Friday, May 4, 2012

Small happenings....

Went to a two of my local feed stores seminars in the last month. The feed store is Bits and Spurs I worked with these women at the first feed store I worked at, for 7 years. Its good to see them have the new store and having fun doing it. The store has been open a little over a year now.
The first seminar I went to was a feed seminar put on by the Nutrena Feeds rep.
I learned a few things and also changed the grain I have been feeding.
I went to Nutrenas Safechoice, Perform. The deciding factor was that it has a full vitamin pack in it, with biotin and methionine for hooves. I had Emma on a hoof supplement for about 40 days and noticed a good half inch of healthy horn, so I wanted to continue feeding one. They are expensive though at around $40 mo. for one of the cheapest ones. So I went with the Perform, by Nutrena feeds because at a 2lb feeding a day, for a 1000lb horse, it provides a full vitamin supplement! It is also 14% protein and 9% fat.  So far I have fed one bag and they really like it. I only give grain to Easy and Emma. Easy because of her tooth issues, yes I took her off of Senior, but, I feed as much beet pulp as she will eat (about 2, 20oz containers, morning and night, so she is doing great with this. Senior is mostly beet pulp anyway.) She has not dropped weight at all in the last month, so that is good!! This is much higher in fat than the Sr. She gets 4 cups or 1.6lbs am and pm, 2lbs is the base feeding rate per 1000lb horse. (they also said that a horse could eat most of a bag, with no ill affects! Occasionaly they get out and get into the feed barrel, despite the tight lid.)
Emma on the other hand needs the vitamin pack, and its a pain having to buy and feed two different grains, so I am going to try this for awhile. Since Emma has no tooth issue, although her teeth could be floated, I feed her 3cups in the am and 4 in the pm, which works out to about 2.5+- lbs, she weighs around 1200lbs so this should be about right. (I have a scale and weight the grain) Emmas feet have not looked the greatest and I am looking forward to seeing how this does in the next few months. The cost per 50lb bag is $20.49. so a couple dollars more that the cheaper Senior that I was buying, but the vitamin pac should more than make up the difference, and cost less than buying grain and supplement. 
Mickey she only gets some beet pulp, so she thinks she is getting grain, she is a very very easy keeper, my fat girl.
 The rep did a great job explaining everything.
They have been holding the seminars at The Fern Prairie Grange This is an old historic building in this area. I can remember having 4-H fair here, we only got to show our horses in showmanship, no riding here, in a field behind the grange. (we would ride in an arena on a different day, usually before this day) At the end of the day they would add up our premium points and we would get a few dollars for the premium points we earned, Danish system of course. But I digress!! On the stage behind her we would all watch the 4-H fashion review and exhibits would be all around the outside of the room. Downstairs there is a full kitchen, I remember having lunch there after a long day of showing. Such memories. I will have to get more pictures of it and find some of my old ones!! and do another post on the old grange building.

The second seminar was put on by a Farnam rep. Big emphasis on ulcer meds for horses, not to sure what to think about that. Then he talked about a few more products, Sandclear and I dont remember the others. Last he introduced Farnams new product, Centaur fly spray, for use on you and your horse, but at 18 applications for around $24, not something I will use.

There were around 15-18 people there at each seminar. They gave you a ticket to put your name and # on and put in a dish labeled with a product, that they would draw for later. I never won any freebies, lol. Cookies and punch provided too.
It was fun, I learned a little bit and left a little bit, LOL. How do you figure out what to feed and how much to your horses? labels, industry representatives, other horse owners? Just curious.

7 comments:

  1. District Agriculture office should have that info , or your vet .Sounds like a great seminar

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  2. I've been feeding LMF Super Supplement to my horses for at least 6 yrs. I started feeding this because my trainer recommended it. Also my vet recommended it for my filly instead if using a mare and foal grain. With that you have to feed so much to get what they need and the LMF only requires one pound a day. It is only a vitamin/mineral supp, and since I feed grass hay, it comes formulated for horses that get grass hay, so whats lacking in the hay, they will get out of the LMF. (2 of my horses can't get alfalfa, my filly gets a 75% grass 25% alfalfa mix).
    I have been very happy with it. The barn I worked for fed all the horses Nutrena SafeChoice.
    Of course it all depends on what horses need, their activity level, age etc. There are so many options out there and I am a firm believer in word of mouth and my vet. So if I know someone has tried something (doesn't matter what) and they had great results, I will give it a try!
    Glad to hear you had a good time at the seminar. Will be interesting to see how Emma's feet do on the new grain! Can't wait for the results!

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  3. FernValley, I have asked my vet about feeding the old mare. He recomended alfalfa pellets. with the beat pulp. My whole thing is switching feeds was to get a vitamin supplement affordably. Here in the US we usually refer people to the County Extension office for agricultural questions. Unfortunatly their info is usually 20 years behind times, where it comes to horses anyway.
    Our Extention offices are affiliated with a state univercity, in Washington it is Washington State Univercity.

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  4. Paint girl, LMF makes good products too! Problem for me is I want something that is available close to home. I would have to run out to Battleground Wilco where I used to work to get LMF. I have fed LMF senior to Easy in the past, but I wasnt satifyed with it for her.
    I dont switch grain a lot, I am just trying to find the right one now that I have geriatrics, LOL, and a younger mature horse. Thanks for you input! both of you!!

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  5. OH and now that I have switched I am going to have to stay on this feed for as the very least 6 -12 months, so I can monitor Emmas foot growth.

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  6. HELLO YOU!
    Thanks for the nice welcome back over at my place...
    I'll take your small-happenings over my "whammo's" in life of late, any day!

    I adore that photo of Em in your header! She is a sweetie.

    Feeding rules I have gleaned from my sissy. I respect her knowledge and research. She effectively managed the Portland Mounted Police horses for 14 years and saved many from colic and the 30 yr old way of feeding.

    Our vets and Ag are on that same page of Alfalfa always to solve many problems, it seems.
    My sis has read up from Kentucky researchers and the Legume is far too difficult to digest for horses. My TB has never has any of it.

    What I have been taught and have come to know as a good way to go is CLEAN FRESH FORAGE in abundance. Low glycemic if possible. Having the hay tested for it's values then feeding vits and minerals- accordingly.

    Our Orchard grass hay the owners get for the stable is really awesome ( they plan on selling it from Beavercreek in the future)...it has about 3 grasses in it, as well, and so is not as green..it tested very high for Calcium( so I balance it with Phos)The proteins was good too.
    My mare only needs Oats, Vits and minerals now. I even dropped the Rice bran pellets...she is holding an awesome weight and
    largely due to plenty of quality hay.

    It's been the best 2 years for her at this stable for consistency of feed.

    Sounds like you are on the right track with yours.

    Good to hear from you again!
    KK

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  7. Thanks KK, Its difficult to figure out how to feed younger and old at the same time economically. I do feed a little alfalfa to the old mare, she has little teeth left on the bottom, still eating her hay though, she only gets 1/2 a leaf a couple pounds along with orchard grass when I can get it.

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