The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Feeding questions

3K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Rackon 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello from a newbie in OH.

I recently brought my 2 QH mares to a new boarding facility because after 2 months at the previous place they lost about 150 lbs each. At least. Suffice to say, the barn owner can't feed worth a hoot. There isn't a fat horse on her farm! (I was there 2 mos. that was enough damage) I could go into the excuses I was given etc.. and there WAS feed and hay there I just think she didn't feed enough of what she was giving.

Anyway, so my girls are back in my care, their teeth were done in the spring and they're regularly wormed. My question is feed. I have access to the following products: Purina, Nutrena, and Tizwhiz. Also got a flyer on a feed called Premier and i'll lay out the details below on it. I did pick up Strategy to start with because of the quick move and am feeding 3.5 lbs per day --working them up slowly not knowing how much they were fed at the other place and I've only had them at the new place since Monday..

I would love to hear your recommendations on feed. In a perfect world I would love to have Buckeye feeds (their Cadence formula is corn free) but its not local and crazy expensive to get otherwise.

Nutrena SC (from reading i see Peggy sue hate it lol) is here at 12.99 per bag and on another forum its told that its low in corn and startch.. Strategy is 13.80 and a friend feeds Tizwhiz structure and its about 13.99 a bag..

This Premier feed i can get at 8 a bag (thats a shock) but from what you see below, does it look to be lacking? I don't get a good feeling with it. but I'm trying to put weight on. Once they get up to par, they're easy keepers.

I'm hoping to pick up some Omega Horse shine too that has flax meal etc..

Other tips/suggestions? The mares are 8 years old and I have a weanling filly to feed too but she's fine on wt. but i'd like to not have to buy several different feeds to mix between the 3 of them. ---Oh and hay is grass hay fed free choice and they are out 95% of the day.

Premier 14% Pellet details:
Protein % min14.00
Fat % min4.00
Fiber % max8.00
Calcium % min0.70
Phos % min0.65
Ca/P ratio1.08
Copper ppm min20.00
Zinc ppm min85.00
Iron ppm min21.00
Selenium ppm0.54
Vit. A IU/# min7,000.00
Vit. D IU/# min1,280.00
Vit. E IU/# min20.00
 
See less See more
#2 · (Edited)
I feed Strategy to all my horses. They are between ages 9 and 2 and range from 900-1000 lbs. I feed 24-7 free choice grass hay or pasture (season permitting) and 1 lb of strategy per day.
I would keep an eye on their weight. If they start getting chubby cut back on the strategy.
We just trail ride 3-5 times a week so no really heavy training.
The babys have been on strategy since they were weanlings
I did give them a supplement though.
 
#3 ·
the premier is lacking fat

strategy is much higher than starch compared to low starch feeds... (it has corn in it - and a lot of it :) )

if you were going with purina, I would suggest Ultium (reduced starch):
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS: CRUDE PROTEIN (MIN) 11.7000% CRUDE FAT (MIN) 12.4000% CRUDE FIBER (MAX) 18.5000% CALCIUM (MIN) .8500% CALCIUM (MAX) 1.0000% PHOSPHORUS (MIN) .5000% SODIUM (MIN) .2000% SODIUM (MAX) .7000% COPPER (MIN) 65.0000PPM SELENIUM (MIN) .5000PPM SELENIUM (MAX) .6000PPM ZINC (MIN) 240.0000PPM VITAMIN A (MIN) 5000.00IU/LB VITAMIN E (MIN) 150.00IU/LB

TizWhiz: I couldn't find anything I liked

Nutrena: i like the loos of XTN:
Crude Protein12.0%Lysine0.80%Methionine0.37%Crude Fat12.0%Crude Fibermax. 10.0%Calciummin. 0.75%-max. 1.05%Phosphorus0.50%Copper55 ppmZinc220 ppmSelenium0.6 ppmVitamin A4,000 IU/lbVitamin D3350 IU/lbVitamin E120 IU/lbBiotin1.0 mg/lb

JMO though :)
 
#4 ·
Ok Maybe I am missing something here?? Why do you need to feed anything other than a good grass mix hay? Even with daily riding you shouldn't need all the other feeds. Maybe the occasional oats or Sweet feed, but as long as they are getting the proper minerals etc... I don't see the need.
 
#6 ·
Purina either the Enrich32 or ultima with free choice grass hay or pasture after they get adjusted to it

Nutrena I really don't like any of their feeds becasue they are not fixed formula and they wont' tell you what is in them

TizWhiz has a ration balancer but I am not remembering the name off of top of my head right now LOL I am thinking TizWHiz30 but don't hold me to that LOL

depending on where you are there may be lots of other BETTER companies avaliable to you

In addition to whatever you decide you can also soak some beet pulp IF they will eat it ... up to 40% of the roughage a day can be beet pulp
 
#7 ·
They do enjoy beet pulp, I'll add some of that. I think you're right on the Tizwhiz 30. I think i can get Buckeye's Grow n win but other Buckeye feeds I can't get which is a real bummer because I would love to get my paws on their Cadence formula. 10% protein and 10% fat and fiber. Hear lots of good things about their feeds. Othewise Purina, Nutrena, whatever TSC sells and United Landmark which i think sells Merit are the only other ones locally.. maybe a Kent but its not terribly close.

Thanks again April
 
#8 ·
Teh Buckeye Gro N WIn is GREAT stuff ... if they have that they can get the Cadence just ask them to order it for you... OR use the Gro N Win as a base and add beet pulp adn Rice bran to up your fat and fiber!!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top