Beet pulp is the left over vegetation from the process of collecting sugar from sugar beets. After the sugar is extracted, the remaining plant matter is dried and then harvested for livestock use. Sometimes sugar or molasses is added back for palatability. Beet pulp is an excellent source of fiber used in all types of livestock feeds and pet foods.
Beet Pulp Advantages:
- Helps maintain horse’s weight
- Great energy source for competitors
- Helps maintain hydration when fed soaked
- Works as temporary hay substitute when fed with balanced feeds
- Encourages gut health in senior horses
- Adds fuel without the ‘hot’ effect
- Excellent fiber source for horses with dental problems
Reasons to Feed Beet Pulp
Beet pulp is an excellent way to help older horses gain weight. Beet pulp adds a large amount of fiber which is paramount in maintaining the gut motility and nutrient absorption that tends to wane in a horse’s later years. It also helps form more solid stools in older horses that suffer from chronic diarrhea and slows down the absorption process and allows more nutrients to be absorbed from regular horse feeds.
Horses that are fed a lower quality hay due to drought or that don’t have access to hay, can benefit from the roughage beet pulp provides in place of regular hay. Beet pulp is high in calcium, but low in phosphorus and lacking in other vitamins and minerals found in hay, so additional feeds and supplements would be necessary in order for the horse to consume an adequate amount of these nutrients to thrive.
Horses in competition such as endurance riding can benefit from beet pulp in their daily ration. Soaked beet pulp adds just the right amount of carbohydrates needed for energy without the hotter effects of ‘sweet feeds’ which contain more sugar and sometimes extra protein that is not the most efficient fuel for horses to burn when asked for strenuous work.
How to Feed Beet Pulp
There are several advantages to soaking beet pulp before you feed it to horses. It is a great way to hydrate horses who don’t drink very well when working (lack of thirst stimulus), or for horses in competition that won’t drink due to nervousness or anxiety. Horses with dental problems can thrive on beet pulp mixed with a senior feed or complete feed that provides the correct amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
For horses who suffer metabolic syndrome or who are easy-keepers and require a diet without added sugars, soaked beet pulp can still be fed after the extra water has been poured off, which removes a large portion of the added sugars and molasses. Soaked beet pulp can be fed as a slurry combined with other feeds, treats, electrolytes or even some medications.
Beet pulp should never make up more than third of a horse’s total diet. However, fed as a supplement along with a regular diet of horse feeds and an adequate amount of hay, beet pulp can be an excellent way to add ‘fuel’ to a working horse’s diet. This will allow the horse to maintain weight without the hotter effects sometimes seen with just increasing the amounts of sweet feed fed.
Beet Pulp in Commercial Feeds
More and more commercial feed companies are recognizing the advantages of beet pulp and are adding it to their feed labels. Owners have more options than they did twenty years ago when trying to help maintain a balanced diet for their horses, and more options will become available as more is learned and discovered about equine nutrition.
Owners should research any product before adding it as a supplement to a regular feeding program, and can always consult their equine veterinarian with questions regarding proper equine nutrition. Whether feeding beet pulp for maintenance or making a warm mash as a treat on a cold night during the winter, beet pulp is a great supplement to regular feeding routines.
Wendi Gibson - Wendi is a Registered Veterinary Technician in the state of Texas with an Applied Science Degree in Veterinary Technology. She has ...
