Who Gets Beet Pulp?
A horse’s age, breed and performance level all influence his nutritional needs. Beet pulp is generally considered safe for most horses, but it isn’t necessarily a substitute for good quality forage unless your horse has dietary restrictions. “I believe that feeding horses long-stem hay, when they can handle it, is a more natural feed,” says Tina Kemper, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM, of San Luis Rey Equine Hospital in Bonsall, Calif. But some of the nutritional benefits of beet pulp are comparable to many types of forage. For example, the fiber content of beet pulp is in line with most hays, and the protein content is similar to good quality grass hay (7 to 8 percent). Like alfalfa hay, beet pulp is relatively high in calcium and very low in phosphorus (about 6:1)—an important consideration when meal planning. “Beet pulp has a higher calcium content than grass hay, so I wouldn’t recommend it for a horse that has a tendency to make kidney or bladder stones, accumulates calcium carbonate sludge i
