midnight star stables
Well-Known Member
I've been wanting to add a type of hay cube/chunk to my horses' diets for a while now, but I tell you, it isn't easy choosing! I have my final three choices picked out and I was wondering if which one you prefer?
The reason behind wanting to add a roughage based feed is not to take away anything from my current diet but rather just add a little more to it. I like to practice halter with a chunk style feed, so a hay based feed would be ideal for that. I also just think it be a good way to add to my picky eaters, weanlings and seniors' current diet.
Quality, digestibility and hind gut health are my top priorities along with not mixing up their current individual complete feed diets too much.
Roughage Chunks
"Roughage Chunks is a fortified horse feed with built-in-roughage formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of the inactive to mildly active horse. Roughage Chunks can replace part of the daily hay ration for performance horses and all of the daily hay ration for senior horses with little to no teeth. The calories in Roughage Chunks are derived predominantly from fibre. Contains Purina Yeast Culture."
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein.................min. ................ 12.5%
Crude Fat.....................min. ................ 1.5%
Crude Fibre.................. max.................. 25.0%
Sodium (Na)..................actual................ 0.4%
Calcium (Ca).................actual................ 0.8%
Phosphorus (P)...............actual................ 0.45%
Horse Hay Extender
"Horse Hay Extender is a partial hay replacer. This horse product can replace 50% of the hay normally fed to an individual horse when hay is short or of inferior quality. It can replace all the daily hay ration for senior horses with little to no teeth. The calories in Horse Hay Extender are coming predominantly from fibre."
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein ................ min. ............... 12.0%
Crude Fat....................... min. ............. 2.0%
Crude Fibre....................max................. 30.0%
Calcium.........................actual............. 0.8%
Phosphorus (P).............actual.................. 0.35%
Hi Fat Hi Fibre
"Hi Fat Hi Fibre is a horse feed designed to meet the nutrient requirements of performance horses, breeding horses, and horses that tie-up or get "hot" of grain. Calories are coming predominantly from fat and fibre. Hi Fat Hi Fibre is ideal for horses that have problem with starch (grain) based feeds. Contains Purina Yeast Culture."
Crude Protein ................ min................. 13.0%
Crude Fat..................... min................. 6.0%
Crude Fibre....................max................. 25.0%
Sodium (Na)................. actual................ 0.45%
Calcium.....................actual................. 0.85%
Phosphorus (P)................actual............... 0.55%
Of the three, the Roughage Chunks and Hi Fat Hi Fibre both appear to be "complete feeds" whereas the Horse Hay Extender appears to be just that - a partial hay replacer. Should I just go with the partial hay replacer if that is all I am really looking for? I find it hard to turn away the yeast that "increases digestibility, regulates microbes in hind-gut and utilization of nutrients, resulting in increased energy and protein utilization" of the Roughage Chunks; and the features of the Hi Fat Hi Fibre that "Promote healthy hooves and coat, increased athletic performance, body condition and appearance" among other things.
So thoughts?
The reason behind wanting to add a roughage based feed is not to take away anything from my current diet but rather just add a little more to it. I like to practice halter with a chunk style feed, so a hay based feed would be ideal for that. I also just think it be a good way to add to my picky eaters, weanlings and seniors' current diet.
Quality, digestibility and hind gut health are my top priorities along with not mixing up their current individual complete feed diets too much.
Roughage Chunks
"Roughage Chunks is a fortified horse feed with built-in-roughage formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of the inactive to mildly active horse. Roughage Chunks can replace part of the daily hay ration for performance horses and all of the daily hay ration for senior horses with little to no teeth. The calories in Roughage Chunks are derived predominantly from fibre. Contains Purina Yeast Culture."
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein.................min. ................ 12.5%
Crude Fat.....................min. ................ 1.5%
Crude Fibre.................. max.................. 25.0%
Sodium (Na)..................actual................ 0.4%
Calcium (Ca).................actual................ 0.8%
Phosphorus (P)...............actual................ 0.45%
Horse Hay Extender
"Horse Hay Extender is a partial hay replacer. This horse product can replace 50% of the hay normally fed to an individual horse when hay is short or of inferior quality. It can replace all the daily hay ration for senior horses with little to no teeth. The calories in Horse Hay Extender are coming predominantly from fibre."
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein ................ min. ............... 12.0%
Crude Fat....................... min. ............. 2.0%
Crude Fibre....................max................. 30.0%
Calcium.........................actual............. 0.8%
Phosphorus (P).............actual.................. 0.35%
Hi Fat Hi Fibre
"Hi Fat Hi Fibre is a horse feed designed to meet the nutrient requirements of performance horses, breeding horses, and horses that tie-up or get "hot" of grain. Calories are coming predominantly from fat and fibre. Hi Fat Hi Fibre is ideal for horses that have problem with starch (grain) based feeds. Contains Purina Yeast Culture."
Crude Protein ................ min................. 13.0%
Crude Fat..................... min................. 6.0%
Crude Fibre....................max................. 25.0%
Sodium (Na)................. actual................ 0.45%
Calcium.....................actual................. 0.85%
Phosphorus (P)................actual............... 0.55%
Of the three, the Roughage Chunks and Hi Fat Hi Fibre both appear to be "complete feeds" whereas the Horse Hay Extender appears to be just that - a partial hay replacer. Should I just go with the partial hay replacer if that is all I am really looking for? I find it hard to turn away the yeast that "increases digestibility, regulates microbes in hind-gut and utilization of nutrients, resulting in increased energy and protein utilization" of the Roughage Chunks; and the features of the Hi Fat Hi Fibre that "Promote healthy hooves and coat, increased athletic performance, body condition and appearance" among other things.
So thoughts?