For even more cold weather tips listen to Episode 16 of Feed Room Chemist: An Equine Nutrition Podcast. Available on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher or your favorite platform.

Episode 16 - Tips for starting new supplements and grain Supplements Adding it in Start with a ¼ of the daily recommended amount for 3-4 days Then move up to ½ for 3-4 days Add ¼ every 3-4 days, 12-16 days total How to feed Loose dry powder + Pellets Grain Coated pellets or sweet feed Dry pellets with vegetable oil or water Bitter or off-putting aroma Apple sauce Maple syrup for the extra picky eaters Pellet supplement Pellet grain - Ideally pellets are similar in diameter Textured or oats feed - can sort out. Mix something in it so don’t just sort through it If horse doesn’t eat supplement Transition was too fast Supplement not mixed in well and sifted to the bottom Horse can easily sort through Already has an upset stomach - check for imbalances or ulcers If not a paste, mix with applesauce or water to make a paste and use syringe or paste tube to orally dose Grain ¼ amount of new feed and ¾ of old feed for 3-4 days Ex. 1lb new feed, 3lbs old feed Add ¼ every 3-4 days, 12-16 days total Tip: if you measure feed by scoops, use a scale to measure the weight of each feed per scoop (minus the weight of the scoop) to get the proper amount and feeding rate When to be extra patience Cautious when transitioning to a feed that is really high in starch and sugar Ex. sweet feeds, oats, corn, barley Bonus tip: Never feed more than 4lbs in a single meal Feeds high in fat can cause loose stool Not really dangerous, but the body needs time to adjust. If experience, back down the amount and transition a little slower Safer feeds High in fiber, low in NSCs (starch and sugar) Doesn’t drastically impact the ph and balance of microbes in the gut Forage and Hay It can take the digestive tract 21 to 28 days to adjust when changing from one type of forage to another. Often a cause for gastrointestinal upset. If seeing signs, consider when you changed hay. Hay nutritional content can vary dramatically based on Supplier Field Cutting Time of year Recommend getting 3-4 months of hay at a time Have overlap in deliveries so you can transition between loads Tip: Send hay from each load for testing Equi-Analytical https://equi-analytical.com/