Weanlings must be fed a high-quality hay. Alfalfa is a first choice, if available. Weanlings will eat 2.5-2.75 pounds of feed per 100 pounds of body weight. Feed at least a pound of high-quality forage per 100 pounds of weight or feed to appetite. Or hay can make up about 60 percent of the ration, with grain or concentrate being the other 40 percent.
Some owners feed high amounts of grain, especially to weanlings being prepared for show or sale.
But remember, as grain level increases so does the risk of colic and founder. If you feed legume hays, the grain ration should contain 13-14 percent crude protein. With grass hays, the protein level of the grain mix should be 14-16 percent. The grain mix must provide adequate lysine, the first limiting amino acid. Balance the ration for minerals and vitamins.