Switching Feeds because of the Rising Prices??

[New2Minis]

Has anyone else experienced this?? Switching to a cheaper feed so you can afford to keep your horses?? I manage a feed store here in South Florida and have had alot of people price shopping of course but alot of people switching to the cheapet feed possible just so they can keep their horses! I totally understand but is it happening everywhere???

 

[Leeana]

I have noticed lately at my feed store when i go in to pick up my feed (Buckeye Gro N Win and, Purina Strategy and Purina Omlene 200)..they had pallets and pallets and pallets of this cheaper $8.50 purina 12% sweet feed and just a few bags of the higher priced (and quality...) grains.

I'd much rather pay a few extra dollars and know im getting quality feeds...i think especially when it comes to animal feeds you really get what you pay for...

 

[Candice]

Tough as times are I won't change feeds. We'll eat generic food, but the horses won't.

Feed prices don't have me near as concerned as the quality of hay that is coming into Fl right now. We should be seeing much better hay right now that what is coming down.

 

[bingo]

I have recently switched feeds after doing a lot of tag reading, talking to reps about actual calories per pound and what I thought my horses truly looked best on.

I have gone back to crimped oats and beet pulp with calf manna added for one meal. Orchard hay for the other.

It is a bit less expensive then the senior feed I was feeding but I feel it is best for my horses.

 

[New2Minis]

Tough as times are I won't change feeds. We'll eat generic food, but the horses won't.
Feed prices don't have me near as concerned as the quality of hay that is coming into Fl right now. We should be seeing much better hay right now that what is coming down.

I agree...you get what you pay for. BUT I have tons of customers coming in and say "Give me the cheapest horse feed you have!" As far as hay the last load we got was BEAUTIFUL!!! The nicest load we got this year do far!!!

 

[normajeanbaker]

I was browsing a Maine message board the other day, and noticed a topic on this. Many people up this way are switching to the "economy" feed some brand offers up here because of the rising prices on grain. However, I am guessing within 5 months from now, they will also be the ones asking for advice because their horses are dropping weight or have a terrible coat because this new economy feed isn't such a deal(or they need to feed twice as much, so it's actually costing them more). However, I am only feeding 7 Mini's, so the rising prices on grain isn't too bad. If I was feeding 7 full sized horses or 20+ Mini's, I can totally understand why people are switching to a lower priced grain. Because I only have 7 to feed, the rising prices of grain isnt affecting me the way it would if I had double or triple the amount of horses.

I understand people looking for a cheaper grain for their pasture pets or ones worked every now and again, but I show all 7 of my horses, so I dont dare mess with what I am feeding. It's worked perfect this year, so I am one who is not switching.

My horses give me 100% of what they have day in and day out, whether they are in the show ring or at home, so I figure a few extra bucks per bag of grain is the least I can do. Besides, you get what you pay for.

~Jen~

 

[chandab]

I tried a cheaper, but still good feed, this summer when I thought I was losing my feed rep. I'm moving everyone back to the more expensive feed, as those I tried the new feed on just don't look as good now as they did before I tried the different feed. There are a lot of other things I can cut out of their diet that they don't need; like alfalfa pellets, oats, beet pulp and there's one more thing in my feed room... They looked great on just their ration balancer and grass hay last year, and I'm going to stick with it, til I can't buy it any more (and if that time comes, perhaps, I'll have to become the local rep for the ration balancer).

 

[disneyhorse]

I won't switch... I considered the "cheaper" grains earlier this year but after a lot of consideration I would have had to feed a LOT more of it so I will stay with what I have now (Purina Strategy, beet pulp).

My horses don't have a choice to negotiate to get better food from me, they rely on me to give them the best care I can. If I can't provide it, they will go to someone who can.

Andrea

 

[Minimor]

I won't switch. We mainly feed oats anyway, and oats is still about the cheapest grain you can buy here, though even oats is going up in price. We don't give oats to all our horses---some are on hay or hay/pasture only, and of course get mineral blocks as well. The only ones getting pellets currently are the two new weanlings; I had a new bag of the Phase Two Mare/Yearling pellets on hand so started them on that. They're eating that good now so I'll stick with it, rather than switching to the Phase One foal pellets. The 2% difference in protein won't make much difference, and since they like the Phase Two now they can keep having it. The other pelleted feeds available here aren't a whole lot cheaper than Frontrunner (a dollar a bag less for the the next best brand I think). There is one brand that is about 1/2 the price of the Frontrunner, but it's also a very poor quality feed. I did try it once but the horses didn't care for it and I won't bother to buy it. Plain oats is better for them, and not much more expensive than that cheap brand.

 

[minimule]

One of the feedstores I go to switched. They switched from ACCO Safe & Sound to Kent Dynasty Pro. Supposedly they are the "same" feed. They switched because they could get it cheaper and sell it cheaper to their clients.

I love the Nutrena Safe Choice and would still be feeding it but at $19/bag and the poor consistency they had had.......I'm still looking for a better feed.

 

[stormy]

There seems to be a belief that paying more means the feed is better, that is not always true...sometimes that brand name costs more than what is in the bag. If you do your research you may find the local mill makes a feed with good nutritional value for a lot less money! I have found an excellent product locally that costs about half what I was paying for the brand name stuff, has a better nutritional profile and my horses look great! Sometimes your extension office can help or if you have a local mill talk to them about what they have available.

 

[whitney]

Stormy is right. Eons ago I did a 4-H project to develope my own balanced ration for my project horse. It was MUCH cheaper and was geared toward a SPECIFIC horse. I think I still have that ration breakdown somewhere. Funny thing is I made that up 30 years ago and it had linseed meal in it better known today as ground flaxseed it was GREAT then and GREAT now.

I am switching from alfalfa pellets to alfalfa hay the pellets with tax is .31 a pound, the hay (no tax) is .09 a pound, plus it provides more roughage than the pellets.

Also will be sending my grass hay out for testing to see if my horses are missing anything. I think the hay testing (around 24.00) in hard economic times is money WELL spent this insures you maintain a quality feed program.

 

[chandab]

There seems to be a belief that paying more means the feed is better, that is not always true...sometimes that brand name costs more than what is in the bag. If you do your research you may find the local mill makes a feed with good nutritional value for a lot less money! I have found an excellent product locally that costs about half what I was paying for the brand name stuff, has a better nutritional profile and my horses look great! Sometimes your extension office can help or if you have a local mill talk to them about what they have available.

I would love to have this option, but we don't have any local feed mills; it would cost me more in fuel to drive to the closest mill that could mix something up for me, than it does to feed the name-brand feed.

Within a 65 mile radius, the only "raw" feeds I can get for my horses is whole oats; the rest are pre-formulated feeds. There used to be a custom feed company about 120 miles from here, but I believe they have shut down. [There used to be a feed store 65 miles from here, that had basic feed components, but the main office closed that store, so now they are over 150 miles from here.]

 

[Marty]

Two weeks ago my Purina store was driven out of the Purina business for good. The locals just would not or could not keep up with rising Purina prices and I must admit, I think some of their prices have gone completely through the roof and are insane, uncalled for, and down right stupid.

He couldn't fill the quota required by Purina so the sales rep went down the road and convinced the local co-op to sell it. Now the co-op carries a full line of it and my feed man carries a generic brand. I'm not cheap, nor am I a low end bottom feeder, and I won't compromise quality, but there is a limit and I have reached mine.

 

[Contessa]

I have to agree with Stormy 100%. The reason is brand name products are always more expensive is because of advertising costs. Who has ever seen a generic brand ad or commercial? Some of the brand name places even make the generic products but never advertise them so sometimes you don't have a clue who makes it. Consumers need to smarten up to the ways of the retail world. Any kind of retailer will do whatever it takes (fair or not) to meet their bottom line-profit! I use Platform Mare & Foal for my broodmares and babies and Platform Miniature & Pony feed for the others but since prices have gotten ridiculous I am looking into stretching them with a generic all purpose feed. I know there are many people out there finding ways to cut costs but are afraid to post because of retaliation. My horses are all fat and healthy and if I can find a way to keep them like that PLUS save a few bucks, then that's my plan.

 

[Tucker]

Well I changed over to a cheaper feed I found a mill close to me and they make there own feed I did some reserch found that there feed has same thing as out priced and my horses look great on it I was paying 18 a bag now im down to 8 a bag and its saved me money to put towards hay and hay here is beautiful this year Im more for feeding more hay than feeds.so yep I changed to cheaper.

 

[whitney]

Heres a neat article on supplementing

http://www.smartpakequine.com/Articles.asp...ldyousupplement