I am trying to figure out how to calculate/figure out what my horses are missing in their diet. I recently read on a nutrition thread that Renew Gold + alfalfa pellets/cubes and grass hay would still leave nutritional gaps and that this diet requires additional vitamin/minerals. I started looking into MVP Mega Cell but before I invest I wanted to hear some other opinions. I am totally inexperienced when it comes to the analysis labels and figuring out what they're getting in the feed vs not getting... 

The one I am particularly asking about is a 3y/o on a moderate training workload. I am feeding 1.5lb Renew Gold per day, 5lb alfalfa pellets per day, and free choice grass hay. It is decent mixed grass baled on our property but is not any kind of "superior horse hay." I am also on the search for alfalfa squares as I would prefer feeding long stem vs pellets but for now we are on pellets. 

Any idea of where I might be leaving this horse with deficiencies? I just want her to have everything she needs to look and feel her best. 

As far as an additional supplement goes I was between MVP Mega Cell or OE Align. I would love to give her Platinum Performance but it's beyond budget. 

I have fed FORMULA 707 daily essentials for probably 20 years!! Its very affordable ( Like 20.00 a month per horse if that) and it covers EVERYTHING a horse is known to need for the day. Simple. Its in alfalfa pellet form and horses will eat it right out of your hands. My horses are on unliited alfalfa/orchard mix hay, very small amount of whole oats, renew gold, and 707.

I can help you.  Do you have a hay analysis done?  That is the most important part.

I also need to know your horses current activity level.  I have a spreadsheet and can easily pop that in for you

Roughly 75% of our Renew Gold customers do not feed added vitamin/ mineral packages. One of the reasons that computer programs do not work well with a Renew Gold feeding program is that they basically start by assuming a conventional feed program and conventional feed ineffeciency that is standard with that type of diet. In most cases, they also do not have a complete vitamin and mineral analysis for Renew Gold. 

I have always said that the best return on your feed dollar is better roughage. After that, normalizing the digestive system is how you get the most out of that good roughage. That in turn results in digestive effeciency that allows for less added supplements because the majority of needs are supplied now that the hind gut is working properly. A fully functioning hind gut will make the majority of the water soluble vitamins that the horse needs as long as that function is not disrupted by excess starch and sugars from grain based feed. The Renew Gold that you are feeding, along with good hay can easily supply the fat soluble vitamins that the horse can not make itself. 

As to minerals, here again, between good quality roughage and Renew Gold, we only see a deficiency from roughage that has a natural regional shortage of a specific mineral in the soil and therefore the roughage. The Pacific Northewest and selenium is a good example of this. In those areas, mineral shortages are typically well known. This would be a good place to add additional mineral support if required. 

Still confused? If you feel that your hay quality is poor, or that it comes from an area that has a known mineral deficiency, adding support would be fine. In most cases, except with selenium, a horse will just pass excess mineral through. If it makes you sleep better, then by all means go for it. 

I feed quality grass / alfalfa mixed hay, Renew Gold, Redmond salt and clean water. Blood work could not be more perfect on these horses, and they look, feel and act wonderful.

One last thought on your three year old. No matter how you feed him, it is really important that you keep track of his teeth. Three year olds go through a lot of mouth changes. This keeps their mouth sore much of the time. If this becomes too much of a problem, they just chew enough to swallow and the roughage part of the diet is not broken up enough to be well digested in the hind gut. Check the teeth every four months or so to keep your three year old out of mouth pain. 

Hope this helps.

I joined feed xl.
Super cool to see how everything adds up. I love it. I uploaded my hay analysis. I cut down to just a vitamin hay balancer and a hoof supplement for my old gelding and Had to amp it up for my yearling. She gets dac colt grower, bloom, and flax oil and  1lb of low starch feed. Both get grass alfalfa pellets as a carrier. They look great and no more guessing. My hay is super high quality and they don't need much extras. But it's also high in iron so I have to be careful what I feed with it.