feeding mares/youngsters while feed prices are insane.

[Baroquecoco]

just wondering what everyone is feeding their pregnant mares and youngsters now that feed is so expensive? any good economical suggestions?

[county]

Whole corn and oats same thing I've fed for 40 years now. I feed a good min/via supplement free choice with it and they do great. I grow my own grains or buy bulk at harvest time. Very economical

[Equilibrium]

I'm using a couple of different things depending on the situation, grass pellets, rolled oats, and beet pulp with vit and min supp for youngsters and broodmares. Nobody seems to be suffering. Also I've only recently, a few months, made the switch. Happy with the money I'm saving and the condition of my horses.

Terri

[Baroquecoco]

wondering what brands of vit/min supplements people are using if you do use one?

[Equilibrium]

Well mine is Sure Limb from Doddson and Horrell, but I'm in Ireland so doubt that will help you. I'm sure there's plenty of good ones available.

Terri

[pintopiaffe]

I switched away from Poulin's MVP ration balancer back to alfalfa pellets & a vit/min. Still whole oats to top off any who need it, and (usually) beep w/ oil. Diamond V yeast and a full cup of flax each.

I spent the money on a hay analysis, and was very pleasantly surprized--and it was worth every penny, since I didn't really *need* the Ration Balancer as much as I thought I did.

I'm using Blue Seal's Min-a-vite, in the bag, not the leetle buckets. I compared ingredients to several higher-end soy-free/falf free mixes and it came out VERY favorably. Used it for years and years--literally used it for two decades before getting all fancy... and everyone did fine back then...

My 2yos (one rising, one long) are both showing excellent slow, steady growth and good weight. The pregnant mare looks fabulous. The old mare looks as good as she has in years.

My biggest issue is protein, since my hay is around 7%. The alfalfa pellets boost it nicely. But I'm going to add Uckele's Tri-Aminos with the next paycheck to see what it does.

I'm paying about the same for everything as I was paying for the RB--but the RB went from $15/bag to $23 a bag--so I'd be paying a LOT more for it. In essence I'm saving *the difference* if you know what I mean. It didn't cut my costs, but the cost didn't go up either. It's very, very tight this year. :(

[amdfarm]

My friends feed similarly to county, it's a farmer, been there done that for decades type of thing.

I'm feeding round bales, out 24/7, alfalfa/grass mix. In general this would do them fine w/out any feed supplements, but I have a feeling we're in for a winter similar to last year so I'm boosting their intake some. I feed a mix of Nutrena Youth to everyone (gelding, stallion, youngsters (coming 2 and 3yo), ponies, broodmares), alfalfa pellets and oats. They have free choice vit/min supplements and are all drinking very well this winter and looking great. I'm pleased w/ adding the booster despite the costs. They're enjoying getting a treat once a day.

[Equine Reproduction]

Our feed program is pretty darn simple and ends up being economical, as well. We feed Progressive ProAdd Ulitmate to everyone, adjusting the amount to the varying needs, the free choice minerals and free choice salt. That makes supplementing EASY. Those that need extra calories get the Envision Classic fat supplement. Everyone gets oats depending on age and need. Free feed grass hay 24/7 and anyone that needs a little extra boost gets a flake or two of alfalfa. We've got everything from aged stallions to broodmares to weanlings, so a huge variation of needs and types. When we were trying to figure out a feed program, it needed to be relatively easy as we just can't have a gazillion different feeds and supplements. The horses look phenomenal. It's easy and works out to an average cost of $25.00/month per horse over and above hay and oats. That's for all the supplements - free choice minerals, fat supplement and the ProAdd. Most of the horses are getting 3 to 7 pounds of oats a day. The Progressive is expensive if you don't sit down and do the math. But, once we figured out what we were paying for supplements, rice bran, vitamins, minerals, etc, of other brands of feed, we realized we were actually coming out ahead feeding Progressive and the horses were looking better on it.

As we have so many horses coming in during breeding season, we had to come up with a feed program that when the horses left, they looked better than what the came in and I think we're accomplishing that <smile>.

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com

[Equilibrium]

Forgot to add, my hay is 8% protein and very good quality. The grass pellets I use are 16% protein. Mine have access to a salt lick as well and during the winter they have lick buckets in the field when they are out in them. I give flax as well. And not that I have a problem with anyone needing extra weight, but I now use milk pellets instead of soya based fat supplement.

Everyone looks fabulous and seems in great order so I'm glad I made the switch because it has saved me an enourmous amount of money. This allows us to keep some of the extras and keep the really good hay coming without ourselves going hungry!

Terri

[Baroquecoco]

we have had pasture (still have some) and have been feeding good quality hay with free choice mineral and salt. winter is now settling in and the grow strong mineral we have been using just hit $42. for 50#. so we are trying to figure out what to do to keep everyone's weight and condition up. I have a couple of mares foaling in march so I really want to help them stay in great condition. oats are out of sight here as well. keep your info coming as ut is helping.

[Daydream Believer]

Like several others, I've analyzed my hay and water and I'm feeding a well balanced blend of alfalfa pellets, oats if needed, and a good vit. mineral supplement. I will probably supplement Lysine and some other amino acids to lactating mares but they are the only class of horse that I cannot meet their requirements for essential amino acids on that diet. I have some pasture also but not enough to support my horses.

I find that horses that used to "need" more hard grain are doing fantastic on the forage based diet and I'm feeding much less to the harder keepers. I will feed beet pulp also as needed for weight gain.

No IR problems, no skinny horses, no temperament issues, no laminitis, good hoof quality, none of the problems I had on a much more expensive commercial feed. I'm very happy with this much less expensive and more natural program.

[Oakstable]

I spend approximately $7-9/month per horse, including tax and shipping, on Dynamite Plus, a high quality vitamin-mineral supp.

I don't have any mares in foal for '09. When I do, then I feed the other supplement from Dynamite, which is more expensive, but you feed less, so the cost is about the same per horse.

The cost, BTW, is at wholesale, since I am a rep.

Actually, the cost is even less since I get a 15% rebate on my personal purchases.

When money is really tight, this is my one and only supplement.