Hay and sugar beet

As I described here I have a problem with hay that is high in iron.  1092mg per kilo to be precise.
So as well as pursuing careful supplementation to mitigate some of the problems this causes I thought I'd take a bit more of a look at the other source of iron that Grace eats in any quantity.
Sugar Beet
150g unmolassed sugar beet to be precise.  And it's important to get the unmolassed product which I know can be tricky in some countries such as the US. 
Raw unprocessed beet typically yields between 17% and 22%  sugar, in some circumstances it may peak at 25%.  The processed, unmolassed beet is 5% or less.  But add molasses and you can be looking at much higher levels. 
The breakdown for the umolassed sugar beet I use is this:

Copper 10mg/kg (twice my hay)

Zinc 20 mg/kg

Iron 450 mg/kg (less than half my hay)

Calcium 1%

Sugar 5% (slightly more than half my hay)

So the beet has a better nutritional profile than my hay. 

I know the company I buy it from test their beet at least twice a month.  I have it in writing.  And for completeness I have checked with another company and they check every batch too.

So what am I going to do now?

I knew Grace was getting too much iron and not enough copper.  But until I had continuity of hay supply testing it was pointless.  I always worried it was the beet.  How wrong could I be!

So now I am going to rejig her ration a little.  I won't worry about feedng a bit more beet and a little less hay and I will mineral balance the lot.  It's relatively easy when you know how.

Grace is really looking forward to her new ears.

You are what you eat

Grace's ears have turned orange.  I kid you not.  If I hadn't broken my old phone I'd show you a photo (and Grace begged me not to - soooo embarrassing).  On a deep liver chestnut it is not a good look and it signals loudly my failure to address a copper shortage that I had a good idea was on the way.  So you can all slap my wrists now.  Only its a very useful scenario that I hope will help someone, somewhere, sometime.

So a bit of background.......
I live and livery in a very high iron area, even the water is loaded.  All the grass is ex dairy, mostly Rye and when I am really unlucky it gets nitrogen thrown at it too.
The livery yard has recently changed its modus operandi and I can now buy my own hay in.  Which is a huge relief as the previous hay was over 18% sugar and over 21% sugar/starch combined, low in minerals and rather mouldy.  So I am pleased I can get my own in and hugely grateful that the yard has allowed this departure from the norm.
As always though there is a hitch - the only alternative hay, while lower in sugar and much less mouldy, is mega high in iron.  I know because I've had it tested.  By an ISO accredited lab.  Twice.

So what's the problem?  Horses need iron right?

Yes they do, but diet related iron deficiency has never been described in the horse except in foals. Instead, because iron is so abundant in the equine diet, iron overload and iron interference with the absorption of the other trace minerals such as copper and zinc is much more likely.  Hence Grace's orange ears.

Excess iron has other unwanted side effects, including: predisposition to infection, predisposition to arthritis and increased risk of tendon/ligament problems, liver disease and altered glucose metabolism – including insulin resistance and overt diabetes.

So looks aside who would want to expose their horse to these risks unnecessarily?

Which leads me to my next post

Nutritional Nightmares

Both girls have the same DEET, ie Diet, Exercise, Environment and Trim regime. One has good concavity and the other has feet that resemble pancakes. Of course all hooves are a work in progress and it only takes one thing to fall out of whack and the feet to suffer the consequences.

I plan to improve the environment element this summer with the addition of some pea gravel outside their field shelter. At present they are on a semi track which is largely hard beaten clay with very little grass. They are currently exercised for about 10 hours a week. So it is time to tighten up on the nutrition, which is where the nightmares start.

Until today they have been having unmolassed Alfalfa, with cooked linseed, magnesium, seaweed, nettles, rosehips and garlic and free choice various Rockies. Now I have swopped the Alfalfa for Kwik Beet and the seaweed for Dodson and Horrell Surelimb.

When I get the next lot of hay delivered I will have it analysed. Dodson and Horrell offer an analysis service, currently priced at £7.50 for a basic sugar/protein and £47.50 for a wide variety of minerals. As I am concerned about the minerals the girls are receiving I'll try the latter service. As I buy at least 6 months worth of hay at a time it will be well worth it.