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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
  
Location: Arkansas | Why don't you like them?? I don't mean to steal the other feed threads going on, but why is everyone so anti-purina? I've noticed this ever since I got my membership on this site and was very curious to hear why. Ive been feeding Omolene 200 for about 4 years and never had any issues; so please explain this to me! I am by no means a feed guru and would love to learn a little more about it if yall care to share! Thanks! |
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 Regular
Posts: 60
Location: Oklahoma | I am equally as curious!!! I have always had strategy recomended to me and people I know who feed it, their horses look perform great! |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
 
Location: Kansas | I can get my grain custom mixed 500 lbs at a time from our local CO-OP for less than $10 per 50 lb bag, while Purina feeds around here cost closer to $20 a bag. I don't really have anything against Purina feeds, but it's not financially smart for me to drive farther to buy their products at a higher price than the CO-OP 5 miles from home. |
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Regular
Posts: 60
Location: Oklahoma | rodeowithjoker - 2014-02-27 10:21 PM I can get my grain custom mixed 500 lbs at a time from our local CO-OP for less than $10 per 50 lb bag, while Purina feeds around here cost closer to $20 a bag. I don't really have anything against Purina feeds, but it's not financially smart for me to drive farther to buy their products at a higher price than the CO-OP 5 miles from home.
This is why we dont feed Purina. We work closely with out CO-OP here and get a mix of feed that has similar health benefits and is a lot cheaper. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | henderson78 - 2014-02-27 10:23 PM rodeowithjoker - 2014-02-27 10:21 PM I can get my grain custom mixed 500 lbs at a time from our local CO-OP for less than $10 per 50 lb bag, while Purina feeds around here cost closer to $20 a bag. I don't really have anything against Purina feeds, but it's not financially smart for me to drive farther to buy their products at a higher price than the CO-OP 5 miles from home. This is why we dont feed Purina. We work closely with out CO-OP here and get a mix of feed that has similar health benefits and is a lot cheaper.
Purina, that is....
Edited by Brrlracengirl 2014-02-27 10:40 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: lone star state | http://caselaw.findlaw.com/tx-court-of-appeals/1322271.html |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| I feed the ultium with a lot of success! |
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 Super PIckle
Location: Where ever | There are dislikes of every feed out there! If you want to feed it then do. All I can get out here an haven't had any problems. Runs about 16.00 a bag! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1430
Location: Montana | I accidentally did a "feed trial" when Strategy came out.
The story they were putting out then was that this was going to be their really premium feed and it was the best anyone could have.
First we were raising/weaning and wintering 6-8 foals a year then by the same stud - My Indian Money, the one pictured beside here. That's significant because we were used to feeding his colts and he's 16.1 and was a racehorse. His foals are growthy and fairly fast maturing. They are heavy boned and have a lot of muscle. Like any growthy colts they are prone to physitis if they aren't fed right so we watch them carefully.
We were feeding Woody's Complete C then - and that's good foal feed. However, it can be very difficult to keep a steady supply on hand. We ran out and our order was delayed and delayed. So we tried Strategy. In just two weeks, those colts fell apart. They got pot bellied, lost muscle over the topline and even down their butts/back legs, and worst, they got bumpy/square looking ankles (from physitis).
Would everyone look at this colts and notice a difference? Most people would but not everyone. We watch them closely. But if you knew what you were looking at, the difference was horrifying. I think my husband drove to Dickinson to the Woody's plant and made them cough some up . . . .
Now growing colts, especially fast growing colts, will tell you way more about the inside of your feed bag than adult horses will. They cope better and can look good on a lower quality feed. We have fed some half cowhorse foals the last couple of winters and I am amazed at how they don't show the results of dips in feed (weaning etc) remotely like a straight racebred will. So when someone tells me they feed Purina and their colts look great . . . I ask about their breeding. Sure enough, they will be cowbreds.
We feed Progressive now. It's similar to Woody's and still difficult to get but it's always available 80 miles from us. Either is good feed. That's been our experience.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 477
| I have fed it with no problems. I feel good hay and pasture and good clean water also contirbute as much if not more than just the grain alone, along with exercise and deworming.
The mare I have now I got 6 months ago and she was on Omolene 200 when I got her and is still on it now with me. But she is getting a a decent quality alfalfa hay vs the grass hay she was getting with the previous owner....Amazing the difference in her muscle tone and top line...I wish I had before and after pictures!
But I could see how someone could have blamed the omolene 200 for how she looked before I got her or how it 'could have done wonders' for her after I had her... Where I feel it was the pasture and the alfalfa hay and the 4-way supplement I give her that made a big difference in her looks and energy level and just overall attitude.
To each their own!
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 Ms. Poutability
Posts: 2362
Location: In my own world | I feed Purina products to my horses. Here is what I have learned as to why people don't like it:
Moslty because it is not a fixed formulan (Please note some of their feeds are fixed), meaning they can and may change the ingredients of some of their feeds to keep the cost down. One might have more Soybean meal next batch may have more wheat mids. Now the issue with that for some is that they feel it should be consistent from bag to bag and the company only does this to make $$. Some people feel the ingredients in general used, wheat mids, or any byproduct of an ingredient is junk. Some think Purina started mad cow disease by using byproduct meal from animals, like bone meal. I do not know if any of the above is true, I am no expert on by products and whether or not they do a horses gut good or bad. Byproducts in general are not fillers, its what is left after a process has been performed on a grain, that doesn't mean it is GASP bad, but like I said, I do not know whether or not is has a nutritional benefit to the horse.
With all that being said and after doing some digging I have found this:
Purina Ultium Growth and Ultium Compete are FIXED Formuals. Fixed formulas list the ingredients right on the bag, the others have a tag sewn on the bag so they only have to print new tags not new bags when ingredients are changed. I have 2 vets that have recommended and feed Purina. I feed Strategy Healthy Edge, I do not like plain Strategy, I had lots of bags moldy. I do not feed anyting that is textured or has mollasses. One of mine is old and cant' eat textured and my yearling went bonkers on the textured. My vet said get her off the sugar high. I feed the 2 ultium products also.
I will put my flame suit on now. I personally think Purina is a decent feed. I have been feeding it for 4 yrs now, never a colic problem. I think some like to bash it because they don't feed it and theirs is of course better, had a bad experience with it, and its the cool thing to do on here. Companies can try to change for the better, I don't think they purposely make crap feed to watch horse owners have problems!! I however and always open to finding a better feed and research the others listed on here. I have tried some with no change in appaerance and some are just not available in my area |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
| I used to feed Omolene 200. I loved it, the horses loved it, and it used to be somewhat affordable compared to other similar feeds. Then I couldn't get it anywhere within a reasonable drive. So I went with TC. Used several products in that line until it went to over $22 per bag. Got disgusted with the $$$'s I was spending and the horses still not looking really good.
Last year I did the math on both nutrition and $$'s and swapped out bagged feed for top quality alfalfa. NOW my guys look good. And my pocketbook is healthier too! |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I'm not buying the Purina and race bred theory, sorry. I don't feed it to my race bred babies, but I did feed Ultium growth to my 16 hand long yearling...until he was a 16.3 hand 2yr old and he was FANTASTIC. He was on an Omelene when I got him (but not a fan of any of the Omelenes. He was getting 2yr old grass hay free choice besides. I fed this because of the leading AQHA breeders that raise and show 17.2 hand hunter under saddle horses as 2 yr olds at Congress. 99.9% of them feed Ultium Growth when I asked around what was a good feed for a fast growing colt. Mine has very little TB, sire is out of a TB and dam's sire is out of a TB, but most of these hunter under saddle prospects are by stallions that are 1/2 TB and the dams are TB.
So while I don't feed everything on the place Purina, I will stick with the Ultium for this guy at least for now. As he matures and gets older I may change. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | Thanks for the replies!! I just feel like purina is always doing research and trying to make their products better... they have a farm dedicated to just that! I would like to switch to a different feed to reduce his molasses intake. He seems to get a little hot at times and then not have the endurance to finish a run or handle a long haul then perform. I've never fed a pelleted feed (scared of colic) but wouldn't mind giving it a try!! How much does the ultium run per bag? |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Brrlracengirl - 2014-02-28 1:31 PM Thanks for the replies!! I just feel like purina is always doing research and trying to make their products better... they have a farm dedicated to just that! I would like to switch to a different feed to reduce his molasses intake. He seems to get a little hot at times and then not have the endurance to finish a run or handle a long haul then perform. I've never fed a pelleted feed (scared of colic) but wouldn't mind giving it a try!! How much does the ultium run per bag?
Here in WY it is $25-$28 a bag  . During the show season I feed him what the bag says (partly because he is on older home raised grass hay) but during the winter I just feed about 1/2 what it says and he still looks fat and sassy.
Sign up for their coupons, they are a lifesaver |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | wyoming barrel racer - 2014-02-28 2:44 PM Brrlracengirl - 2014-02-28 1:31 PM Thanks for the replies!! I just feel like purina is always doing research and trying to make their products better... they have a farm dedicated to just that! I would like to switch to a different feed to reduce his molasses intake. He seems to get a little hot at times and then not have the endurance to finish a run or handle a long haul then perform. I've never fed a pelleted feed (scared of colic) but wouldn't mind giving it a try!! How much does the ultium run per bag? Here in WY it is $25-$28 a bag . During the show season I feed him what the bag says (partly because he is on older home raised grass hay) but during the winter I just feed about 1/2 what it says and he still looks fat and sassy.
Sign up for their coupons, they are a lifesaver
Thanks! Ill have to look that up! Id like to try something different just to see if he will do better on it... |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | I have fed Omelene 200, Strategy GX, Ultium Complete, and Equine Senior in the past. While I was not a fan of the first two, I did like the Ultium a LOT. The senior is okay.
I don't think Purina is "junk". I do like Triple Crown products better myself. I am a fan of a beet pulp base. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | barrelracr131 - 2014-02-28 2:54 PM I have fed Omelene 200, Strategy GX, Ultium Complete, and Equine Senior in the past. While I was not a fan of the first two, I did like the Ultium a LOT. The senior is okay. I don't think Purina is "junk". I do like Triple Crown products better myself. I am a fan of a beet pulp base. Im seriously thinking of switching to the Ultium. Do you really need to feed 9 lbs. of the Ultium a day?? thats what's recommended for my 1200 lb horse, but in the breakdown of the feed, it talks about how the feed is so nutrient dense that you can feed much less... um, i feed 6 lbs a day now lol
Edited to say...
well I just looked at the recommended amount on the website for omolene and its about the same as the Ultium.... but when the purina reps came to the house, they told us to feed 6 lbs... hmmmm.....
Edited by Brrlracengirl 2014-02-28 3:08 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | We've fed the Omolene and the Ultium. They both seem to be solid feeds. I tend to only feed about half of the recommendation on the bag though because ours get very good quality grass hay and alfalfa. My husband feeds his primarily horseman's edge. All of our horses are healthy and happy. |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | I fed about 6-7 lb a day plus hay to my 1300 lb guy eta of ultium
Edited by barrelracr131 2014-02-28 3:27 PM
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 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Brrlracengirl - 2014-02-28 3:04 PM barrelracr131 - 2014-02-28 2:54 PM I have fed Omelene 200, Strategy GX, Ultium Complete, and Equine Senior in the past. While I was not a fan of the first two, I did like the Ultium a LOT. The senior is okay. I don't think Purina is "junk". I do like Triple Crown products better myself. I am a fan of a beet pulp base. Im seriously thinking of switching to the Ultium. Do you really need to feed 9 lbs. of the Ultium a day?? thats what's recommended for my 1200 lb horse, but in the breakdown of the feed, it talks about how the feed is so nutrient dense that you can feed much less... um, i feed 6 lbs a day now lol
Edited to say...
well I just looked at the recommended amount on the website for omolene and its about the same as the Ultium.... but when the purina reps came to the house, they told us to feed 6 lbs... hmmmm.....
I have fed Ultium and Ultium growth in the past and really liked it. Last season I fed my barrel mare Omolene 200 but she had highs and lows which I did not like. This year it was recommended by my rep to feed 500 so I'm giving that a try. My mare looks gorgeous. I put up my own prairie hay and alfalfa and I only feed the best hay possible plus I have good summer pasture. I don't have a real lot of options for feed without driving over 100 miles which is not feesable so if Purina works for my horses than that's what I'm going to use. |
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 Making the post season
Posts: 7288
Location: your guess is as good as mine | I have fed Purina with no problem...fed Omolene 200 to my older mare & she did great on it until she started having trouble chewing the grain. Only reason she's not on Purina Senior is she seems to do better on Nutrena's SC Senior...thinking about putting my other two (4 & 8) back on the 200. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | ghost rider - 2014-02-28 4:12 PM I have fed Purina with no problem...fed Omolene 200 to my older mare & she did great on it until she started having trouble chewing the grain. Only reason she's not on Purina Senior is she seems to do better on Nutrena's SC Senior...thinking about putting my other two (4 & 8) back on the 200.
I switched my 17 yr old from Purina Sr to Nutrena SC Sr because of the lower starch in Nutrena. He looks and feels awesome! I'm very impressed with it. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 371
| rodeowithjoker - 2014-02-27 10:21 PM
I can get my grain custom mixed 500 lbs at a time from our local CO-OP for less than $10 per 50 lb bag, while Purina feeds around here cost closer to $20 a bag. I don't really have anything against Purina feeds, but it's not financially smart for me to drive farther to buy their products at a higher price than the CO-OP 5 miles from home.
what is your mix? |
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 Veteran
Posts: 292
Location: Northeast Nebraska | I feed Enrich Plus, 3 lbs a day to a 9 month old. She also has a round grass bale 24/7 and I give her a couple of flakes of alfalfa a day. I give her a cup of canola oil on her pellets too. She has a salt block and a waterer. She is doing fine. I can only go over there once a day, so I can't be dumping 10 lbs of grain out at once for her. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 985
| We feed Strategy Healthy Edge and have had good results
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | CYA Ranch - 2014-02-28 3:13 PM ghost rider - 2014-02-28 4:12 PM I have fed Purina with no problem...fed Omolene 200 to my older mare & she did great on it until she started having trouble chewing the grain. Only reason she's not on Purina Senior is she seems to do better on Nutrena's SC Senior...thinking about putting my other two (4 & 8) back on the 200. I switched my 17 yr old from Purina Sr to Nutrena SC Sr because of the lower starch in Nutrena. He looks and feels awesome! I'm very impressed with it.
What is the price difference? My dad has an old mare on Purina Senior and hates the price. I always like the idea of lower starch/sugars and that is one of my issues with the Ultium. But it works and I am in a part of the country where we don't have a lot of feed options. |
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Making the post season
Posts: 7288
Location: your guess is as good as mine | Here (Arkansas) both are the same price...$20/bag. I told my Dad the other day "Remember when we griped because feed went up to $7 a bag?"   |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | isn't that the truth. I remember when Safechoice was $14 a bag and my husband was having a stroke. Now it is $18 when on sale |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | wyoming barrel racer - 2014-02-28 7:18 PM
CYA Ranch - 2014-02-28 3:13 PM ghost rider - 2014-02-28 4:12 PM I have fed Purina with no problem...fed Omolene 200 to my older mare & she did great on it until she started having trouble chewing the grain. Only reason she's not on Purina Senior is she seems to do better on Nutrena's SC Senior...thinking about putting my other two (4 & 8) back on the 200. I switched my 17 yr old from Purina Sr to Nutrena SC Sr because of the lower starch in Nutrena. He looks and feels awesome! I'm very impressed with it.
Its been a while since I bought Purina Sr I dont remember price but Nutrena is cheaper. It was on sale last week for $17.99. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | ghost rider - 2014-02-28 8:41 PM Here (Arkansas) both are the same price...$20/bag. I told my Dad the other day "Remember when we griped because feed went up to $7 a bag?"
Well maybe I can find it for around the same price as the omolene 200... I'd like to try it and see! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | Okay, so while I have yall here!! How many of yall feed textured or pelleted feed(in general)? Weve always stuck with textured and never tried the pelleted because we were scared of some issues that come with pelleted feed.... I would love yalls input! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | Bump |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 559
| I personally don't mind either.. But I do not like dry pellets like regular strategy or nutrena safe choice . I fed strategy a long long time ago & my mare choked on it several times.. I really like the textured triple crown feeds. Love the senior especially for that mare . I don't have to worry about anyone choking anymore :) |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Other than the gelding that gets Ultium, the rest get Safechoice Perform which is a pellet. I haven't had any issues and so far am really happy with it. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | Thanks for the replies! That is one of my concerns with pelleted feed; choking. I will shop around and see what's available in my area. We aren't exactly in "horse country"  |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Brrlracengirl - 2014-03-03 4:27 PM Thanks for the replies! That is one of my concerns with pelleted feed; choking. I will shop around and see what's available in my area. We aren't exactly in "horse country"
My 17 yr old is the only one on straight pellets and thats Nutrena SC Sr. He's not a hog while eating so I don't worry about him choking. The type of horses that you see stick their nose in as far as they can and eat like there's no tomorrow....those are the ones I'd worry about choking. JMO |
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 I'm not opinionated
Posts: 4597
Location: Online | My old gelding has been on Purina Senior for over 10 years. He's 27 now and looks like he did 10 years ago. That's enough for me. My vet recommends it as well.
People make this all way too complicated. I was always told... K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Stupid. |
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 Nothing Comes Easy
Posts: 2353
Location: Texas | I feed Nutrena Safechoice Senior. Love it! Add hot water to it and it turns into mash in 3 minutes. My high risk mare that chokes does really well on it. It's consistent and not dry.
I chose Nutrena over Purina due to the fat content. Nutrena Senior is 8% fat, Purina is 5.5%. Nutrena also has added pro/prebiotics. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Stride - 2014-03-03 9:42 PM I feed Nutrena Safechoice Senior. Love it! Add hot water to it and it turns into mash in 3 minutes. My high risk mare that chokes does really well on it. It's consistent and not dry.
I chose Nutrena over Purina due to the fat content. Nutrena Senior is 8% fat, Purina is 5.5%. Nutrena also has added pro/prebiotics.
Nutrena SC Sr is also much lower in starch. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | rodeomom13 - 2014-03-03 9:27 PM My old gelding has been on Purina Senior for over 10 years. He's 27 now and looks like he did 10 years ago. That's enough for me. My vet recommends it as well.
People make this all way too complicated. I was always told... K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Stupid.
Haha, Ill have to remember that!! KISS.... When it comes to feed, I do feel stupid! I get on here and read all of these threads about feed and Im just sitting here scratching my head!    |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | CYA Ranch - 2014-03-03 9:03 PM Brrlracengirl - 2014-03-03 4:27 PM Thanks for the replies! That is one of my concerns with pelleted feed; choking. I will shop around and see what's available in my area. We aren't exactly in "horse country"
That is a good point! I've still seen some nibblers choke, especially in the winter when they don't want to drink as much. I quess Im more afraid of it since Ive never used it before... but it seems like most people are feeding pelleted feed now; so something must be working!! |
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 A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | Why don't I like Purina? I believe they are the lowest feed company on the totem pole as far as quality. They use whatever ingredients are cheapest and include ingredients like "plant protein by-product" instead of an actual ingredient, meaning you could end up with soybean meal, alfalfa mean, cottonseed meal or even corn as a source of protein in that feed. And every bag could literally be different.
I like ingredients I can read, understand, and I know are not harmful to my horse. I HATE corn and will never feed it to any of my horses. Oats are fine in moderation, but when they're the first or second ingredient, no thanks.
My feed's main ingredients are beet pulp, alfalfa meal, and rice bran. I use a locally milled feed that is A LOT like Triple Crown Senior. It's 14% protein, 10% fat, and 17% fiber. I feed 6lbs a day and they stay fat, slick, and sane. Great feet. Great skin. And no hot heads.
I feed our SUPER easy keeper the TC 30% supplement (ration balancer). She gets 2lbs a day. And that's it. And she stays fat and pretty on it. It's ridiculous. It's $30 a bag but lasts a month.
I pay $14 a bag for the senior feed. The TC Senior was about $22 a bag and we were feeding the same amount, about 6lbs a day. That's the minimum recommended amount. And it will keep even some hard keepers fat at 8lbs a day.
I think Purina puts a hefty price tag on feed that isn't as good as they make it out to be. Nutrena is a better choice. Triple Crown, ADM, Tribute, Blue Bonnet, Buckeye are all awesome feed companies. I know not everyone has access to them, but they're just leaps and bounds over Purina.
Some friends fed the Purina Enrich stuff to one of their geldings. He went bat crap crazy on it. I picked up a bag of TC 30% (same type of feed) and he's fine now. Easy going and really filled out nicely on it. So if that shows a difference between the feeds.
Just my opinion on them. Just not my personal favorite. :) |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | hlynn - 2014-03-03 10:19 PM Why don't I like Purina? I believe they are the lowest feed company on the totem pole as far as quality. They use whatever ingredients are cheapest and include ingredients like "plant protein by-product" instead of an actual ingredient, meaning you could end up with soybean meal, alfalfa mean, cottonseed meal or even corn as a source of protein in that feed. And every bag could literally be different. I like ingredients I can read, understand, and I know are not harmful to my horse. I HATE corn and will never feed it to any of my horses. Oats are fine in moderation, but when they're the first or second ingredient, no thanks. My feed's main ingredients are beet pulp, alfalfa meal, and rice bran. I use a locally milled feed that is A LOT like Triple Crown Senior. It's 14% protein, 10% fat, and 17% fiber. I feed 6lbs a day and they stay fat, slick, and sane. Great feet. Great skin. And no hot heads. I feed our SUPER easy keeper the TC 30% supplement (ration balancer). She gets 2lbs a day. And that's it. And she stays fat and pretty on it. It's ridiculous. It's $30 a bag but lasts a month. I pay $14 a bag for the senior feed. The TC Senior was about $22 a bag and we were feeding the same amount, about 6lbs a day. That's the minimum recommended amount. And it will keep even some hard keepers fat at 8lbs a day. I think Purina puts a hefty price tag on feed that isn't as good as they make it out to be. Nutrena is a better choice. Triple Crown, ADM, Tribute, Blue Bonnet, Buckeye are all awesome feed companies. I know not everyone has access to them, but they're just leaps and bounds over Purina. Some friends fed the Purina Enrich stuff to one of their geldings. He went bat crap crazy on it. I picked up a bag of TC 30% (same type of feed) and he's fine now. Easy going and really filled out nicely on it. So if that shows a difference between the feeds. Just my opinion on them. Just not my personal favorite. :)
Thank you for your input, thats what I wanted to know!! Someone said in an earlier thread that the Ultium was a set formula and doesn't waiver from its set ingredients. I just know that my horses look and perform 10X better on the Omolene 200 than they did on my feed stores plain ol' 12% or 14% sweet feed. The closest TC dealer is like 3 hours away, which is completely out of the question! The same is for Bluebonnet feeds. |
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Ms. Poutability
Posts: 2362
Location: In my own world | Brrlracengirl - 2014-03-03 10:24 PM hlynn - 2014-03-03 10:19 PM Why don't I like Purina? I believe they are the lowest feed company on the totem pole as far as quality. They use whatever ingredients are cheapest and include ingredients like "plant protein by-product" instead of an actual ingredient, meaning you could end up with soybean meal, alfalfa mean, cottonseed meal or even corn as a source of protein in that feed. And every bag could literally be different. I like ingredients I can read, understand, and I know are not harmful to my horse. I HATE corn and will never feed it to any of my horses. Oats are fine in moderation, but when they're the first or second ingredient, no thanks. My feed's main ingredients are beet pulp, alfalfa meal, and rice bran. I use a locally milled feed that is A LOT like Triple Crown Senior. It's 14% protein, 10% fat, and 17% fiber. I feed 6lbs a day and they stay fat, slick, and sane. Great feet. Great skin. And no hot heads. I feed our SUPER easy keeper the TC 30% supplement (ration balancer). She gets 2lbs a day. And that's it. And she stays fat and pretty on it. It's ridiculous. It's $30 a bag but lasts a month. I pay $14 a bag for the senior feed. The TC Senior was about $22 a bag and we were feeding the same amount, about 6lbs a day. That's the minimum recommended amount. And it will keep even some hard keepers fat at 8lbs a day. I think Purina puts a hefty price tag on feed that isn't as good as they make it out to be. Nutrena is a better choice. Triple Crown, ADM, Tribute, Blue Bonnet, Buckeye are all awesome feed companies. I know not everyone has access to them, but they're just leaps and bounds over Purina. Some friends fed the Purina Enrich stuff to one of their geldings. He went bat crap crazy on it. I picked up a bag of TC 30% (same type of feed) and he's fine now. Easy going and really filled out nicely on it. So if that shows a difference between the feeds. Just my opinion on them. Just not my personal favorite. :) Thank you for your input, thats what I wanted to know!! Someone said in an earlier thread that the Ultium was a set formula and doesn't waiver from its set ingredients. I just know that my horses look and perform 10X better on the Omolene 200 than they did on my feed stores plain ol' 12% or 14% sweet feed. The closest TC dealer is like 3 hours away, which is completely out of the question! The same is for Bluebonnet feeds.
Yes both of their ultium feeds are a fixed formula. I feed both of those and Healthy Edge. I have looked at many tags on my HE and have never seen "plant by-product" listed as an ingredient. It says wheat mids, alfalfa meal, ground soy hulls, beet pulp as ingredients. Don't know about the other feeds but not on mine. I would like to see a current tag that says that |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1163
Location: Sapulpa, OK | I think you should research "starch content and the effects on horses guts". You will be shocked at what molasses and other sugars do to horses, not to mention, inho add colics. Horses were meant to be low starch eaters, not sugar eaters. No where in nature did the horse injest sugar in it's refined form until us "sugar addicted" humans came along and thought they needed it. I quit feeding molases based feeds several years ago and have noticed a definate increase in the weight and condition of my horses. I feed alot of beet pulp also, which is the main ingredient in most of the expense feeds, that along with soybean meal is in most of your feeds. Just do some research and I think you will find a good fit for your horse's health and your checkbook. Not to mention, decrease in flies! They love that sugary feed. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | I want to get away from the sweet feed and have something with more sustainable energy... you will have energy from eating candy, but it wont last as long or be as efficient as a scoop of peanut butter... that's how I see it... |
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 Scorpions R Us
Posts: 9586
Location: So. Cali. | I bought a bag of Strategy once. Smelt horrid. I know, not a huge reason to not go back, but it was enough for me.
Have had great results with Nutrena Safechoice and enjoy them making the different ones depending on the horse itself. Also have had great results with Nutrena Senior for a extreme rescue situation.
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Expert
Posts: 1642
Location: Kansas | I agree with the other posters about low starch feeds being better, especially after having a mare with ulcers. I stay away from corn and molasses now and have went to feeding better hay and alfalfa pellets soaked to feed any supplements needed and feeding a lot less grain in general and they seem to be better so far. As far as purina, I quit feeding their feeds back in 2008. I did my own feed trial with TC low starch, strategy, and Kent Dynasty Pro. The DP won hands down between those 3. In 30 days, my mares on DP shedded their winter hair faster, were shinier, and had more over all muscle tone than the other 2 feeds and I fed less of it. I weighed the feed every day on a scale just to be consistant. I have never fed what the bag suggest because I do not believe a horse should have to have 8 to 10 lbs of grain a day if on good hay/pasture. At the time of my trial, I was feeding 4 lbs once a day. The DP mares were decreased to 2.5lbs and maintained their appearance better than the 4 lbs of the other 2. The TC showed a difference at about 50 days. (all other factors, hay, loose vitamin-mineral, water were the same). The strategy horses were the same since at that time that is what I had been feeding for a few years. I was tired of the way they looked on it so that was my motivation to change.
Now I went to safechoice special care due to no corn or molasses in it for my ulcer prone mare.
Edited by wierqh 2014-03-04 9:56 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | wierqh - 2014-03-04 9:54 PM I agree with the other posters about low starch feeds being better, especially after having a mare with ulcers. I stay away from corn and molasses now and have went to feeding better hay and alfalfa pellets soaked to feed any supplements needed and feeding a lot less grain in general and they seem to be better so far. As far as purina, I quit feeding their feeds back in 2008. I did my own feed trial with TC low starch, strategy, and Kent Dynasty Pro. The DP won hands down between those 3. In 30 days, my mares on DP shedded their winter hair faster, were shinier, and had more over all muscle tone than the other 2 feeds and I fed less of it. I weighed the feed every day on a scale just to be consistant. I have never fed what the bag suggest because I do not believe a horse should have to have 8 to 10 lbs of grain a day if on good hay/pasture. At the time of my trial, I was feeding 4 lbs once a day. The DP mares were decreased to 2.5lbs and maintained their appearance better than the 4 lbs of the other 2. The TC showed a difference at about 50 days. (all other factors, hay, loose vitamin-mineral, water were the same). The strategy horses were the same since at that time that is what I had been feeding for a few years. I was tired of the way they looked on it so that was my motivation to change.
Now I went to safechoice special care due to no corn or molasses in it for my ulcer prone mare.
Hmmm interesting!!! Good for you for doing your own research! Im pretty convinced that I need to make a change... My guy just doesnt have the shiney coat and muscle tone that I want, and he gets way too hot at the gate, with an added alley issue in the past as well, then he doesn't fire during performance. I will be researching a bit more before I decide on what to try, but I am between Safe Choice Perform and Ultium Perform (I would try other feeds mentioned before, but they are not sold within my area) |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 559
| Ultium is pretty good :) you may give that a try .. I like the looks of safe choice perform but have never tried it! Ultium does much better than strategy though ! Wish you had access to triple crown senior .. You'd be amazed with the results .. It really muscled my mare up & filled her out when ultium didn't .. But that's what worked for her. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | Fancy Lass - 2014-03-05 8:40 PM Ultium is pretty good :) you may give that a try .. I like the looks of safe choice perform but have never tried it! Ultium does much better than strategy though ! Wish you had access to triple crown senior .. You'd be amazed with the results .. It really muscled my mare up & filled her out when ultium didn't .. But that's what worked for her.
I know, it stinks :( That's what I get for moving from Texas I guess! I will definitely try and see!! Hopefully soon we will be moving closer to where I go to school, so I am going to wait to switch until we figure out that ordeal!! But thats a different story  |
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Expert
Posts: 1815
| I have fed both the Ultium and Healthy Edge...........both were ok, but my horse's body did not look as good this summer as he hs in the past, and for some odd reason it seemed like he had to urinate more frequently. Anyways, I decided to try the Enrich and added the Standlee Alfalfa pellets and a sm amt of oats.........he now looks fantastic! I know high fat is the craze and I have sure done that for the past several years, but when I think about what God made them to eat, I decided to try something different. We will see how the summer goes, as I didn't chg until I had quit riding him for the winter........I am very very happy with the PUrina Enrich, but am only feeding a pound 2x a day, per directions |
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Expert
Posts: 1642
Location: Kansas | Brrlracengirl - 2014-03-05 6:33 PM wierqh - 2014-03-04 9:54 PM I agree with the other posters about low starch feeds being better, especially after having a mare with ulcers. I stay away from corn and molasses now and have went to feeding better hay and alfalfa pellets soaked to feed any supplements needed and feeding a lot less grain in general and they seem to be better so far. As far as purina, I quit feeding their feeds back in 2008. I did my own feed trial with TC low starch, strategy, and Kent Dynasty Pro. The DP won hands down between those 3. In 30 days, my mares on DP shedded their winter hair faster, were shinier, and had more over all muscle tone than the other 2 feeds and I fed less of it. I weighed the feed every day on a scale just to be consistant. I have never fed what the bag suggest because I do not believe a horse should have to have 8 to 10 lbs of grain a day if on good hay/pasture. At the time of my trial, I was feeding 4 lbs once a day. The DP mares were decreased to 2.5lbs and maintained their appearance better than the 4 lbs of the other 2. The TC showed a difference at about 50 days. (all other factors, hay, loose vitamin-mineral, water were the same). The strategy horses were the same since at that time that is what I had been feeding for a few years. I was tired of the way they looked on it so that was my motivation to change.
Now I went to safechoice special care due to no corn or molasses in it for my ulcer prone mare.
Hmmm interesting!!! Good for you for doing your own research! Im pretty convinced that I need to make a change... My guy just doesnt have the shiney coat and muscle tone that I want, and he gets way too hot at the gate, with an added alley issue in the past as well, then he doesn't fire during performance. I will be researching a bit more before I decide on what to try, but I am between Safe Choice Perform and Ultium Perform (I would try other feeds mentioned before, but they are not sold within my area)
Oh also forgot to post before, the 1 Purina product that I do like is the Amplify supplement. It did make a big difference on my ulcer mare when she was in bad shape after I finally figured out what was wrong with her. I just am not a fan of their feed of what I have used in the past. Have never tried Ultium do to the cost of it.
Edited by wierqh 2014-03-06 11:39 AM
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 Special Somebody
Posts: 3951
Location: Finally horseback again.... | When my husband and I got together years ago, he fed Strategy. his horses were hot, hot, hot. I fed an all grain. And they didnt look really well. We changed to Total Equine for over a year and they still didnt look great like what we wanted.
Dr Williams at Lone Star Park recommended Safe Choice. Within 2 weeks, everyhorse started to dapple and had noticeable weight gain in the top line and hips. We have been on it ever since.
The great thing about it is once you get to the condition you were trying to get, you can cut back and maintain very well.
On another note, I used to feed Purina Puppy chow.... It nearly killed an entire litter of pups from arsenic poisoning. I vowed never to feed another Purina product after that.
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Expert
Posts: 1642
Location: Kansas | Canchasr1 - 2014-03-06 1:19 PM When my husband and I got together years ago, he fed Strategy. his horses were hot, hot, hot. I fed an all grain. And they didnt look really well. We changed to Total Equine for over a year and they still didnt look great like what we wanted.
Dr Williams at Lone Star Park recommended Safe Choice. Within 2 weeks, everyhorse started to dapple and had noticeable weight gain in the top line and hips. We have been on it ever since.
The great thing about it is once you get to the condition you were trying to get, you can cut back and maintain very well.
On another note, I used to feed Purina Puppy chow.... It nearly killed an entire litter of pups from arsenic poisoning. I vowed never to feed another Purina product after that.
We also lost a puppy from the puupy chow poisoning as well as my brother. Last summer my kids got into showing goats for 4-H. Sis-in-law swore the purina goat feed was the best. Got a bag and the goats wouldn't even touch it. Switched to another goat feed and they ate it like candy. EDIT: sorry had to look up the brand, as I had forgot. It was Moorman's Showtec goat feed that they loved.
Edited by wierqh 2014-03-06 1:59 PM
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Member
Posts: 30
| wierqh - 2014-03-06 12:55 PM
Canchasr1 - 2014-03-06 1:19 PM When my husband and I got together years ago, he fed Strategy. his horses were hot, hot, hot. I fed an all grain. And they didnt look really well. We changed to Total Equine for over a year and they still didnt look great like what we wanted.
Dr Williams at Lone Star Park recommended Safe Choice. Within 2 weeks, everyhorse started to dapple and had noticeable weight gain in the top line and hips. We have been on it ever since.
The great thing about it is once you get to the condition you were trying to get, you can cut back and maintain very well.
On another note, I used to feed Purina Puppy chow.... It nearly killed an entire litter of pups from arsenic poisoning. I vowed never to feed another Purina product after that.
We also lost a puppy from the puupy chow poisoning as well as my brother. Last summer my kids got into showing goats for 4-H. Sis-in-law swore the purina goat feed was the best. Got a bag and the goats wouldn't even touch it. Switched to another goat feed and they ate it like candy. EDIT: sorry had to look up the brand, as I had forgot. It was Moorman's Showtec goat feed that they loved.
what people don't realize and what is kind of confusing is that there are 2 different brands of Purina feed! There is Land O' Lakes Purina, which is all your animal feeds minus dog & cat. Then there is Nestle Purina which bought out the dog/cat food line and the rights to use the checker board back in the early 80's - these are the dog/cat feeds that you will find in the grocery stores, Wal-Mart, etc.
Land O' Lakes Purina realized that they made a mistake getting rid of their dog/cat line but since they sold the rights to the checker board & name they now have to use the name PMI (Purina Mills Inc.) for their dog & cat foods.
So the Purina Puppy Chow that you bought was actually Nestle brand and not the Land O' Lakes Purina (which is the higher quality and the ones that actually do the research) |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | Now I am leaning towards safe choice... A friend of mine is feeding it and is getting good results from it. But she is also feeding alfalfa and beet pellets.... I agree, the puppy/ dog chow is terrible!! I refuse to feed it... But the only feed my collie will eat is the purina one and its a really good dog food. She wont touch diamond or any other brand my feed store carries... |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Brrlracengirl - 2014-03-06 6:28 PM Now I am leaning towards safe choice... A friend of mine is feeding it and is getting good results from it. But she is also feeding alfalfa and beet pellets.... I agree, the puppy/ dog chow is terrible!! I refuse to feed it... But the only feed my collie will eat is the purina one and its a really good dog food. She wont touch diamond or any other brand my feed store carries... I love the Nutrena Safechoice Perform so far. I have had several on it, I weaned my babies last year on it and now as yearlings, they look really good. I would take pics, but they are so muddy it's embarresing. Filthy little mongrels they are.
As mentioned above, I have my show horse on Ultium and have no reason to change him. We are feeding up older home raised grass hay so I am sure it has lost some of it's edge, but the horses still look really good. Here he is right before I shipped him off to be started under saddle. I think he was getting 5-6 lbs of Ultium total, split into am and pm feedings. When he is mature I may put him on Safechoice Perform as well, I bought him on Purina and have kept him on it. He looks great so I see no reason to change his diet just yet.
Edited because I found one with all of them, but he is so tall he makes the others look like "mini me's". That pic was from Nov last year.
Edited by wyoming barrel racer 2014-03-07 12:36 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1028
| I feed everything on my place (broodies, barrel horses, weanlings, yearlings) Safechoice Perform. The results have been fantastic. The mares don't get drug down as bad when nursing colts, my open horse is firing better than ever, and my colts seem to be growing at a nice pace and maintaining their weight well on it. I am a fan of it. |
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Regular
Posts: 92
| We have fed Purina for the last 14 years. We love the products and love how our horses are performing and looking. I went to a 3 day tour of the Purina research facility and was amazed what I saw and learned. One of the main things we learned that every single train load of grain is tested for nutrient levels prior to being excepted. I also didn't realize that a load of grain can very so many percentage points in per say protein from load to load. I am truly amazed at how much research went into every formula. All the trials that where going on while we where there where so fascinating. I also didn't realize how many major feed companies don't have a research facility and do zero research and how many companies don't test the nutrient level in the grain they are buying at all let alone every load. For anyone who would really like to know what goes into your feed go take the tour. You will truly be amazed and have a lot of questions when you leave there to ask your own feed companies. I promise if you take the time to take the tour you will be much more educated on horse feed then before you went. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | wyoming barrel racer - 2014-03-07 12:29 PM Brrlracengirl - 2014-03-06 6:28 PM Now I am leaning towards safe choice... A friend of mine is feeding it and is getting good results from it. But she is also feeding alfalfa and beet pellets.... I agree, the puppy/ dog chow is terrible!! I refuse to feed it... But the only feed my collie will eat is the purina one and its a really good dog food. She wont touch diamond or any other brand my feed store carries... I love the Nutrena Safechoice Perform so far. I have had several on it, I weaned my babies last year on it and now as yearlings, they look really good. I would take pics, but they are so muddy it's embarresing. Filthy little mongrels they are.
As mentioned above, I have my show horse on Ultium and have no reason to change him. We are feeding up older home raised grass hay so I am sure it has lost some of it's edge, but the horses still look really good. Here he is right before I shipped him off to be started under saddle. I think he was getting 5-6 lbs of Ultium total, split into am and pm feedings. When he is mature I may put him on Safechoice Perform as well, I bought him on Purina and have kept him on it. He looks great so I see no reason to change his diet just yet.
Edited because I found one with all of them, but he is so tall he makes the others look like "mini me's". That pic was from Nov last year.
He is gorgeous!!  Looks like the Ultium works good for him, but Im sure its a hassle to have him on something different from everyone else. Right now I live with family and they feed theirs Omolene 200, so I don't need to change him now, it would just be more complicated. But when we move, I will probably switch after he gets settled in the new place... Which I am looking foward to!! lol  |
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Good Ole Boys just Fine with Me
Posts: 2869
Location: SE Missouri | Well, I have two horses that hated the Ultium I had just wanted to put some extra weight on them and everyone was raving about Ultium so I gave it a try. The one gelding wouldn't touch it and didn't do enough for my old mare either to warrant the cost.. So back to the custom mix I went and have stayed. They also get soaked alfalfa pellets (and it does better than anything for old toothless critters and hard keepers, lol). My custom mix is primarily oats with the Purina athlete and the Purina Enrich 32 with a slight amount of molasses just enough to help bind. (not even enough to clump in the freezing temps, lol).. I feed mainly alfalfa hay and pretty intensive grazing mix of grasses and interseeded red clover for protein. Trying to get the grain to even be a smaller part of their diet this year. |
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 Crazy Doggy Mommy
Posts: 1419
Location: Where Governor's make the liscense plates | I haven't read all 4 pages of reviews, but my horse didn't seem to do well with the strategy- In my mind I think about if I ate cake everyday and a thin person did also I'd gain a 100lbs and the thin person would stay the same weight. Not all feeds are designed for some horses my guy does better w/ nutrena. Other folks on this board use ADM products and love them so it just shows different strokes for different folks. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | You are right; every horse is different and so are their needs. When I first started feeding the Omolene, my horses needed the energy. They were dull and as much as we hauled them back then, they just gave up from lack of a good feed. But now that I am more knowledgable about feeding and general care, he doesn't need to be getting so much sugar! Id like to try the nutrena, but change scares me! lol |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 912
Location: Alabama | I just found this thread. It is a really good read! Thanks to all who contributed. |
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Regular
Posts: 73
| Interesting! |
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A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | westrnridr - 2014-03-07 6:11 PM We have fed Purina for the last 14 years. We love the products and love how our horses are performing and looking. I went to a 3 day tour of the Purina research facility and was amazed what I saw and learned. One of the main things we learned that every single train load of grain is tested for nutrient levels prior to being excepted. I also didn't realize that a load of grain can very so many percentage points in per say protein from load to load. I am truly amazed at how much research went into every formula. All the trials that where going on while we where there where so fascinating. I also didn't realize how many major feed companies don't have a research facility and do zero research and how many companies don't test the nutrient level in the grain they are buying at all let alone every load. For anyone who would really like to know what goes into your feed go take the tour. You will truly be amazed and have a lot of questions when you leave there to ask your own feed companies. I promise if you take the time to take the tour you will be much more educated on horse feed then before you went.
Feed mills for hog, chicken, and turkey farms test every load of grain for nutrient levels. It saves money. Of course every company wants to save money!
A lot of feed companies do research. It's how they save money in the long run and how they develop new feeds, like Nutrena's new Pro Force line of feeds. They had to do the research before they could develop a good formula.
I spoke to a Purina rep at a horse/pet expo. He was very uneducated, in my opinion. He tried to tell me that since I barrel raced, my horse NEEDED high starch feeds like Omolene in order to meet their needs. He told me corn had zero negative effects on horses and that high starch was only bad for sensitive horses. I wanted to slap him for sharing this kind of nonsense to others.
If their reps are that clueless, I don't even want to know what they've been spreading to their customers. It seemed to me like he only knew as much as the pamphlet told him. Maybe other reps from other companies are like this too, but I just wasn't happy.
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Member
Posts: 17
| We've fed Purina Omalene 400 for about a year now and we love it. Our horses look great! |
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![](<a href="http://s1191.photobucket.com/albums/z470/alicat0909/?action=view¤t=yellaandcalf.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1191.photobu) Heeler Hater
Posts: 3014
Location: Texas | For me personally its too inconsistent and too high in protein, and too low in fiber. I have tried senior, junior, strategy, and strategy healthy edge. One bag might be great and fresh and smell wonderful and the next is dry and crumbly and the horses wont touch it. Also every time i have switched the horses drop weight, muscle ton, and seem one of two extremes. Either extremely hot or extremely lethargic and blah. They also get the WORST scours. I kept them on them for at least a year to let them adjust to the transition and hopefully regain. But they never did improve.
The only feed I ever liked that i tried was the Strategy Healthy Edge.
I went by how much was supposed to be fed on the bag supplemented with hay as advised. Nothing worked. The heathly edge was good but didnt make them gain weight or look any better. Most would drop a little weight them level out.
Again this is just my experience with the feed. |
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 Vodka for Lunch
Location: Lala Land | I fed the Ultium for about 6 months, 6lb per day... my horse loved it but didn't seem to bulk up on it and every bag was different. Some bags were very oily and others dry and crumbly. |
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