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OK. So I am on a budget and trying to find a happy medium between high-quality grain/ingredients and low-cost feed.
Currently I have my boys on DuMor (TSC brand) feed, senior for the old guy and mare and foal for the yearling. But I'm considering switching at least the old guy to a mix of oats and sweet feed thats about $5 cheaper a bag at the local feed store and supports a local business as opposed to chain. Baby I'm not sure on... IDK if I want him on that high energy of a feed. And he seems happy on his not-terribly-expensive-but-not-cheap-either grain.
I just don't like that their grain has "by-products" as main ingredient... And it's around $18-19 a bag for old man and $16-17 for baby.
That said, anyone got any articles on this? Or any advice?
I am currently feeding: -DuMor grain (4 scoops (3 quart scoop) a day for old, 2 scoops a day for baby) -soaked alfalfa cubes (mostly free choice, but around 1 5-gallon bucket each a day) -soaked beet pulp (may take them off this as it's expensive and not doing much... about 4 gallons each a day) -as much burmuda grass hay as they want -whatever grass they find in their 3ish acre pasture (it's just them two) -old guy gets 8 oz Cool Calories dry fat supplement in an attempt to add weight on him (not working a ton) -each get 2/3 oz dry/granulated MSM supplement -putting them back on ground flax seed. Prob gonna be 4 oz each a day.
They're on my land and I'm home days all day, so I spread out feeding throughout the day. And I can do some stuff that requires more involvement |
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Honestly, if theyre both doing well on their current feed, I wouldnt change it. An older horse might be more prone to colic and other issues on that high sugar feed. |
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I really liked Tribute Kalm Ultra for keeping weight on.
Currently, my crew are on a ration balancer, and my hard keeper gets a fat supplement.
Buckeye Nutrition Grow N' Win (both)
Buckeye Ultimate Finish 25 (hard keeper)
You can get both off chewy. |
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The Overlook said:
Honestly, if theyre both doing well on their current feed, I wouldnt change it. An older horse might be more prone to colic and other issues on that high sugar feed.
Good point... Baby is doing GREAT on feed, which is why I'm uninclined to switch his until May when I switch him to "grown-up" feed instead of mare and foal. But old guy STILL isn't gaining... And his feed is so damn expensive. I'm dropping about $200 a month just on his feed. Probably like $75 on baby's feed. And well over $100 on hay/alfalfa/beet pulp |
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Jellos Warmbloods said:
I really liked Tribute Kalm Ultra for keeping weight on.
Currently, my crew are on a ration balancer, and my hard keeper gets a fat supplement.
Buckeye Nutrition Grow N' Win (both)
Buckeye Ultimate Finish 25 (hard keeper)
You can get both off chewy.
Hmmm... I'll have to look into those. May I ask how much they cost? |
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Talk to your Vet about feeds. Find out what exactly the 'by-products' are. |
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Vecchia Modo said:
Talk to your Vet about feeds. Find out what exactly the 'by-products' are.
I've briefly discussed it with him, as I intern with him. He said to up their grain (but I worry about founder/laminitis and colic) and he is very anti-supplement. But I have seen SUCH an improvement in Bid (old guy) on MSM. Though, Cool Calories don't seem to be doing much... |
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If the vet says increase their grain, I'd increase the grain, and try a weight gain and if Cool Calories isnt doing it, Id try Purina Amplify. Its a high fat, high calorie supplement that Ive seen work.. I really wouldnt switch him unless increasing the grain doesnt work |
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The Overlook said:
If the vet says increase their grain, I'd increase the grain, and try a weight gain and if Cool Calories isnt doing it, Id try Purina Amplify. Its a high fat, high calorie supplement that Ive seen work.. I really wouldnt switch him unless increasing the grain doesnt work
I have increased his grain. He's been on 1 scoop twice a day since he was 22. He lost weight due to bad boarding situation and in trying to put it back on, he's slowly been upped to 2-2.5 scoops twice a day. |
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Etoile Noir Elites said:
The Overlook said:
If the vet says increase their grain, I'd increase the grain, and try a weight gain and if Cool Calories isnt doing it, Id try Purina Amplify. Its a high fat, high calorie supplement that Ive seen work.. I really wouldnt switch him unless increasing the grain doesnt work
I have increased his grain. He's been on 1 scoop twice a day since he was 22. He lost weight due to bad boarding situation and in trying to put it back on, he's slowly been upped to 2-2.5 scoops twice a day.
id try the Amplify. Might work better than Cool Calories |
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Clear with Temps dropping into the Teens
