# Sugar beet / Speedi beet



## peanut (19 December 2007)

Please could someone tell me whether there is any nutrional or calorific difference between regular sugar beet and speedibeet.  Is the soaking time the only difference?


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## TGM (19 December 2007)

Regular sugarbeet is normally molassed and has a much higher sugar content than speedibeet which is non-molassed.  (Although just to confuse the issue you can buy pelleted unmolassed sugarbeet as well).


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## druid (19 December 2007)

I'm not sure but as an aside regular sugar beet (both pelleted and flaked) is ready to feed in 10mins if made up with boiling water too....


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## peanut (19 December 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Regular sugarbeet is normally molassed and has a much higher sugar content than speedibeet which is non-molassed.  (Although just to confuse the issue you can buy pelleted unmolassed sugarbeet as well). 

[/ QUOTE ]

That was what I suspected.  But someone at my yard told me it was just the soaking time so I felt a right burk.


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## Petrie (19 December 2007)

But you can get unmolassed sugar beet shreds, which are parsnip coloured!  Strangely, it's more expensive that the molassed kind.   I find the cheapest of all is the pellets - a very little go a long way.

I use normal sugar beet shreds as they are cheaper than speedi-beet and make into a really nice juicy consistency, but I have speedi beet on hand too if I forget to mix up the other in time.  In the small quantities we feed it (half a scoop of the soaked stuff twice a day) I don't think the molasses will have much effect.  Certainly haven't noticed any.


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## TGM (19 December 2007)

Speedibeet is 5% sugar and a standard molassed sugar beet pellet such as Trident are 21% sugar.  Quite a big difference!


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## amandathepanda (19 December 2007)

I'm a skinflint so just buy the cheap sugarbeet pellets


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## Tanta (19 December 2007)

Sppedibeet is great if you have a laminitic horse or pony - approved by the Laminitis trust, and pretty safe to feed. Means I can feed my pony chaff and speedibeet and a few nuts, and she thinks she is getting a proper feed


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## ihatework (19 December 2007)

As others have said the regular pellets and shreds actually have molassess added to them (however they are a lot cheaper!!)
A handy tip if you feed these and are worried about the mollasses is to over soak them and then use a sieve to serve up the pulp. The majority of the molasses will then be left in the excess water which can be discarded.
TBH I have never seen any difference in my horses between feeding speedibeat and regular molassed SB


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## amandaco2 (19 December 2007)

i buy the pellets and soak them and drain and then soak and drain again so the water isnt that awful black colour and loads of the sugar has gone.
i dont think molassis is suited to many horses really.
speedi beet is quick soaking and not molassesed and safer for l;aminitic horses.


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## jack_the_lad (11 January 2008)

It is possible to buy unmolassed beet pulp *pellets* - Simple System do some called PuraBeet. They're quite economical - especially as you're not paying for molasses which you might throw away with the water - but need soaking for 12-24hrs.


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