corn, calcium carbonate in feeds

[johnnysauntie]

I've been poking around the archives because I know these topics have been discussed but can't find the info I'm seeking.

I'm considering a move to a barn that feeds Equestrian's Choice from Kent Feeds. My guy is a hard-keeper TB. I have a bag tag from the barn's latest shipment and see corn and calcium carbonate high up on the list. In fact, the tag promises a calcium carbonate range of between .5% - 1%. I'm leery of this and am curious about other opinions. He's been on Safe Choice for the last year and is doing well.

Here, FWIW, is the ingredients list - it's a 12% protein pellet.

Wheet middlings
corn
soybeen hulls
corn distillers
dried grains with solubles
cane molasses
dehydrated alfalfa meal
calcium carbonate
monocalcium phosphate
dicalcium phosphate
salt
lignin
sulfonate
vitaman A acetate
vitamn d3 supplement
vitamin e supplement
mer__dione (? there is a wrinkle in the tag, I'm missing a couple letters)
dimethylpymidinol bisulfate (wrinkle again, not sure this is accurate spelling)
riboflavin
niacin
thiamine
calcium panththenate
vitamin b12
biotin
folic acid
something ___oline chloride
magnesium oxide
calcium iodate
managanese sulfate
ferrous sulfate
copper sulfate
zinc sulfate
cobalte carbonate
sodium selenite
and a preservative which I can't read - something eth___quin
BHT

Appreciate any feedback!

[Bluey]

You may want to also consider if they are feeding any kind of hay, what is in that?

Balancing rations is about all, not just some of the ingredients.:yes:

[johnnysauntie]

True, Bluey. The hay is really nice - a grass/alfalfa mix that they manage carefully throughout the year in order to achieve consistency. No pasture, however, they're on dry lots.

I guess my question re: the feed is twofold:

1) Is the corn a problem?

2) Is there too much calcium in this diet, between this feed and an alfalfa mix hay?

Thanks.

[Equilibrate]

Is this a pelleted or textured feed? I would want the corn to be heat treated to make it more digestible otherwise you may find starch from the corn making its way to the hindgut where it will disrupt the microbial population. Corn certainly can put weight on a horse but it can also cause problems if fed in large amounts. So a lot would depend on how much you would be feeding. It is not typically my first choice.

I can not find this product on their website. Is it being made specifically for your barn?

As for the calcium, Safe Choice has 0.9-1.2% calcium so what you have been feeding is even higher than this feed.

The other posters are correct you have to look at the hay as well and the only way to know for sure is to test the hay. Otherwise you have to find out what proportion of the hay is alfalfa and estimate the nutrient content. This feed may or may not provide too much calcium. There are too many unknown to say for sure. I doubt that unless this feed has been made specifically for your barn to go with their hay that the diet will be balanced regardless of the amount of calcium in it. This feed company appears to add ferrous sulfate as an iron source to their feeds. Additional iron is rarely necessary as there is already enough iron provided in the hays we feed, so additional iron will add to what is already likely to be an unbalanced iron copper ratio.

Clair

Independent Equine Nutritionist
www.equilibrateequine.com
info@equilibrateeuqine.com