STRATEGY VS. ULTIUM

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I am considering switching to Strategy or Ultium for my feeding program as my mill just shut down where I was getting my grain, thanks to the economy. 

Strategy is about $13 per bag and is 14% protein and 6% fat ------ Ultium is about $19 per bag and is 11.7% protein and 12.4% fat. 

I need something that will provide adequate nutrients for breeding stallions, open and bred mares of all gestations, weanlings, growing horses, hard keepers (I have 3 of various ages) and my new rescue that has been 'dropped off' here at my farm (long story - photos and story to come in another post). I am not looking to add a supplement to this feeding program besides my regular mare & foal supplement to late gestation and lactating mares. 

The horses will also be getting alfalfa pellets and either coastal or fescue hay (non-preggo mares and all others get fescue) as well twice per day. three times a day for my hard keepers and rescue.

Would love your opinions and would also like to know how much to feed of Strategy and how much to feed of Ultium per 100lbs.  

 

[Leeana]

Strategy works wonders here.......

For everything..show horses, breeding stallions, growing horses, broodmares and just about everything else. I do Buckeye Foal Starter and creep feed to sucklings though when I creep feed. I like the Buckeye growth too.

 

[Little Bits]

I love Strategy. I have always fed my racehorses, broodmares and foals, ect it. I tried the Ultmuin and they really didn't like to eat it and it took a long time to get them switched over. Hanover Shoe farms one of the premier Standardbred breeding farm in the country feeds Strategy and oats. (They have had more winners in purse monies and races then anyone.) Their horse step into the sale ring and they just look awesome. My horses always look like a million bucks.

Stargegy is a very heavy weighted feed if you measure one cup of Strategy and one cup of something else you will be surprised how much weight it carries. You feed by weight . I believe it is 1% of the body weight per pound. I believe you can feed up to 4 cups.

Right now I am feeding my yearling colt 2 cups Strategy 1 cup whole oats. My old man 1 cup of each as he is a very easy keeper. And the 4 year old gets 1 of each as he is a very small and low maintenance. I have also added beet pulp to my rescues nothing adds weight faster. They also get timothy hay. I try to feed hay that will keep them busy. They get corn oil and flax seed to

I am not sure what you would feed a mini for the Ultimum. I tried my minis on other feeds but I found I was not happy with the way they looked and switched them back to my good old good old. IMO Ultium isn't worth the money. You also feed a variety of other good feeds and think it would be a waste of your money to pay $22 a bag. IMO

 

[Willow Tree Miniatures]

"I am not sure what you would feed a mini for the Ultimum. I tried my minis on other feeds but I found I was not happy with the way they looked and switched them back to my good old good old. IMO Ultium isn't worth the money. You also feed a variety of other good feeds and think it would be a waste of your money to pay $22 a bag. IMO"

Ditto here...

I LOVE Strategy... I feed it to all ages.

http://horse.purinamills.com/products/complete_list.asp

I don't think based on the Purina website that the Ultium is really designed for miniatures (non-athletes)...

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Right now I am feeding my yearling colt 2 cups Strategy 1 cup whole oats. My old man 1 cup of each as he is a very easy keeper. And the 4 year old gets 1 of each as he is a very small and low maintenance. I have also added beet pulp to my rescues nothing adds weight faster. They also get timothy hay. I try to feed hay that will keep them busy. They get corn oil and flax seed too

I will be quite honest and say that I have some of the WORST pick eaters you could ever hope to find! 

All except for one stallion and my ole reliable QH (a living garbage disposal) - NO ONE will eat corn oil (even if the bucket smells like it they won't touch the feed), cocosoya oil, weight gain supplements (they eat around it every time), beet pulp (wet or dry), soaked alfalfa cubes, ANY kind of "mash" or anything "soaked" and half of them don't like oats and will eat around them as well. I have tried "waiting it out" with them and they don't care - they'd rather be hungry than eat any of the listed above. 

I have used Strategy on my big ones in the past and liked it and would just like to know how you guys like the feeds. From what I am hearing, it looks like I am going to be going with Strategy after all.

My newest rescue is a 33.5" gelding and has prominent ribs, spine, tail head, hip bones, etc. Clean fecal test, teeth freshly floated today, UTD on shots now and got an overall clean bill of health besides being underweight. How much Strategy and Alfalfa pellets should I feed per meal? He has access to fescue hay 24/7 as well.

Thanks very much! 

 

[Miniv]

Katie,

Just look at the content tags and I think you will figure it out........

You listed various horses that all require higher protein for various reasons......For me that would NIL the Ultium. Plus, look at the additional products in Strategy, ie - vitamins, minerals, etc....... Do a real comparison and I think you will answer your own question.

 

[kimie28]

I fed Triple Crown for years and thought I would never change but when I got my new colt last year....he wouldn't eat and I was worried after a few days. I was told he ate just fine where he came from and was on Strategy so I picked up a bag. He ate it right down so I googled and researched and found a lot of people really liked it. I then decided I would give it a try and slowly converted everybody over. I (and the horses) really love it! AND the bonus is it is almost $5 cheaper per bag then the Triple Crown!!! Even better!

 

[wildoak]

I love Ultium for horses who need it, ie hard keepers, but would not use it across the board as it really packs the weight on. I've never been a Strategy fan but know plenty of folks who use and love it, would probably be a better choice for a "one size fits all" feed and then add a weight builder to the ones who need it. I just happened on Omega Horseshine at TSC the other day and bought a bag - the Horse Journal rates it # 1 in its class and I've heard lots of positive things about it. So far my horses all love it.

Jan

 

[mel]

If anyone needs the feeding chart I have one that Purina emailed me. I would be happy to forward it to anyone who needs it.

 

[wingnut]

The Purina rep I've worked with has recommended the Ultium for my hardkeeper mare. We've been trying the local mill's senior feeds instead, but she prefers the Omolene 300 the 1 yr olds are getting. Since we've only gotten her really eating again (since teeth floating and realizing she was turning her nose up at the other feeds) in the last couple of months, I haven't switched her. We're about to open another bag of the Omolene. If she doesn't pick up the weight faster than she is right night, I might make the jump to the Ultium.

Once the babies are officially one year (late April and late May), I think I'm switching the 3 younger ones to Strategy. None of them need Ultium...they'd put on too much weight.

 

[~Lisa~]

I personally do not really put much into the bag listed protien amounts- most of our minis and ponies (even those that are hard keepers I have a barn full of hard keepers) do not get the recommended bag amounts so that protien content is not really all that accurate. My horses get their daily protien needs met thru their hay.

That said for my hard keepers after trying so many different feeds we have found that a 70/30 alfalfa/orchard hay-beet pulp- equine Jr and race ready meet what we need.

I personally am not a fan of strategy but that is just me we all have our own likes and dislikes.

For me the race ready gives them the energy they need and the Jr has really helped fill them out along with the beet pulp so it is working great. Even my one easy keeper has actually lost some weight on the race ready/Jr combo he has more energy- plays more with the other horses and is looking really good but you may have to try several different things until you find what works for you.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Thanks guys for all your help. I think I am going to go with Strategy and add a weight supplement to those that need it. . . .has anyone heard of "DUMOR WEIGHT BOOSTER"? The reviews on TSC's website have been good but would like to know how it works with the little ones. Also has anyone tried "FOCUS WT" or "COOL CALORIES"?

Thanks!

 

[JWC sr.]

We have fed stradegy for about 4 years to all the outside horses, ie Broodmares, Breeding stallions and Yearling pastures. With very good results.

We recently switched to the Horsemans edge pellet which has a 6% fat and either 12 or 14% protien depending on which you want. It is the same compostion as the stradegy as far as hardness etc etc and is about 2 -2.50 per bag cheaper.

We have some big horse friends that have fed this horsemans edge for several years and has had good results with it. So we are going to try it.

We are also experimenting with using the Horsemans Edge sweet feed as versus the omeline 200 for the show horses with our regular package of additives such as the red cell, corn oil etc.. We will see how that goes.

Something else that most folks may not know is the Race ready and Omeline 500 are exactly the same mix and feed according to the purina sales rep here. Just packaged differently to appeal to a broader range of buyers.

 

[Little Bits]

I think if everyone sat down and had all the nutritional labels for all the different feeds many of them are comparable. The company maybe different but the feeds are pretty much the same. Companies do to much marketing and have caused consumer confusion.

I got a rescue last fall. He was extremely thin his coat was very long and was curly. He had a 105 (yes 105!!) temp for 3 weeks and snots like you could never imagine. I still can't believe he didn't founder after all he had been through. He would not eat grain, picked at his hay. He eventually came around and started eating. What I found that helped him the most was feeding him 2 cups wet beet pulp and 2 cups strategy, 1 cup of charger twice a day then I sneaked him lunch of 2 cups Strategy. He is a different horse. I stopped the beet pulp and sweet feed once he turned into a chow hound and he was a little hyper from it. Still a little thin but doing quite well. He made a complete 180 turn around. I found that was the best thing. I liked the beet pulp because it added calories and much need hydration. I like the Strategy because it does what it always has for me. The Charger I put in initially to get him to eat. I wouldn't hesitate to start him on beet pulp. I quit giving older horses beet pulp, one got diarrhea, and the other one started to look like a broodmare. LOL

As far as corn oil. You have to add a little at a time like by the drop full till they are used to it. My friend gives her horses it in a 10cc syringe. They actually bet for it. No kidding.

Oats there are many different oats. I feed whole oats. There are also rolled and crimped. Oats need to be clean not dusty. I start them on them a little at a time. Maybe a tablespoon and then increase it once they start cleaning it up. I have never not been able to convert on to them.

Good Luck.

 

[ClickMini]

I have gone back and forth on Strategy over many years. Last year I had switched back to it after the price on the Allegra Cadence had gone up. After using it for about 8 or 9 months, my horses were significantly less conditioned. I have switched back to the Allegra Cadence, and the change in the horses was immediate. They put on weight and I had to cut back on the total amount I was feeding some of them. My big horses look a LOT better. I'll be staying with the Cadence.

 

[Allure Ranch]

I love Ultium for horses who need it, ie hard keepers, but would not use it across the board as it really packs the weight on. I've never been a Strategy fan but know plenty of folks who use and love it, would probably be a better choice for a "one size fits all" feed and then add a weight builder to the ones who need it. I just happened on Omega Horseshine at TSC the other day and bought a bag - the Horse Journal rates it # 1 in its class and I've heard lots of positive things about it. So far my horses all love it.Jan

[SIZE=12pt]Jan, what feed do you utilize?[/SIZE]

 

[Equine Xpress]

WOW I wish we had your prices here in Canada.

Buckeye Grow N Win 35.00 for 50 lb bag

Buckeye Ulitmate finish 40 -- $90 a pail

We cannot get Strategy here.

Companies here in Canada are Purina and Masterfeeds, and a few others, and then a few that produce lower quality feeds. Purina here is not the same as Purina USA.

Most of the feeds that are comparable to Strategy here are about 25.00 per bag. OUR BAGS ARE ONLY 18kg. this converts to 39.6 lbs. So even more of a rip off.

Purina makes alot of there feed with beet pulp. I am not a beet pulp fan. To me its empty Sugar calories. JMO

Buckeye produces low glycemic feeds. I just switched over to them last Nov even tho they are more money per bag, they claim you don't have to feed as much, and you can feed more hay. The only thing so far is the Ultimate finish 25, a few didn't like.

Right now I am using their Grow N Win, and Growth.

 

[Shortpig]

Thanks guys for all your help. I think I am going to go with Strategy and add a weight supplement to those that need it. . . .has anyone heard of "DUMOR WEIGHT BOOSTER"? The reviews on TSC's website have been good but would like to know how it works with the little ones. Also has anyone tried "FOCUS WT" or "COOL CALORIES"?
Thanks!

I don't use either of those right now i have switched everyone over to Nutrena Safechoice. I don't have any hard keepers here only easy keepers.

I have however used Cool Calories for large horses I rescued that really needed to gain weight. Cool Calories is great. It really helped to pack on the weight. Only thing is you have to add it slowly and build up from there. But the horses I have used it on just loved it. Hope that helps.

 

[wildoak]

Kimberle, I'm feeding Bluebonnet feeds now, have been for a couple of months and happy with them so far. I started out with the 12% pellet as that's what the feed store carried at first but have bumped up to the 14%. It's probably comparable to Strategy but I like this company's ethics. They fully disclose all the feed contents, which not all companies do. This is the website blurb on it -

Equilene 14/6 Pellets is ideal for growth, performance, maintenance and breeding horses aged from foals to seniors. This Bluebonnet "Safe Carb" formula contains lower carbohydrate and starch levels. Equilene 14/6 fortified with probiotics and yeast culture, which allows for safer more complete utilization of the feed and forage. Added 6% fat level provides "Cool Energy" calories for maximum performance and appearance.

Look at www.bluebonnetfeeds.com for info. I know it's not available all over the country, mostly in the south/southwest I think, made in OK.

Jan

 

[Mominis]

I tried Ultium, I'm not a fan.