# need advice on Milo



## dobie girl (Sep 14, 2011)

I need quick advice. My current feeding for 2 donkeys and a 5 month old Welsh/Quarter weanling is:
The foal gets a half scoop of Omelene 300, a half scoop of mini alfalfa cubes and continuous wormer.
The donkeys share half a scoop of 12% pellets and half scoop of the mini cubes. I feed this twice a day.
I don't have access to affordable hay, my vet says this is sufficient roughage and they'll be ok until the hay situation improves. My neighbor has Milo round bales and says it's ok for equines, but I can't find anyone who agrees. My vet said it can cause urinary problems. Any opinions here? Is my alfalfa cube regiment ok?


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

Personally I think the Omelene 300 is a bit hot. I feed Nutrena Mare & Foal to my lactating mares and creep-feed the foals. I keep the babies on it until about 1 yr. Donkeys are more like goats...they can eat almost anything and still survive. What you're giving them is fine. Horses can eat milo but you will run the risk of Prussic Acid poisoning, so I wouldn't do it. Alfalfa cubes are OK, you might also look at beet pulp. Good luck!

Mike


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## panhandle9400 (Jan 17, 2010)

I myself wont feed any cane or sorghum types of feed for that reason, A few years back I had a roping horse that could not stretch out and pee because there was a restriction in his urinary tract. Took him to a horse vet near Canyon texas. Had a sonagram done and it showed that there was a sand type substance in him that was cutting off the flow of pee . The vet ask me what type of feed he had been getting, just so happens he was getting cane hay along with some cows. My understanding was the cane type feed can make sort of kidney type stones or sludge. I prefer oat hay or wheat hay with out beards. I know alot of folks who feed cane type hay to horses ? maybe they have the same problems ? My other horses were not affected that same way as he was? maybe didnt eat enough of it ?


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

With a five month old I would not risk it. If at all possible get a big round of brohme or grass hay to give better roughage. At that age they are not as strong internialy as a grown horse. This is just my opinion I have three mares and have been around horses most of my 50 yrs but am not a vet. If you are in the south and hay is hard to find it would be worth it for the sake of the horse. I have fed milo bales to my cows while the horses were with them and had no problems but there was prairie hay as the main sourse of feed. Ps for what you spend in grain the bale is not very expensive if you keep the donkeys out of it. good luck and be safe


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

We used to raise sudan/sudax grass and chopped it for the cows, however we wouldn't risk feeding it to the cows if we were in a drought, I would think Milo would be about the same. Might see if you can get a sample of it and have it tested to see if it's compatible for horses. I take it your in one of the severe drought areas?


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