Measuring Feed

[kaykay]

I know horse people have a million ways to measure horse feed. Coffee cans, tuna cans, mini scoops, horse scoops LOL. I have seen it all.

I am a big believer in feeding by WEIGHT not cups or cans. I have had a lot ask me why.

Different feeds and hays weigh much differently. For example a cup of Equine Jr is going to be much different in VOLUME then a cup of sweet feed.

A flake of alfalfa is going to weigh much more then 1 flake of grass hay. All flakes are not created equal! Even different varieties of grass hay will weigh different

So a pound of alfalfa is going to be a lot more then a pound of grass hay.

Anyway just thought I would put this as its something I get asked a lot. I try to keep horses not fat and not thin. Its always a work in progress and we are always adjusting. But if you do feed in weights instead of cups you have a much better idea of what you horse is actually getting


Kay

[singing tree]

Agreed. I just figure it all kind of averages out in the end.... do you really way every flake you give????

[CowhorseGal]

I agree with this as well..
even the feed bags have recomendations in weight.

[kaykay]

Every time we buy new hay we weigh out about 5 flakes from 2 bales and see what it averages. One time we had to buy semi poor grass hay (all I could get) 1 flake only weighed 1/2 lb! Right now I have grass/alfalfa mix. one flake weighs 1.5 lbs. So if I hadnt weighed it I would have either been over feeding or under feeding.

[Carri]

I am a stickler for this also, although I am getting pretty good at "feeling" how much hay is the right amount. Since we have ponies, we have to be careful to feed the right amount.

One thing that has been great too, since the girls feed their own ponies, is getting the smaller 1 lb scoops from Dover that have lines marked on them. I weigh out how much on that scoop the ponies need and write their name on it, and the girls don't have to guess if the ponies are getting the right amount,or "feel sorry for them" and give them more, they know how much to give them.

[kaykay]

I so agree once you get in this habit you can about weigh a flake just by picking it up

And I so agree with the "feeling sorry for them" I am about to ban hubby from feeding when I work. He always thinks feature needs some extra hay ughhh. It took me forever to get his fat off him when he got here and now hubby is going to make him fat again. I have never seen a mini or pony yet that doesnt always act like they are starving


Kay

[heather1982]

What kind of scale do you all use for weighing the feed and hay?

[Horselessnomore]

I use a fish scale to weigh the feed. It came with a basket attachment so all I had to do was to pour the feed in to it and look at the dial.
Much easier to do and now I "know" how much a scoop of feed weighs.

[livinthedream]

All my minis are starving, and my mother knows it....I do weigh, I use a scale the vet gave me....but still for weight for mine fight now is to much...so they get their rations cut in half....Since Bunny is new she is the only mini other than Delia...that is not chunky..... Well Cricket isnt too bad.

[kaykay]

Just have to vent. I found hubby giving Feature grain!!! ughhhhhhhhhhh. I knew he was getting pretty pudgy. I keep telling him Feature does not need grain once breeding season if over. Im telling ya Feature knows how to work my husband LMBO

[Horsie Michelle]

I also feed by weight.

I bought a fishscale at wal-mart for like $8.00 and have it hung in my feed room. I weight each ration of feed in a bucket and I weight the hay in bags.

[giddyupgrandma]

Why can't feed bags give measuremts in cups instead of pounds? We all have measuring cups. Such as 1 cup per 100lbs of body weight. I used to have a scoop for Purina Strategy that had markings on the side to indicate weight. All feed should have a weight scoop. Then there would be no feeding mistakes or guessing.

[recklesshoundog]

Originally Posted by kaykay

Different feeds and hays weigh much differently. For example a cup of Equine Jr is going to be much different in VOLUME then a cup of sweet feed.

Kay

?? Volume is the size it occupies which is the cup. A cup is a cup is a cup. I think you meant to say the density is going to be different???

I know Blue Seal has a spot on their website that gives the ratios. Like how much a quart weighs of a given feed.

[bubbleslove]

Originally Posted by Horsie Michelle

I also feed by weight.

I bought a fishscale at wal-mart for like $8.00 and have it hung in my feed room. I weight each ration of feed in a bucket and I weight the hay in bags.

Ohhhh thanks for that! I'm going to go get one today, I've been trying to find an inexpensive one for forever!

[Slim Pikkens]

Using a set of hardware scales and a 2 lb margerine container, I discovered Feed Rite's pellets make two lbs with a level container. With Purina's extruded feed it took a heaping full container to make two lbs, about an extra 3/4 cup. Prior to getting the scales I'd fill a 2 lb. container, dump the feed into a plastic bag and check it on the scales at the grocery store.

[fishing_trex]

Originally Posted by kaykay

A flake of alfalfa is going to weigh much more then 1 flake of grass hay. All flakes are not created equal! Even different varieties of grass hay will weigh different

I have some grass hay where a flake of it weights considerably more than one equal size flake of our alfalfa...

So a pound of alfalfa is going to be a lot more then a pound of grass hay.

I think what you mean is by volume, the pound of grass hay will be more.

I bought a hanging scale (weights up to 30 pounds). I got a piece of plywood, put baling twine on each corner and ran a string about 3-4' long up to the scale from each corner. I weight all the hay I feed. I also use a food scale for weighing the ration balancer I feed. It really takes no extra time.

[kaykay]

I think what you mean is by volume, the pound of grass hay will be more.

Actually no LOL. I have never had grass hay that weighs more then alfalfa. Typically our grass hay bales weigh about 55 lbs per bale. Our alfalfa weighs about 75 lbs per bale. But that is in my area, maybe yours is different but in general alfalfa is much denser/heavier since its a legume hay.

The reason feed bags give feed directions in pounds is because its more accurate then cups.

Anyway I just think once you get used to feeding in pounds you will find how much easier it is to accurately feed.

[farmergal]

Originally Posted by kaykay

I so agree once you get in this habit you can about weigh a flake just by picking it up

And I so agree with the "feeling sorry for them" I am about to ban hubby from feeding when I work. He always thinks feature needs some extra hay ughhh. It took me forever to get his fat off him when he got here and now hubby is going to make him fat again. I have never seen a mini or pony yet that doesnt always act like they are starving


Kay

I tell by picking up the bale. If the bale feels heavy I feed only half a bale if it feels light I'll feed three quarters of a bale. This is not per horse but rather it's divided to all my minis. Probably not the best way to feed but it keeps them fat and happy.

Hubby is always complaining that I feed to much. When he feeds they are skin and bones so I try to keep him out of the barn.

My peeve- Hubby tells me he did my chores with a big smile on his face so I don't have to. Now I check and see just exactly what he thinks my chores are. He feeds 1/3 the amount of hay that I do. He doesn't water and if he does it's not enough. He doesn't grain because he doesn't for one know where I keep it and for another know how much I give. His feeling is they really don't need grain anyways so it won't hurt if they miss it once in a while. And that's just the horses. He doesn't feed or water the other animals at all. So I've learned the hard way to ask him please don't say he did my chores unless he did ALL my chores. I know have him trained to give me a rundown on what he did do.

It's nice that they want to help. It really is, just wish they could get it right.