a little pot belly..

My colt, I think, has Kabardin influence, lives out 24/7, has just been wormed by a vet (not an equine vet though as we dont have one in this town) and has access to chaff (horses are fed on chaff here) all day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26404505@N07/2667929706/

Please no negative comments. This is probably the only equine in this town that has been vetted!

Thanks for your help. Sarah x

Answer 1

DO NOT FEED COTTON PULP!!!!  Cotton contains gossypol which is highly toxic to equines.  Cattle can digest cotton products such as cotton pulp and cottonseed meal since they are ruminants and the ruman can break down the toxin.

Barley can be difficult to digest unless it is rolled or flaked.

You can suppliment with something like corn oil or black sunflower seeds which you can probably get at the grocery store.

EDIT:  you can give up to about 1 handful a day of cotton products but more than that can start doing irreversible internal damage.

Answer 2

When my yearling was 6 months old i fed him about 4 cups of grain a day split into 2 feedings.