Concentrates (Grain)

[Vindicated]

Those of you that keep your horses at home (or rather are responsible for day to day stuff)
What do you feed?

Testimonials?

[Travis]

[quote="Vindicated"]Those of you that keep your horses at home (or rather are responsible for day to day stuff)
What do you feed?

I feed clean crimped oats on top of free choice of good T&A. Plus hoof supplements and electrolytes as needed.
I've been wondering about adding "oats balancer supplements"?
My 3 horses are lower level eventers right now.

[spex4me]

I have really been pleased with Southern States Reliance and Legends. I also add corn or vegetable oil to it. I feed alfalfa so I look for a lower protein higher fat concentrate. I also purchase my vaccines from SS, as by the time Jeffer's or Valley Vet get done with their shipping charges they are about $3 each cheaper to purchase in store.

[KBEquine]

We feed McCauley's 14% for the breeding stock & performance horses & Passtime for the retirees & loafers. McCauley's is price-y but we can feed less to maintain weight & bloom. They get salt blocks, too.

Their hay is a mix of locally grown timothy, broome grass, orchard grass & alfalfa. We are lucky that many local farmers know how to make & store horse-quality hay in the big round bales, which are more cost-effective. We don't actually have a tractor big enough to lift the round bales with a bale spike, but bought an ingenious 'bale mover' built by Amish farmers & can pull it with a medium-sized tractor to set the bales out.

The horses always have hay in front of them because most of the pastures are over-grazed & we haven't established the last 2 pastures on the '5 year plan' yet. Afterwards, we'll be better able to rotate pastures.

The round bales are fed free choice & the main issue is the possibility of botulism. We do botulism innoculations & haven't had any problems. Even the horses who live rough come through the winter in good weight & health & I think it is largely because they can eat enough hay to keep warm through the worst parts of the winter.

We live in limestone country, so their well-water has a lot of calcium in it.

[griff]

saw a feeding article in "The Horse" recently. You might want to look it up.. If I still have it I will get back to you via this board..

In essence, horses did not evolve in boxes nor did they evolve eating grain. Both creat problems which keep our Vets busy and pocket books empty.

griff

[Bunty Lawless]

saw a feeding article in "The Horse" recently. You might want to look it up.. If I still have it I will get back to you via this board..

In essence, horses did not evolve in boxes nor did they evolve eating grain. Both creat problems which keep our Vets busy and pocket books empty.

griff

Yep! Less is more.

[Bondama]

I agree, too. Both my stallion and mare get a just half a scoop of grain, once a day mixed with 2 coffee cups of crimped oats and 1 coffee cup of Calf Manna. free choice alfalfa bale, free choice mineral blocks. Can't see a rib on em. I only give them some grain because they expect and love it! <lol>

[Vindicated]

For some reason good hay has become really scarce in this area-and the stuff that is decent is sky high.

Preferably, I would feed the loafers good quality hay and minimal grain.

But with quality hay being hard to get, I am having to be increasingly dependent on the concentrates-especially since the grass has not come in yet.

[griff]

why are you feeding calf manna to a stallion??

griff

[Bondama]

Griff, why would I not? <curious>

[griff]

calf mamma is a substitute for milk.. It's suppose to be fed to baby calves so you can sell their momma['s milk,

Why does yoiu stallion need a substitute for milk,,

griff

[Laurierace]

Calf manna is also fed as a relatively easy to digest protein source. I prefer a good ration balancer myself but it does the job.

[Bunty Lawless]

calf mamma is a substitute for milk.. It's suppose to be fed to baby calves so you can sell their momma['s milk,

Why does yoiu stallion need a substitute for milk,,

griff

Know several old horseman that use it religiously. Of course they don't use drugs or inject ankles on their horses either. I think it is a good source of 'feel good' energy for a horse.

[griff]

Look at the ingrediants listed on the tag,, it's made out of soybeans and powered milk.

If you want to dapple your stallion get him on brewers years and/or beet pulp.

griff

[Laurierace]

Or if you are happy with your horses condition and health, don't change anything.