[Frank B]

Loaded many a bag of it into my girlfriend's El Camino!

That mutha had a 396 engine that all but ignored the horse trailer behind it -- except when you pulled up to a gas pump. But, hey, at 30 cents a gallon (and a free glass w/fill up), who cared? Stopping, however, could get a bit hairy.

[BaroquePony]

Clovite and Calf Manna

[findeight]

...but resurrecting or perpetuating the old and questionable (if not downright scary) just because of nostalgia is nuts.

Oh, come on...NOBODY is suggesting we go back at all. On the contrary, it's an illustration of how far we have come in treating horses. We didn't have any of the stuff we do today. Besides that, some cowboy out north Of Elko Nevada in 1925 did not have the ability of fasting them for 12 hours and sticking a tube down them even if he did have an equine vet to do it instead of the cow guy that came once every 6 months. Let alone the luxury of a tube of wormer-but he did have that plug of tobacco.

Really not fair to suggest a handful of calf manna is in the same category either. My dad was a chemist and you'd be surprised how simple the ingredients are in some of the newer products. Retread of what's been out there for years.

[Rayman421]

Scenario: 4 ponies. All on same feed, water, hay. 2 super shiney. 2 so-so. Super shiney ponies on CM. So-so ponies on Omega Horseshine. So-so ponies changed to also receive CM, within 2 weeks super shiney too. We also used CM way "back in the day". Went out of fashion and horsey nutritionist - and I use the term loosely -warned us it was not for horses, so we horsey people thought "oh no, can't feed THAT to our babies" . Lo and behold it is the best supplement I've found for feet, manes, tails and coats. And I've fed Farrier's Formula, aforementioned OmegaHS, Buckeye, Nu-Image, and tons of other stuff too. I have also decided it is as good or better ration balancer as all the other junk out there.

[elysian*fields*farm]

Yep, I remember Calf Manna- and tube worming and clovite and 707. We had cattle and horses, and fed Calf Manna to foals and any older horse or cow that was "doing poorly." Of course, we fed it to calves, too.

This was before all these new-fangled feeds. Back then you fed oats- whole or steamed and crimped. Or you fed "sweet feed" - a mixture of grains with some minerals and molasses added. Some people added ground corn to the oats. Lots of people fed sweet feed in the winter and switched gradually over to oats as the weather got warmer-- molasses tends to ferment or sour in the Deep South summer heat.

Most horses had their grain ration cut almost totally while the grass was growing - unless they were being shown- horses ate grass in the summers with a block of mineral salt set out in the pasture.

If a horse was doing poorly, you fed some oats and added some rice bran and calf manna no matter what the time of year. Really old horses got "cooked" feed- feed that was simmered until it turned to a mash they could easily eat. You let it cool before feeding it. In the winter, you let it get lukewarm - the temp that pablum was fed to babies -- Hey, who remembers pablum for babies?

Things have sure changed-- and I think Calf Manna is now called Manna Pro - a much more species neutral name.

[findeight]

Anybody remember when you went and bought your feed supplements at the...feed store...that also sold tack and supplies??

You know, you walked into that dusty room with the feed sacks piled up, the Calf Manna, 707 and a few Farnum products piled in the corner? Smelled the sweet feed-and the WIPE???? Then over into the side room with the saddles, brushes, lead ropes and all that stuff? And jeans, of course?

Now, you walk into what looks like a department store with brand name, celebrity endorsed clothing lining the aisles. All sorts of therapeutic saddle pads, boots (for the horse). But you have to go all the way back for the supplements. And there are tons of them in bright labels.

And most no longer sell feed...I kind of miss that.

[Samigator]

I used to use it on my hard keeper- and that was just a few years ago. Good stuff, I think I recall it smelled like anise/black licorice. I'm sure you can still get it, but I think I ended up switching to something else because of cost or something. . .

[deltawave]

I was referring to tobacco and other vile poisons being used medicinally. Not to Calf Manna, which I indicated that I had used and would use again if the need arose.

And my feeling on "newer products" with simple chemicals is that probably 99% of them are unnecessary, but that's another topic altogether: the one of oversupplementation.

[tabula rashah]

Yes, I still occasionally use it- although I prefer extruded soy bean meal to add the protein and shine but I can't always get it.

[Lynnwood]

I remember that stuff. I also remember Tiz Wiz. It was like adding rocket fuel to otherwise sedentary and law abiding animals. It has been awhile since I fed either.

MY TB Jumper used to live on extreme amounts of both back 20 years ago. He also had to be worked twice a day to keep his head from spinning off.....hmm I wonder why

[deltawave]

My vet recommeneds Calf Manna for ulcer prone/ulcer prevention because of the high calcium. The "old" clients know what he is talking about. The "young" ones have to google Calf Manna.

The theory sounds good, but the calcium content of Calf Manna is quite low! Maybe the "young" ones are not so ignorant after all.

Calf Manna Guaranteed Analysis

[DMK]

Clovite and Calf Manna - a trip down memory lane!!

And Tiz Wiz!

Of course this thread is *almost* as old as Calf Manna...

[Peggy]

Anybody remember when you went and bought your feed supplements at the...feed store...that also sold tack and supplies??

You know, you walked into that dusty room with the feed sacks piled up, the Calf Manna, 707 and a few Farnum products piled in the corner? Smelled the sweet feed-and the WIPE???? Then over into the side room with the saddles, brushes, lead ropes and all that stuff? And jeans, of course?

Now, you walk into what looks like a department store with brand name, celebrity endorsed clothing lining the aisles. All sorts of therapeutic saddle pads, boots (for the horse). But you have to go all the way back for the supplements. And there are tons of them in bright labels.

And most no longer sell feed...I kind of miss that.

I still go to one of those in Ontario, tho minus the saddles and jeans. One big room with all sorts of feed for various species, baby chicks and rabbits, horse + cattle + ? supplies, expensive stuff in tiny jars that I suspect is for fighting roosters, you name it. Plus they have a surprising variety of feed that you might not suspect based on the appearance and neighborhood; tho I suspect there are probably still some small TB operations hanging on.

[scheherazadetbmare]

I've never used it and I don't know anyone who has used it.
But it is still in, I think, the Jefferslivestock.com catalogue.

[katarine]

National Bridle carries 707

I use Calf Manna from time to time. I love the smell, takes me back to the early 80s

[DMK]

National Bridle carries 707

I use Calf Manna from time to time. I love the smell, takes me back to the early 80s

Me too! Along with the gentle nickers of barns full of yearling QHs with whopping huge epiphysitis ankles!

although to be fair, it wasn't calf manna's fault, it was just the more popular vehicle in the "if some protein is good MORE must be better!" phase that was the 70's/80's western breeds.

[MizzouMom]

My first horse was an old gelding who wound up at a riding stable in Azusa Canyon in LA and was sold to us by the proprietor. I was 10 and my dad was a former farmboy. This horse was skin and bones but also a sweetheart. My dad took one look at him and said, "rolled oats and Calf Manna", the latter in the portion of one empty tomato paste can a day.

Within a year the horse was completely filled out, covered in dapples, and gorgeous. He had to be well over 20, but was my best bud for several years. He would have been a rescue candidate today, the shape he was in, and I credit the Calf Manna for turning him around.

My new mare is a little ribby because of her nervous nature - I'm going to add CM and see if it works on her too.

[callmegold]

I have a 10 yr old TB gelding who simply has no interest in his food. He'll eat his breakfast given enough time but pretty much ignores his dinner. The simple answer would be to decrease his grain ration and I'd be happy to but he's a hard keeper and is just maintaining as it is.

Earlier in this thread someone mentioned that Calf Manna help stimulate appetites? Is that true? I've tried top-dressing with sweet feed and no dice.

[MizzouMom]

Have to agree with all the posts about how good this stuff smells - I remember it smelling so good I wanted to eat it myself - a bit like horse candy. I'll bet your TB will go for it.

[thatsnotme]

Some horses really love the taste. I find I can hide bute or anything else in it, it has such a strong odor (good, but strong). We fed it with oats and linseed meal when I was a kid, and I started feeding it again a few years ago. Really puts an amazing shine on them and I've seen a ton of improvement in the hooves. I only feed 1/2# daily, but I've seen improvements in hooves over farriers formula and nu hoof.