|
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1159
  
Location: alabama | I had the guy at the feed store say I could pour loose minerals in a bucket for the horses to eat when they needed it... which I'm guessing is what u call " free choice" ... so should I be worried that one of them might eat too much? I've got one that would eat thorns just because it was in a bucket!! LOL |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 490
| I leave free choice minerals out 24/7. They will only eat what they need. At first mine hit them hard but they slacked off pretty quick. I do notice when theres a weather change, they will eat more of the minerals. The same for when I bring in a new horse.
I've done free choice for several years now and not had a problem. |
|
| |
|
  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I bought a mare out of AR that had yellow mane and tail when she was supposed to be a bay. She is the sorriest looking critter I ever bought sight unseen. She was really lacking in minerals for one thing. I put out Purina 12:12 and she ate it like grain. I did call the vet and he said she would back off in a day or 2 and she did. She looks great now. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1159
Location: alabama | Ok thanks y'all!! |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1695
Location: Willows, CA | Answers above are correct for the most part. There are a few specific minerals that can be overfed, but, these are commonly not included in a mineral supplement formulation. When I formulated the GrowStrong minerals for MoorMans we had several trial horses eat a whole 25 pound block in five days. After that, they backed down to our target amount. No problems were seen. |
|
| |
|
Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | winwillows - 2017-12-01 5:04 PM Answers above are correct for the most part. There are a few specific minerals that can be overfed, but, these are commonly not included in a mineral supplement formulation. When I formulated the GrowStrong minerals for MoorMans we had several trial horses eat a whole 25 pound block in five days. After that, they backed down to our target amount. No problems were seen.
Yes very true. Selenium would be one I would think. We have it in the area so don't add it to any feed. |
|
| |
|
 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | Years ago, Mormann's had 2 minerals and one was for horses that were fed alfalfa and the other was for horses that were feed coastal. I fed a flake of alfalfa a day and the rest was Coastal. I was told by the salesman that I should feed the Alfalfa one. Didn't work out well at all. My mare looked like someone stole her backend. When I finally figured out what was going on...I went back to Purina 12 12 and she went back to normal in about a month. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1695
Location: Willows, CA | Nevertooold - 2017-12-01 10:07 PM
Years ago, Mormann's had 2 minerals and one was for horses that were fed alfalfa and the other was for horses that were feed coastal. I fed a flake of alfalfa a day and the rest was Coastal. I was told by the salesman that I should feed the Alfalfa one. Didn't work out well at all. My mare looked like someone stole her backend. When I finally figured out what was going on...I went back to Purina 12 12 and she went back to normal in about a month.
MoorMans replaced those two formulations with the one that I formulated for them. Too long a story for here, but I requested that they make me a private label product for our marketing when I owned Natural Glo. They did that. After a year they found that it was better suited than their prior two formulations and dropped those and went to my formula for the GrowStrong brand. |
|
| |
|
I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | winwillows - 2017-12-02 10:00 AM Nevertooold - 2017-12-01 10:07 PM Years ago, Mormann's had 2 minerals and one was for horses that were fed alfalfa and the other was for horses that were feed coastal. I fed a flake of alfalfa a day and the rest was Coastal. I was told by the salesman that I should feed the Alfalfa one. Didn't work out well at all. My mare looked like someone stole her backend. When I finally figured out what was going on...I went back to Purina 12 12 and she went back to normal in about a month. MoorMans replaced those two formulations with the one that I formulated for them. Too long a story for here, but I requested that they make me a private label product for our marketing when I owned Natural Glo. They did that. After a year they found that it was better suited than their prior two formulations and dropped those and went to my formula for the GrowStrong brand.
That's good to know. The other wasn't working..LOL
I do know the salesman got fired as I sure wasn't the only person having problems. |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 851
Location: West Texas | Moormans still have two formulas and the only difference is the Ca:Ph ratio. It is that way for almost to all minerals that are for grass and alfalfa. Purina 12:12 is essentially an alfalfa formula, since a 2:1 Ca:Ph (the majority of minerals) is not needed.
I've always read that horses can't regulate mineral but I think what I've seen to be different. We feed free choice alfalfa to a group of about 8 broodmares. Alfalfa is full of vitamins and minerals. I have a Purina 12:12 block out for them and they take about a year to go through it. I've had mares that had been low on nutrients for a while and they will crave mineral and devour it until they get to bring really healthy again, then they won't hardly touch it.
I've put out trace mineral back and forth with regular mineral to test and can't tell "any" difference in health when on an alfalfa based diet.
Edited by Tdove 2017-12-02 5:16 PM
|
|
| |
|
I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | I had a Mormann's Gro-Strong mineral block and my horse wouldn't touch it. I finally threw it out for the deer and they wouldn't touch it either and they sure aren't eating alfalfa..LOL |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1695
Location: Willows, CA | They sell a grass formula in a very limited area. It has a slightly different cal/ pros ratio, but still the upgraded formulation from their original. The base replacement is the only one available nationally. This has been nice product, but there seems to be some manufacturing questions these days. |
|
| |
Folks on-line