The digestible energy content of beet pulp is greater than most hay and less than most grain ingredients, making its reputation as a weight building feed supplement well deserved. Beet pulp has a high level of calcium (over 1%) but very little phosphorus. Beet pulp is an excellent source of highly digestible fiber and has a crude protein content of 7%. Table 1 lists the nutrient composition of beet pulp. Also, all Triple Crown and Legends Horse Feeds contain added beet pulp. Examples of high quality, beet pulp-based feeds include Triple Crown Senior, Triple Crown Complete, Triple Crown Growth, and Legends Racing.

Beet pulp is an excellent ingredient for complete horse feeds, where no hay or a limited amount of hay or pasture is fed, such as feeds for older horses or horses with respiratory problems such as heaves. It is fed as a digestible fiber supplement to a horse’s fiber or forage needs, and dried beet pulp may be incorporated into quality horse feeds as a source of digestible fiber and to significantly lower the sugar and starch content of the feed. Dried beet pulp is available in shredded or pelleted form. After processing, it has high water content and is prone to mold, so it is dried for storage. Beet pulp is the fibrous material that remains after most of the sugar is removed from sugar beets.

Beet pulp for horses