Author Topic: feeds and feeding...  (Read 3743 times)

Offline Chanda

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #15 on: January 15, 2017, 10:07:29 AM »
We've always liked the Standlee pellets, they've gotten harder lately, the grass or mix pellets are softer than straight alfalfa.  At the recommendation of the TSC worker last spring, I tried the Dumor alfalfa pellets, they are softer (at least the bags I bought).   
Those alfalfa dehy pellets I get from the Co-op are hard, but quite a bit smaller than the other brands.
So far, no cubes available to me are soft enough to feed dry, so I don't use them.
Chanda
HC Minis

Stallions: Little Kings Cat on Top, Paper Mache`
Mares: Misty, Tana, Sophia, Bliss, Bonny, Dolly and Baybe
Geldings: Dakota, Monte and Manny, Spotty
Donkey: Tilly

Offline dcwolcott

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #16 on: January 15, 2017, 06:03:36 PM »
The ones I got you could break up in  your hand, so I didn't soak them at all, since they were so easily broken.  By the time I got to the bottom of the bag, all there were was crumpled leaves and no cubes, since they broke so easily.

I did buy some once that were hard as rocks.  Those I did soak enough that they swelled and could be broken by me in my hand.  I didn't get them mushy, just soft enough so that they could be easily broken apart.

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Offline Chanda

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #17 on: January 20, 2017, 10:00:51 PM »
Wish I could get cubes that nice, Diane.

Closest I could get today was Omolene 200 (was looking for the 300), but I mostly want it as a taste tempter to get her to hopefully consistently eat the readily available feeds I can get locally, so will probably be just fine.  We'll probably try it starting Sunday, we got back too late tonight to unload, and I probably won't feel like it before morning chores.
Chanda
HC Minis

Stallions: Little Kings Cat on Top, Paper Mache`
Mares: Misty, Tana, Sophia, Bliss, Bonny, Dolly and Baybe
Geldings: Dakota, Monte and Manny, Spotty
Donkey: Tilly

Offline dcwolcott

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #18 on: January 21, 2017, 09:07:33 AM »
I used to get my Alfalfa Cubes from the Purina Store, and I think they were the Purina Mills or Grainland brand?  I remember getting some that I think came out of Canada that were fabulous, but can't remember the brand name.  I know I tried some from Tractor Supply but don't remember liking them much as they were a bit too hard and needed some brief soaking to make them easy to "crunch".  Can't be sure, but think they were the Standlee?
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Offline Chanda

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #19 on: January 21, 2017, 09:54:56 AM »
I'll probably stick with the hay pellets to boost quality of my hay, and not bother with cubes.
Chanda
HC Minis

Stallions: Little Kings Cat on Top, Paper Mache`
Mares: Misty, Tana, Sophia, Bliss, Bonny, Dolly and Baybe
Geldings: Dakota, Monte and Manny, Spotty
Donkey: Tilly

Offline dcwolcott

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #20 on: January 22, 2017, 10:42:25 AM »
Do you mean Alfalfa pellets, or can you also get hay pellets?  I always fed Alfalfa exclusively, so never really noticed (or looked) for anything else?  So, even this "old dog" is learning!   :)
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Offline Chanda

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #21 on: January 22, 2017, 02:46:12 PM »
Do you mean Alfalfa pellets, or can you also get hay pellets?  I always fed Alfalfa exclusively, so never really noticed (or looked) for anything else?  So, even this "old dog" is learning!   :)

You can get straight grass hay pellets, mix grass/alfalfa pellets, straight alfalfa pellets, alfalfa/oat pellets and I'm sure more now.   I've mostly seen timothy or orchardgrass pellets, but you can also get Bermuda pellets; and any of them mixed with alfalfa.   
Standlee makes straight alfalfa, timothy and orchardgrass pellets, and an alfalfa/timothy blend (don't think there is an orchardgrass/alfalfa mix, at least not from Standlee).   Ametza (a California company) makes Bermuda/alfalfa pellets (I get these for Topper's toy, as they are bigger, so work better in the toy); I've seen others on their website, but TSC only carries the blend.   Mountain Sunrise makes: timothy, Bermuda, oat hay, alfalfa, T/A, B/A, O/A, timothy/alf/brome plus a couple fortified formulas.  And, there are other brands, but these are the ones I've researched the most.   Ontario Dehy in Canada makes a Timothy Balance cube, it's a timothy and beetpulp cube that has been fortified to be a balanced diet in a bag, specially formulated with under 10% sugar/starch for metabolic horses, only need to add salt, Vit E and iodine to make a complete diet.
I really like a timothy/alfalfa blend, but the Bermuda/alfalfa blend is fine.   Locally, I can get the tiny alfalfa pellets from the CoOp, so if I'm just boosting diet, they are just fine; if I'm replacing hay, then I prefer the blends (and I have to out of area for them).
Chanda
HC Minis

Stallions: Little Kings Cat on Top, Paper Mache`
Mares: Misty, Tana, Sophia, Bliss, Bonny, Dolly and Baybe
Geldings: Dakota, Monte and Manny, Spotty
Donkey: Tilly

Offline dcwolcott

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #22 on: January 22, 2017, 08:49:34 PM »
Wow!  I had no idea.  I was an Alfalfa guru, and liked it for the extra protein, the tummy soother feature and just the added boost.  But, I had no idea there were so many things to choose from.  No wonder people get confused!
'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'

Offline Chanda

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #23 on: January 22, 2017, 10:17:44 PM »
Wow!  I had no idea.  I was an Alfalfa guru, and liked it for the extra protein, the tummy soother feature and just the added boost.  But, I had no idea there were so many things to choose from.  No wonder people get confused!

The grass hays don't make as tight of pellets or cubes, so do tend to crumble a bit more in the bag.   The crumbliness might be why it took so long for them to be options.   I don't think there were as many choices even just a decade or so ago.
Chanda
HC Minis

Stallions: Little Kings Cat on Top, Paper Mache`
Mares: Misty, Tana, Sophia, Bliss, Bonny, Dolly and Baybe
Geldings: Dakota, Monte and Manny, Spotty
Donkey: Tilly

Offline Chanda

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #24 on: February 25, 2017, 02:38:30 PM »
Well, this ought to be interesting...  Put a whole round bale in the feeder in the shelter where my three smallest reside; that would be Che`, Baybe and Tilly.   The hay is grass CRP (conservation reserve program, so only cut every 4-5 years, so lots of dead grass); great for the donkey but a bit low in nutrition for the horses, so the horses get supplemental alfalfa pellets.   It should last them like 3 months, but they'll probably destroy the bale in like a month (pull off the bale without eating at least half of it).
Chanda
HC Minis

Stallions: Little Kings Cat on Top, Paper Mache`
Mares: Misty, Tana, Sophia, Bliss, Bonny, Dolly and Baybe
Geldings: Dakota, Monte and Manny, Spotty
Donkey: Tilly

Offline dcwolcott

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #25 on: February 26, 2017, 09:18:14 AM »
I used to do this in every pasture especially during the winter months.  I would set mine up on a pallet off the ground, and keep the top covered with a tarp (because here in Florida we get rain at the most inappropriate times.  They usually did pretty good with it, as I'd cut away only the bottom section of the "netting" that kept the bale together, and they could munch to their hearts content, and ultimately the bale fell down into itself.

I also, as everyone knows, fed straight alfalfa each and every day morning and night since my horses were on dry lots (not much grass grew in my pastures because of the weather), and allowed 1-2 flakes of alfalfa for each horse at every feeding depending on the size of the flake.

I'm betting they should do fine!

Sorry, I missed your reply yesterday, I was out of town babysitting and forgot to bring my computer with me.  DUH!
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Offline Chanda

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #26 on: February 26, 2017, 02:25:51 PM »
That's ok.  Just rambling and thinking and hopefully waiting on a Baybe baby.
Chanda
HC Minis

Stallions: Little Kings Cat on Top, Paper Mache`
Mares: Misty, Tana, Sophia, Bliss, Bonny, Dolly and Baybe
Geldings: Dakota, Monte and Manny, Spotty
Donkey: Tilly

Offline dcwolcott

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #27 on: February 26, 2017, 05:56:25 PM »
We are ALL waiting on a Baybe baby!!!!!  LOL  ;pray ;pray ;pray
'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'

Offline Chanda

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #28 on: June 14, 2017, 11:29:21 PM »
ryan,
  Should we pin this, or start a new thread with more basics?
Chanda
HC Minis

Stallions: Little Kings Cat on Top, Paper Mache`
Mares: Misty, Tana, Sophia, Bliss, Bonny, Dolly and Baybe
Geldings: Dakota, Monte and Manny, Spotty
Donkey: Tilly

Offline Chanda

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Re: feeds and feeding...
« Reply #29 on: November 18, 2017, 02:16:55 PM »
Well, looks like I might change up my feed again.   The Trail Mix isn't working for the mares like it did in the past, they are thin in the ribs and bit bony on top.  I ordered a ration balancer to top dress their feed for the added protein, so if I'm going back to a ration balancer to top up their feed, I might as well try them on the Equis Complete or senior that the local store carries, so I don't have to special order.  I can get the Progressive ProAdvantage grass formula from the place that delivers monthy or a local guy when he isn't having delivery issues.  All else fails, I can switch to Buckeye Gro N Win, and order from Chewy.com.   I don't know why or understand why I have so much trouble feeding the minis, especially the mares, but I sure seem to.  The geldings are on senior with vit/min supplement to cover the bases since they only get a small amount, they are all chubby with good hair coat, but they are only about 1 bale into this year's hay, so may need an increase in pellets to cover what the drought year hay lacks.   The little stallion is doing very well on the equis senior, probably just needs more of it, now that he's not eating as much hay as he used to; but I do give him some soaked hay cubes (he quids what long-stem hay he does eat). 
I was going to add beet pulp to their winter ration to improve their fiber quality and help with hydration, so I bought a bag of beet pulp, and it smelled off and the color and texture was wrong.  Called the place I bought it, and didn't get much of a response, they were like a wet noodle, so I'm feeding it to my bum calf, he doesn't seem to mind it.  After talking about it with a friend, decided that it was probably overcooked in the pelleting process, so it's essentially burnt; that doesn't explain the texture, but would explain the smell and might explain the color.   I might try beet pulp again, but it won't be what's available locally.   [We are shipping calves in about 10 days, so I'll be able to stock up at a TSC.  I have a coupon for Standlee products, so will use it before it expires the end of the month.]    Wish "good" feeds were available locally, it would make my life so much easier.
Guess that's all for now.
Chanda
HC Minis

Stallions: Little Kings Cat on Top, Paper Mache`
Mares: Misty, Tana, Sophia, Bliss, Bonny, Dolly and Baybe
Geldings: Dakota, Monte and Manny, Spotty
Donkey: Tilly