Feeding Cracked Corn - What for and how much?

[mandalea]

Someone suggested to me that I feed Taffy cracked corn to help get his coat nice and shiny (not like it isn't already, but it wouldn't hurt for it to be shinier)

I was wondering, what is cracked corn normally fed for, and how much should he have?

He's 450 kg, in moderate work, and is 18 years old.

Maybe a cup or so should be ok?

[SkipHiLad4me]

If you're just going for a shiny coat, you'd be much better off to feed flax or BOSS rather than corn.

[Mtn trails]

I agree, I'd lay off the cracked corn and do flax, rice bran, and/or BOSS. It's what I'm feeding my mare and you can practically see yourself in her coat it's that shiny. She's always had a good coat but even in winter it's WOW!

[enjoytheride]

My gelding gets corn and a ration balancer type thing as his grain. Corn is more of a meal and less of a supplement because you would have to subtract other things to get the diet right. Try black oil sunflower seeds, flax, or a comercial supplement.

[Cherry]

I'd rather see you give the old guy corn oil, rather than cracked corn.

It's been found that corn is digested in the hindgut and can cause problems that lead to colic. Corn has been used in the past for horse feed (and some people still feed it) but research has shown it's not the best thing for horses and other grains are better. :no:

The reason it was used is because a horse can get more energy from it than the same amount of oats but I don't think a cup will help one way or the other. At least the corn oil will give your horse some benefits without making it too energetic or sick.

But don't feed over a cup of oil and start out with a quarter of a cup and add it by the quarter of a cup over the course of a month. Half a cup per day would be better than a whole cup. There's been some scuttlebutt that too much oil can bring on insulin resistance. I'd rather err on the side of caution.... ;)

Good luck!

[merrygoround]

Cracked corn by itself can cause a choke. It tends to be dry and powdery. Whole corn is better, but you need to extremely careful of your source in order to avoid molds. Corn oil as has been said before will work as well.

There have been several threads on the caloric value of corn and other oils. Do a search.

[Melyni]

That advice is a bit out of date. As all the other posters said, use something with fat in it rather than cracked corn.

Personally I like flax seed best as a coat conditioner, others disagree!
YMMV
MW

[BoyleHeightsKid]

There's a lot of starch in feeding corn. I personally wouldn't do it. You can get a nice shiney coat many other ways that would be better for your horse as many have pointed out.

[Bravo]

Of all the 'normally' fed to horses grains, corn has the HIGHEST starch content. Remember that starch is a carbohydrate, not a fat, so it is processed in the body differently. In excess, it can be turned into fat, but starch itself can lead to many problems, especially if your horse is overweight at all. Metabolic syndrom is one of the biggest problems with feeding a diet high in starches. The horses look a little cushnoid, but don't test + for it all the time. They are at higher risk for laminites and gut issues.
Horses on a high forage diet do much better. Grass and grass hay are turned into fat in the hindgut which is fast, useable energy. Starches in excess can also be turned into lactic acid in some horses which causes them to be sore all over.
Follow some of the advice you've gotten here about flax, BOSS, rice bran, etc and avoid corn. My ever humble opinion, anyway!!

[bludejavu]

I feed some cracked corn to any hard keepers I have but it is fed with a wet mix of beet pulp, oats and alfalfa pellets. I don't recommend feeding it to give your horse a glossy coat as there are much better products on the market. Corn oil is okay but I like BOSS.

[mandalea]

I wouldn't just use it to make him shiny, but as a additive thingo, because it's coming into winter, and he normally drops condition.

Now, in summer, he gets 1 scoop lucerne chaff, 1 scoop oaten chaff, with some MSM, and oaten hay at night (neither are heating feeds, so he's still pretty mellow)
In winter, he'll probably get 2 lucerne, 2 oaten, black sunflower seeds in the morning and 2 lucerne, 1 1/2 oaten and oaten hay.

I don't think we have corn oil here..?

So I'll have to check at the produce.

What else would you recommend?

[Dalriada]

We've been feeding whole corn (not cracked due to dust) to our horses for over 40 years with no increased incidence in colic. Our horses are happy, round (not fat) and successfully compete in showring (one National Champion and multiple Top 10s) as well as endurance (one National Champion CTR horse plus several Top 10s) with no issues. We feed by weight not by volume and add in beet pulp (for filler) plus loose salt and mineral to finish balancing the ration along with good quality hay. Young stock and pregnant stock get a pelleted ration to increase protein for growth.

Can't say we've had "high" horses either as these are mainly Arabians, Hackney or crossbred stock.

We find the best "glossy" solution is hours of elbow grease grooming the horses not by adding in other additives.

[Buffyblue]

I'd recommend rice bran or rice bran oil.

[bludejavu]

I wouldn't just use it to make him shiny, but as a additive thingo, because it's coming into winter, and he normally drops condition.

Now, in summer, he gets 1 scoop lucerne chaff, 1 scoop oaten chaff, with some MSM, and oaten hay at night (neither are heating feeds, so he's still pretty mellow)
In winter, he'll probably get 2 lucerne, 2 oaten, black sunflower seeds in the morning and 2 lucerne, 1 1/2 oaten and oaten hay.

I don't think we have corn oil here..?

So I'll have to check at the produce.

What else would you recommend?

Since you're already feeding black oil Sunf. Seeds, you might just increase the amount. Usually one to two cups a day will put a gloss on a coat. What you want is something that provides more oil in their diet because this is what puts the bloom on a coat. I agree with Dalriada though - elbow grease with a curry comb works pretty well too :yes:.

[Whitfield Farm Hanoverians]

I'm also unsure about feeding corn. I've been feeding my older broodmare 2 lbs twice daily of the fat supplement Empower by Nutrena. Rice bran, corn, flax are in it in that order. She really holds her weight on it but not sure if it's the best for her due to the corn.

[mandalea]

Since you're already feeding black oil Sunf. Seeds, you might just increase the amount. Usually one to two cups a day will put a gloss on a coat. What you want is something that provides more oil in their diet because this is what puts the bloom on a coat.

[QUOTE]I agree with Dalriada though - elbow grease with a curry comb works pretty well too :yes:.

It takes me nearly ALL afternoon to prepare him for a show - washing, brushing, scrubbing legs, bandaging, braiding, brushing again (because I normally have to wait for him to dry, and I start at about 5, because I get home at 4, and I have to do homework etc first.

I'll start him on the sunflowers tonight. How much would you suggest for a first dose, so he doesn't get diarrhea?

I have a coat supplement from Omega Feeds. It's the kernels and oil from sunflowers seeds, but it's a sample, so it wont last long enough to work..?

[mandalea]

Since you're already feeding black oil Sunf. Seeds, you might just increase the amount. Usually one to two cups a day will put a gloss on a coat. What you want is something that provides more oil in their diet because this is what puts the bloom on a coat.

I agree with Dalriada though - elbow grease with a curry comb works pretty well too :yes:.

It takes me nearly ALL afternoon to prepare him for a show - washing, brushing, scrubbing legs, bandaging, braiding, brushing again (because I normally have to wait for him to dry, and I start at about 5, because I get home at 4, and I have to do homework etc first.

I'll start him on the sunflowers tonight. How much would you suggest for a first dose, so he doesn't get diarrhea?

I have a coat supplement from Omega Feeds. (http://www.omegafeeds.com.au/omega-feeds-maxicoat.php) It's the kernels and oil from sunflowers seeds, but it's a sample, so it wont last long enough to work..?

[deltawave]

A curry won't bring a shine the day before the show--you have to do it daily. Five minutes per side will do the trick. That doesn't sound like a lot but it's a LOT of currying and your arms will definitely be sore. :)

[spaghetti legs]

OP I see you are a fellow aussie.. I suggest giving him some Copra Meal or Economix.. Copra is great for coat condition and putting some meat on the bones without being heating. Economix is an allrounder feed that puts a beautiful bloom on the coat and will provide some extra calories for winter. The chaff along with a half or quarter Dipper of Economix and a cup or two of Copra (completely soaked of course) will work nicely over winter for you.

Just adding, that black sunflower seeds are really expensive here and the others are probably better options.

[purplnurpl]

Personally I like flax seed best as a coat conditioner, others disagree!
YMMV
MW


I support this statement!

[bludejavu]

It takes me nearly ALL afternoon to prepare him for a show - washing, brushing, scrubbing legs, bandaging, braiding, brushing again (because I normally have to wait for him to dry, and I start at about 5, because I get home at 4, and I have to do homework etc first.

I'll start him on the sunflowers tonight. How much would you suggest for a first dose, so he doesn't get diarrhea?

I have a coat supplement from Omega Feeds. (http://www.omegafeeds.com.au/omega-feeds-maxicoat.php) It's the kernels and oil from sunflowers seeds, but it's a sample, so it wont last long enough to work..?

If you do the sunflower seeds (BOSS), start with maybe a quarter cup and work your way up to at least a cup a day. Be aware that anymore than a cup will put more weight on your horse though. I took a look at the supplement and it sounds like it might really do some good too. I'm sure you would need more than just a sample though. If BOSS is that expensive (it runs about $19 to $24 for a 40# bag here in the states, depending on the season), it might be more economical to try something else rich in fatty oils. I'm not familiar with the stuff spahetti legs recommended - guess it's not sold here in the states, but it wouldn't hurt to check into it.

[spaghetti legs]

http://www.mitavite.com.au/mitavite06/ECONOMIX-product-main.asp

http://www.stanceglobal.com.au/Staging/Equine/DynamicPage.aspx?EntityId=103231

My own TB gets economix, copra, lucerne chaff and equilibrium each day.

[mandalea]

Copra is great for coat condition and putting some meat on the bones without being heating. Economix is an allrounder feed that puts a beautiful bloom on the coat and will provide some extra calories for winter.

I would, but he doesn't need any more weight :lol:

Just adding, that black sunflower seeds are really expensive here and the others are probably better options.

I have one of those green garbage bins with the black lids that have metal handles to hold the lid on - it's choka block with BOSS, and I've had it for a while, so I don't think I'll run out any time soon :lol:

What about speedy beet? I have plenty of that to :D

But would it just put weight on? :confused:

[mandalea]

I took a look at the supplement and it sounds like it might really do some good too. I'm sure you would need more than just a sample though

Yeah.

I can get a big bucket for $30, which I will hopefully be able to get soon..

Just have to convince my mum that he needs it.. :confused: :uhoh:

He's on MSM, but it doesn't seem to be doing much, and she reckons that's all he needs, but it's been about a month, and he hasn't really changed.

I dunno. I'll go for a wander around the produce and see what I find :)

[sid]

Most horses do not need corn carbs.

My concern would be buying bulk corn that it may not have passed muster for no fumoncin contamination (cow corn) that can be deadly to horses, even in small amounts.

[spaghetti legs]

well u know if he doesn't need weight than why not keep him rugged 24/7 that will most certainly help with his coat condition. as will giving him a good brush every day. A hessian rug when winter is over will help rub out the winter coat and shine up the summer coat.

[mandalea]

well u know if he doesn't need weight than why not keep him rugged 24/7 that will most certainly help with his coat condition.

Because it's 34* + at the moment :lol::yes: