Bailey's Lo-Cal Balancer

[Jetstreem]

Has anybody used Bailey's Lo-Cal balancer before? If so was it any good?

I was thinking of getting some for my gelding, he is 23yrs old and is prone to LGL, and I want to get something to add to his diet just to give him a little boost.

He is currently getting spillers happy hoof, alfa-a lite, blue chip dynamic and feedmark bio pro spint between two feeds a day along with a small net of haylage in the morning and two sections of hay at night. He is out in the field during the day with a muzzle on.

Currently he is nearly a perfect weight, but his weight does tend to fluctuate quite a lot, especially in winter, so I was hoping that maybe something like the baliey's lo-cal would just make sure he is getting the correct amount of nutrients in his feed, as he is still in light- medium work and quite happily prances about like a youngster!

How long would a bag of the lo-cal last a 14.2, and how much does it usually cost?

Well done if you got to the end of that!
Here are a couple of pics of how he is looking at the mo, he only had his muzzle off for the purpose of the photos- he was so happy!
http://www.bebo.com/PhotoAlbumBig.jsp?PageNbr=1&MemberId=5357974&PhotoAlbumId=97942087&PhotoId=5171905357
http://www.bebo.com/PhotoAlbumBig.jsp?PageNbr=1&MemberId=5357974&PhotoAlbumId=97942087&PhotoId=5171905249

Cerys :)

[puzzles]

it would last nearly 44 1/2 days! ;-) I love Lo-Cal and think it's great, although blue Chip Original remains my firm favourite.

:-)

xx

[Jetstreem]

That sounds pretty good puzzles, how much does the lo-cal normally cost per bag? I take it, it's a normal feed sack size bag.

Cerys :)

[puzzles]

It costs about £20-21 for a 20kg sack - it varies according to supplier though. it's usually cheaper straight from the manufactorers.

:-)

xx

[Jetstreem]

Thats pretty good for how long it lasts. I think i may look into getting some and see how my boy does on it.

Thanks Puzzles!

Cerys :)

[CurlyWurlyRach]

i was going to buy some but the bloke at the feed shop made me read the small print and its designed to be fed with large amounts of chaff, i feed FeelGood 30 general supplement with alpha A and fibrebeet and my horse is looking great on it - its just as good and over a tenner cheaper ;)

[Jenni]

i was feeding it but i dont think it really done much for kaiser.
I have switched him to Blue Chip but he needs to put on weight and condition a lot.

[MelanieD]

LoCal is great as a balancer and works out not to be too expensive. Good for giving the vitamins etc they need without too much weight gain. I've fed it to mine that tend to get LGL without any problems. Not sure what the other supplements are but check you aren't doubling up on stuff if you're planning to keep feeding those as well.

I usually feed LoCal (or other balancers/supplements sometimes since the nearest place selling it is quite far away), Safe and Sound as a chaff, it convinces them its proper food better than plain chaff, and then add speedibeet or TopSpec CoolCondition cubes if weight gain is needed.

[gypsygold]

i was going to buy some but the bloke at the feed shop made me read the small print and its designed to be fed with large amounts of chaff, i feed FeelGood 30 general supplement with alpha A and fibrebeet and my horse is looking great on it - its just as good and over a tenner cheaper ;)

Can you remember what it actually said regarding being fed with chaff?

I use it for those that dont need hard feed and the advertising bumpf says it can be fed on its own. I do feed it but dont have the actual sack at the mo.

[horsesforever]

I didnt know it was designed to be fed with loads of chaff.. I thought the idea was that it could be fed on its own if required? Could some explain the reasoning etc? :D

Just because, Im currently feeding it to my horse with just a teeeeny handful of chaff mixed in. So dont want to be doing it wrong!

The Lo Cal itself is working great for us btw. He has a lovely shiny coat, feet are improving and his weight is pretty much perfect!

[CurlyWurlyRach]

i cant remember exactly what it said but ive spoken to the feed people in all three shops i use and all of them said id have to feed it with a bucket of chaff to move it through the gut (:confused: ).

[showjumper-zoe]

i cant remember exactly what it said but ive spoken to the feed people in all three shops i use and all of them said id have to feed it with a bucket of chaff to move it through the gut (:confused: ).

It dosn't say anything about that here http://www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk/whatproduct/general/no14.htm you'd think it would if it was needed but it says
...whilst Yea Sacc1026 stimulates fibre digesting bacteria, helping to improve gut efficiency :confused: I'm just curios as I've been thinking about putting my mare on it as she gets a general vitamin & mineral supplement as she dosn't get the full wack of her hard feed (cool mix atm) but if i fed the local I could cut those both out and maybe she would calm down abit when ridden.

[colettybetty]

It does actually say on the website that it can be fed on its own, or as a top dressing, or mixed with chaff.

[The Original Crazywoman]

I feed it to my TBxWelsh who is a good do-er. She has her daily ration split between 2 feeds added to half a scoop of Hi-Fi Lite. She's looking really well on it, and a sack lasts me about 6 weeks. :)

[MelanieD]

I've fed it without any chaff before, no problems at all. Just had the LoCal, a powdered supplement and a bit of water in a bucket. Pony should be eating enough hay or grass to have plenty of fibre type stuff in the gut anyway without needing to add a huge amount of chaff.

[gypsygold]

Does seem odd to me as the website does say it can be fed on its own. I usually feed with just a handful of chaff and as MelanieD states the gut is full of fibre anyway, be it grass, hay or haylage.

Maybe the feed suppliers don't make so much profit on this feed as others;)

[Jetstreem]

Wow thanks for all the replies.

He gets plenty of chaff and hay during the day anyway, i never give him proper hard feed- sends him loopy!

I wasn't really looking into it for weight gain as such, just perhaps to help stablise his weight during the winter. Plus he doesn't particularly like powders, he just about tolerates the BioPro so that was why i liked the idea of the lo-cal being pelleted!

How does the TopSpec anti-lam compare to the lo-cal, nutritionally as well as cost?

Thanks again for all the replies.
Cerys :)

[puzzles]

Well it is more specifically formulated to be fed to horses and ponies on forage-based diets, which may be why "lots of chaff" was recommended.

Why not email the feed companies about it, or for more information?

contacts:
http://www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk/about/contactus.htm
http://www.bluechipfeed.com/contact.htm
http://www.quayequestrian.com/feelGood30/contact.aspx

Products mentioned:
http://www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk/whatproduct/general/no14.htm
http://www.bluechipfeed.com/products/lami/lami_home.htm
http://www.bluechipfeed.com/products/original/original_home.htm
http://www.quayequestrian.com/feelGood30/ProductDetails.aspx?id=199

Good luck!

:-)

xx

[blues mum]

both my horses live out 24/7
both are on lo cal while there is lots of grass and are both fantastic on it !
the chaff advice would be for a horse who was having it as an evening feed then being stabled all night, as you do feed them a very small amount.
Dusty has ben on it for 2 yrs fed straight.
i Do take them off it in the winter though when they need bigger quantities of hard food. ring baileys they will send you sample and very helpfull

[Jetstreem]

Thanks for all the links puzzles, they are great, and thanks blues mum, i didn't know baileys send out samples, I might give them a ring and see!

Thanks again for all the replies!

Cerys :)

[puzzles]

Oh - yes, they sent me a free 1kg sample of Lo-Cal, which which was very nice of them, only I don't actually own a horse ... ;-)

xxxxx

[Jetstreem]

Well, one month into using baileys lo-cal and I have to say I am very impressed!

At the start I sort of thought 'what have I done!' because for the first week or two Tigger went totally off his head on it. He was a nightmare to ride, got himself in a total tizzy over the smallest thing! Thankfully after that initial hiccup he has been fine!

His coat is lovely and shiny ( or should I say lovlier and shinier as he has always been shiny!) and he just seems so much happier and brighter in himself since being on it so I am a happy bunny! I would definatly recommend it!

Cerys :)

[puzzles]

Yay! :-) I'm glad it has worked so well for you both!

x