Feed Balancers???

[SarahC]

Hi there,

Can someone explain to me exactly what feed balancers are and how they are different to mixes / nuts?

I've searched through previous threads but can't seem to find this out.

I'm having a bit of a 'feed advice overload' at the moment and I think I need to get my facts straight!! The feed advisors at Dengie have advised I use 'Complement' which is a balancer (I think?!).

Thanks in advance!

S

[clipclop]

Basically they are a complete vitamin and mineral supplement. With added yeast to help the good bacteria in the gut and aid digestion.

If your horse is receiving its reccomended amount of hard feed then you wouldn't need one.

On the other hand if your horse doesn't receive the reccomended amount of hard feed then he will be lacking in certain vitamins an minerals.

Of coarse you can aways opt to buy and general multivitamin supplement in stead of a balancer they do the same thing.

Most balancers come in a feed form so you can feed the balancer by its' self if you wish if your horse is a good doer.

They are quite expensive initally but they do last quite a long time. i.e 6 weeks for an average 16.hh horse

[SarahC]

Thanks for that, I understand now!

Based on what you said, I think they might have suggested it as my boy gets really silly on hard feed - I have to be mega careful about what he gets and how much ie: his diet is mainly fibre as he has to have reduced sugar / cereal / starch etc. so maybe they thought I could keep the reduced hard fibre feed and add a balancer to sort out the necessary vitamins etc.

Thanks again, you were a big help!

S

[Bebe]

Hi Sarah

My mare gets silly on hard feed too and she doesn't really need it anyway as she's a very good doer. I feed her fibre feeds only, at the moment just Dengie Good Doer and a small handful of Readigrass though I will add Alfabeet if she shows signs of needing extra. To this I add Baileys Lo-Cal, this is a feed balancer designed for good doers. I noticed a difference in my mare within a couple of weeks of putting her on it and now I'll always feed it.

[SarahC]

Ooh, thats interesting Bebe, thanks. Have you noticed the difference in her condition with the Lo-Cal or her temperament?

This is the first winter I've had my boy and when I bought him in May, he was really skinny so I thought that he was possibly difficult to keep weight on, but so far I've had absolutely no problems. He's on one feed a day of Hi-fi Lite and Fibre nuts, plus ad lib hay over night and he has infact improved no end in condition and weight.
But for a warmblood, on paper at least, he isn't getting enough feed?!


S

[Bebe]

She seems to hold muscle better and for longer on the Lo-Cal. Temperament wise when I first put her on it I found that she had a bit more energy without being silly which was nice.

[clipclop]

Warmbloods are usually good doers.

If he is maintaining his weight and he has enough energy for the work he is doing he won't need any further hard feed. However he proboably won't be receieving his full quota of vitiamins an minerals. So a general vitiamin and mineral supplement would do the trick in this case.

[SarahC]

Thanks for the info guys. I think I'll leave his feed as it is for the moment at least and buy a separate vit & min supplement.

Thanks again.

S