The by-product of the sugar beet industry, unmolassed beet pulp is a safe, palatable and a highly digestible feed for horses. It is low in non-structural carbohydrates (NSC’s) and provides an excellent source of fibre.
Despite being known as “sugar beet pulp” and contrary to belief by some, it actually provides a great source of low sugar and low starch. This is because the sugar content has been removed prior, and what remains is the beet pulp. It is a great source of calcium and can be used to compliment grains, for example, oats, which are low in calcium and high in phosphorus (calcium and phosphorus need to be balanced, ratio 2:1).
The protein content is 8 – 12%, but it should never be used as a complete feed. It does not provide a fortified balanced diet for the horse, with minimal levels of vitamins and other critical nutrients. A balancer is needed to ensure adequate intakes of trace minerals and vitamins.
Beet pulp provides slow release energy, which is easily converted to volatile fatty acids (VFA), once it reaches the hindgut. These are easily absorbed and converted into an energy source that can be easily used by the horse. It also contains pectin, a type of soluble fibre, that stimulates the growth of the beneficial hindgut microbiome. This is why beet pulp is considered to be a prebiotic for horses, who are hindgut fermenters, as it assists in feeding the good fibre-digesting microbes in the hindgut.
However, not all brands are of the same quality. Look for brands that are BETA and NOPS approved, for example, British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet. This particular brand also has the advantage of being quick-soaking and ready to feed within 10 minutes. Therefore, it can be quickly prepared, with less risk of it going rancid, particularly in warm weather. Speedi-Beet is also hygienically prepared, making it cleaner, less dusty and it is consistently of excellent quality, unlike many brands I have experienced.
Soaked beet pulp should be fed within 12 hours of preparation and any unused should be discarded, as it can ferment quickly, particularly in hot weather.
It is a great choice for horses who are hard-keepers, for weight gain, or indeed for geriatric horses, with poor dentition. It provides a high calorie density, even as forage replacement, with more calories per pound, then an equal amount of good quality forage would provide.
Avoid brands with added molasses, which is used to increase palatability and to reduce, or even hide the high dust content. Molasses increases the sugar content, which is not recommended, particularly for horses who suffer from metabolic disorders e.g. equine metabolic syndrome, cushing’s disease, insulin resistance, polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) and hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP).
Contrary to belief, studies have shown that it is not entirely necessary to soak beet pulp, prior to feeding, when fed at levels that are less than 45% of the total feed. When fed dry, at levels less than 45%, beet pulp will not lead to swelling in the gut, or lead to higher incidences of impaction colic. However, it is still recommended that beet pulp is soaked (1 part beet pulp: 2 parts water), as it will help to prevent choke, particularly for greedy horses, or those who eat quickly. It will also increase your horse’s water intake, which is very important to maintain hydration.
References
Ford, T. et al. (2023) ‘Effect of Sugar Beet Pulp on the Composition and Predicted Function of Equine Fecal Microbiota’, Biology, 12(9), p. 1254.
Grimm, P., Julliand, V. and Julliand, S. (2021) ‘67 Partial substitution of cereals with sugar beet pulp and hindgut health in horses’, Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 100, p. 103530.
Jarvis, N.G. (2009) ‘Nutrition of the aged horse’, Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 25(1), pp. 155–166.
Richardson, K. and Murray, J.-A. (2016) ‘Fiber for performance horses: a review’, Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 46, pp. 31–39.
Silva, R.H.P., Rezende, A.S.C.D. and Inácio, D.F.D.S. (2016) ‘Pectin-rich by-products in feeding horses – A review’, Cogent Food & Agriculture. Edited by P. González-Redondo, 2(1).
Wróblewska, P., Hikawczuk, T. and Wiliczkiewicz, A. (2021) ‘Dried sugar beet pulp as a source of soluble dietary fibre in equine nutrition: A review’, Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, 21(2), pp. 405–420.
Zeyner, A. et al. (2006) ‘Glycaemic and insulinaemic response of Quarter Horses to concentrates high in fat and low in soluble carbohydrates’, Equine Veterinary Journal, 38(S36), pp. 643–647.
