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questions about mixing feed ahead of time
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Now that I know what and how much to feed Inky, I'm working on how to prepare. I'd like to put everything together for up to 3 days worth. The dry supplements are Plant protein (powder) , manna flax, Uckele V-M, salt, Mov-Ease. The wet ingredients are cocosoya and liquid vitamin E. The carrier options are RSR beet pulp shreds or TC balance cube. So far I've been using the beet pulp shreds, enough to hold the supplements. Since he is boarded, I've tried to bag the beet pulp, combine the dry ingredients in a separate container, then tape a syringe with the E and the cocosoya for them to add.
I don't think I can ask them to do the rinse/soak/rinse part of the beet pulp. I'm going around with the ingredients in my car as the barn does not offer a place to put them all together. It's kind of labor-intensive at this point and hard for me to be organized. Any suggestions? (He also gets grass hay - diet balance by Dr. Kellon) -- Patty and Inky horse located in SE Wisconsin owner located in north suburb of Chicago joined Aug 2019 |
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Patty,
I, also, am interested in the reply to this. I have been doing 4 days at a time, and absolutely everytning in ahead of time, because my barn will do no more than put it in front of my horse. -- Kandace K Rocky Mountains, Alberta, Oct 2020 K and J (over the rainbow bridge) and now T https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Kandace%20J%20and%20K https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=259062 |
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Hi Patty, if the barn can't r/s/r beet pulp, I'd use the TCTBC. Don't mix dry and wet ingredients until you feed.
Does your barn have a fridge or a cool place in the shade? I'd soak the cubes overnight (12-24 hr) in a fridge or cool spot (thinking about summer temps and fermenting cubes), if using cold water. Asking the staff to start the next batch when they feed the existing batch means they don't have to remember to start it 6 hrs before. You will probably have to experiment yourself with how much water is needed to get the best consistency for Inky. If your barn has hot water or a kettle, you can steam the cubes in about 5 min in a couple inches of water and a lid on the container, which makes a warm, damp but not saturated mash. R/s/r is best fine by someone who is going to take the time to rinse it thoroughly anyways. But all you need is water, a collander or mesh laundry bag, and a bucket. I used to just pour water from the water trough over my colander resting on the bucket and when the 5 gal bucket was nearly full and the water reached the bottom of the collander, the beet pulp was done. Very low tech with minimal tools. Now I hook up a garden hose to a hydrant and use a hand sprayer on "shower" setting to get more water pressure. I still fill about a 5 gallon bucket but the beet pulp is so much cleaner that my horse doesn't like eating it anymore! I can't decide if that's good or bad... -- Kirsten and Shaku (EMS + PPID) and Snickers (EMS) - 2019 Kitimat, BC, Canada ECIR Group Moderator Shaku's Photo Album Snickers' Case History Snickers' Photo Album |
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When I left the dry ingredients for them to add to the pre-rinsed-soaked-rinsed beet pulp, they added both, but didn't do any mixing, so the supplements were still on the bottom of the feed pan. So yesterday I r/s/r'd the beep pulp, then bagged them for 3 separate days. AND I added the dry supplements AND the cocosoya and mixed all together. I don't know what to do.
They do have a refrigerator, but not necessarily for horse feed use. Their method is to feed hay and strategy, possibly 1 scoop flax - period! equioxx for pain (we're fighting that battle at the moment too). I end up having to use about a half pound of beet pulp as a carrier, as his dry ingredients make up about 2 cups! Is that OK? -- Patty and Inky https://ch.ecirhorse.org/case-history.php?id=101 horse located in SE Wisconsin owner located in north suburb of Chicago joined Aug 2019/ |
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gypsylassie
Hi Patty, I feel so fortunate that I’ve always had my horses at home with me. The feeding routine at your boarding barn makes it so hard for you.
If I were in your situation, I think I’d use the Timothy cubes. I’d wet a batch just enough to get them soft and crumbly, then let them dry out completely so they don’t ferment, and then mix in the supplements and the oil to see if that would work. Even if some of the supplements settle out, I think they’d be better mixed than the way the barn help just dumped them on top and not stirred at all. It might work. If it were 40 years ago, I’d suggest finding a good “barn rat” and engaging them to do the feeding, but I’m not sure there are any these days. Laura K. Chappie & Beau(over the bridge) 2011 N IL |
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gypsylassie
I realize I didn’t address the possibility of the Vit E oil losing potency or freshness in the mix. If the dried Timothy cube method works, you could still give Inky Vit E when you’re at the barn. It wouldn’t be as good as every day, but it would still be good.
Laura K. Chappie & Beau(over the bridge) 2011 N IL |
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Laura,you reminded me of an interesting report by long-time member Patti K.
She was running late for work,years ago,and instead of mixing the minerals into the feed buckets as usual,she just,reluctantly, tossed the minerals in on top. Imagine her surprise when she returned from work to find buckets licked clean! I have tried that myself with success. My theory is that they grab the first mouthful (if not put off by aroma), might not like it much,but the next one is barely offensive at all.And the remainder is mineral free.Dunno. -- Lorna in Eastern Ontario 2002 |
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gypsylassie
Now that you mention it, I remember that too. Good to suggest that.
I’m lucky that Chappie is the opposite of picky about food. I laughingly say that if I put crumbles of cardboard in his feed tub he’d gobble it up. 😊 Laura K. Chappie & Beau(over the bridge) 2011 N IL |
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thank you for all the suggestions. I understand from the comments that I should not mix the dry and wet ingredients (unless it's the cubes that have been moistened and subsequently dried), or maybe if I could refrigerate them. I think another problem is that I combine everything and give it in one feeding, so it is pretty bulky. If I can keep a small refrigerator there, I can r-s-r the beet pulp and bag it, then package the dry ingredients and oils separately. Maybe I can offer more $ for someone there to properly put everything together. Oh what I'd give for a "barn rat"!
I received new labs on Inky and some xrays and I'll start a new post for that. Thanks again,. -- Patty and Inky https://ch.ecirhorse.org/case-history.php?id=101 horse located in SE Wisconsin owner located in north suburb of Chicago joined Aug 2019 |
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Kirsten,
I am wondering what the problems are arising from mixing wet and dry ahead of time? Do the minerals loose there efficacy, interact with each other? The carrier r/s/r BP has not fermented and if the horse is eating it? I have had to do this all this winter and have made up about four days at a time, often frozen a day or two prior to taking to the barn and kept at just above frezzing in a cooler at barn for feeding. (No Balanced cubes available here) Like Patty, I have not had the benefit of the barn people doing anything extra or carefully I have found my pergolide syringes with half dissolved pills left in them. -- Kandace K Rocky Mountains, Alberta, Oct 2020 K and J (over the rainbow bridge) and now T https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Kandace%20J%20and%20K https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=259062 |
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You’re probably just fine with that, Kandace. Another option might be to freeze the damp carrier before adding the supplements and then pop it back in the freezer before taking it to the barn. If it freezes again after adding salt, it will be even colder but will melt at a lower temp so you may need to play with that part.
-- Martha in Vermont
ECIR Group Primary Response July 2012
Logo (dec. 7/20/19), Tobit(EC) and Pumpkin, Handy and Silver (EC/IR)
Martha and Logo |
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Hi Kandace, I don't think the minerals would be affected, it's more the vitamin E could lose potency (unless you're using capsules and they don't dissolve) and flaxseed (for the reason mentioned by Dr Kellon).
-- Kirsten and Shaku (EMS + PPID) and Snickers (EMS) - 2019 Kitimat, BC, Canada ECIR Group Moderator Shaku's Photo Album Snickers' Case History Snickers' Photo Album |
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