Feeding

[Mominis]

After years using Omolene 200, I switched up my feed this year to Omolene 500 and so far, I'm really happy with it. I called the people at Purina to discuss the product before I tried it and they said that the 500 is essentially Ultium in a grain form rather than pellets. Their research showed that some horses, after being on Ultium for a long time, would go off of the feed and claimed it was a palitability issue. The grain form has not proven to have those problems. The 500 is lower in protein and sugars and startches than the 200. We've been on it a couple of months and Shake looks great! Here is the label info from the 500:

CRUDE PROTEINMIN12.00%

LYSINEMIN0.65%

CRUDE FATMAX8.00%

CRUDE FIBERMIN9.00%

CALCIUM (CA)MIN0.90%

CALCIUM (CA)MAX1.20%

PHOSPHORUS MIN0.50%

COPPER (CU) MIN55PPM

SELENIUM (SE)MIN0.60PPM

ZINC (ZN)MIN220PPM

VITAMIN AMIN3000IU/LB

VITAMIN EMIN150IU/LB

When I went to the feed store last week, I saw Purina's new Miniature Horse and Pony feed and compared the labels. I have to say, I wasn't impressed with it. They are both doing well on the 500. I fed grass hay with this over the winter, but as we are slimming down for show season, I'm back to the TNT Chops Timothy/Alfalfa mix. I mix the chops in with the feed in one bucket and it slowed down the bolting of their grain, which is a peeve of mine.

Has anyone else tried the 500? I'd sure like to get your opinion on it.

Also...it struck me as strange that my vet advised that I go with the timothy/alfalfa mix hay this year with the 500, but advised me to go with the straight alfalfa last year when feeding 200. The 200 is higher in protein than the 500, also higher in sugars and starches. Does anyone have any thoughts on why he would advise the different hay? When I asked him, he said that he would be concerned with gastrointestinal issues when feeding such a high level of concentrrates, but this is actually a lower concentrate diet as the 500 contains beet pulp, considered a root forage, not a concentrate. Would love to get your thoughts.

 

[valshingle]

On my vet's advice I also tried to switch to Omolene 500 last year. Unfortunately, my feed store didn't have a fast enough turn around on it and I got a couple of bags in a row that were moldy, so I gave it up.

Can't help you on the hay issue.

I also tried Omolene 400, but couldn't stand the brickyness (is that a word,lol?) of the product.

After some problems with possible grain overload issues (colitis of unknown origin), I have switched to Strategy Healthy Edge on the advice of the vet. So far, I am very happy with it.

My vet's feeling on the new Purina Mini feed is that is more geared towards the 'average' pet mini that is an easy keeper and doesn't need much in terms of groceries. She advised against it for the show, breeding, and younger horses.

 

[Mominis]

Val, I've had the same problem with getting it fresh. I think it is that not many people are onto the 500 bandwagon yet. I call my feed store4 a week before I need it and ask them to order some in fresh for me. They have found out the hard way that I check the bagged by dates and won't accept anything bagged more than 90 days previously. So, it is a bit more of a pain in the tuckus, I agree. Still confused by the hay thing though.

 

[chandab]

When I asked him, he said that he would be concerned with gastrointestinal issues when feeding such a high level of concentrrates, but this is actually a lower concentrate diet as the 500 contains beet pulp, considered a root forage, not a concentrate.

Not sure, but alfalfa is said to help with ulcer prevention/control, so perhaps that is what he was talking about with the straight alfalfa and the 200; I really don't know. [Personally, I wouldn't feed straight alfalfa for any reason, but that's my preference. Straight grass or a nice mix works great for me.]

 

[JWC sr.]

As most of you know we usually have 6 - 10 horses in the show barn at any given time and fit them ourselves for the most part. Our farm manager talked us into trying the 500 the last two years and we are now changing to a more local feed that I think is going to do better for us. It has the same protien, fiber and fat content at about 6 dollars a bag diference in price, plus being locally milled.

First and foremost though because of the light demand for 500 it always seems to be a little stale and at times mouldy as Val referenced. I could not justify the price difference or the lack of quality we experienced with it and will not be going back. A more reasonable feed that is consistent in our area is the stockmans edge feed (grain, not pellets)from purina in our opinion and then add what else you want to as far as supplements.

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

When I asked him, he said that he would be concerned with gastrointestinal issues when feeding such a high level of concentrrates, but this is actually a lower concentrate diet as the 500 contains beet pulp, considered a root forage, not a concentrate. Would love to get your thoughts.

I think he may be referring to data that suggests too much grain (sorry don't know the % off of the top of my head) can lead to colic. Although beet pulp may not be a concentrate per se, it lacks the scratch factor that hay will have.

Dr Taylor