At Hestevard, we are always looking for the best ingredients for your horse and making sure we offer balanced nutrition that not only meets your horses dietary needs, but is 'the difference' for their nutrition and wellbeing.
This blog is the first in a series, where we will be looking a little closer at some of our ingredients - some of which you may never have come across before, and therefore you may understandably have a few questions we would like to clear up for you.
This first in our series takes a look at Micronised Sugar Beet Pulp. This is an ingredient with very humble beginnings - but we wrap a lot of science around the humble Sugar Beet in order to get a very balanced ingredient.
Of course at Hestevard, we don't just use Sugar Beet in Biofix-40, we use Micronized (also sometimes spelt Micronised depending on which part of the world you live in) Sugar Beet Pulp. You might take one look at the Biofix-40 label and say WOW the first ingredient is Sugar - that can't be good for my horse. WELL let us just stop you there for a moment and explain just exactly what Micronized Sugar Beet is as it is a brilliant ingredient and you don't need to worry about the sugar.
What is Micronized Sugar Beet Pulp? Sugar Beet versus Sugar versus Micronized Sugar Beet
First thing first here - let's talk apples and apples! Sugar Beet, Sugar and Micronised Sugar Beet Pulp are very different ingredients when it comes to horse feed and nutrition, and here's why...
Micronised Sugar Beet Pulp is a feed ingredient that is made from sugar beet, a root vegetable (similar in many ways to a turnip or swede) that is commonly grown in temperate climates - in fact an awful lot of sugar beet is grown in the UK (our Head of Marketing's grandparents used to grow it on their farm in Yorkshire for many many years). Sugar Beet in its natural state was traditionally (and still is today) grown to produce sugar. However, in the case of our Sugar Beet, we process the pulp to remove the sugar, then it is dried before being ground into a fine powder. This powder is known as Micronized Sugar Beet Pulp - yes, it's still Sugar Beet but it is Sugar Beet without the sugar.
Why is Micronised Sugar Beet Pulp used in some horse feed and Hestevard supplements such as Biofix-40?
The main reason Micronized sugar beet pulp is used in horse feed is due to its high fibre content. Fibre is an important component of a horse's diet as it helps maintain digestive health and this in turn helps a horse's natural defences against conditions such as colic.
The fibre in Sugar Beet Pulp is also particularly beneficial for horses as it is fermentable, which means it helps promote healthy gut bacteria and provides a slow release of energy.
In addition, Micronized Sugar Beet Pulp is also a great source of non-structural carbohydrates, which are an important source of energy for horses, particularly those in heavy work, training or competition. It contains a broad range of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, which are essential for supporting healthy bones, teeth, and muscle function within the horse.
Micronised Sugar Beet Summary
Overall, Micronized Sugar Beet Pulp is a useful feed & nutrition ingredient for horses due to its high fibre content and energy-providing carbohydrates. It can be used as a partial replacement for other feed ingredients such as grains, particularly for horses which may be more susceptible to metabolic or digestive problems.
At Hestevard, we have used this as the based for our Biofix-40 - a nutitious mini-pellet supplement to support your horses hooves. We've chosed Micronised Sugar Beet Pulp as the base as it provides a high fibre base, has had the sugar removed, and provides slow release energy. Combine this clever base with a super high level of Biotin (40mg per 100g), throw in a balance of other Vitamins and Minerals and we think we are on to a winner - but of course we want to hear from you too and see the results as we launch this new supplement.
In simple terms, Micronised Sugar Beet is Sugar Beet with the Sugar element removed.
We hope reading this blog has shared with you just how good an ingredient Micronised Sugar Beet Pulp is and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us via info@hestevard.com
