lisamm - 2014-01-31 7:35 AM Totally agree, just fillers and junk...... Purina and Nutrena both are terrible! Plus the recommended amount to feed of those feeds is just plain nuts. When I see people only feeding 1lb of a feed that your suppose to be feeding 10-14lbs you might as well throw your money away. I will stick with my Progressive feed that actually stands behind their products with no national backing....

Quick3 - 2014-01-31 5:49 PM

These feed threads are always interesting to me.  I need to learn more!!  What would you think if you saw "Ground Limestone" on the tag?  I am a little shocked to find this in what I thought was a decent feed.

Quick3 - 2014-01-31 6:49 PM

These feed threads are always interesting to me.  I need to learn more!!  What would you think if you saw "Ground Limestone" on the tag?  I am a little shocked to find this in what I thought was a decent feed.

Quick3 - 2014-01-31 5:49 PM

These feed threads are always interesting to me.  I need to learn more!!  What would you think if you saw "Ground Limestone" on the tag?  I am a little shocked to find this in what I thought was a decent feed.

Nevertooold - 2014-01-31 5:57 PM Ground limestone is used in feeds to equal out the calcium phosphorus levels. With that being said...I would prefer seeing ground limestone used over the teeth and bones of other animals.

livinonlove&horses - 2014-01-31 3:13 PM  Just an FYI lisamm, I looked up your feed, which is actually a ration balancer, and the first 2 ingredients listed is Soybean meal and wheat mids, which I believe you said was junk and filler

kwanatha - 2014-01-31 4:47 PM


soybean meal is not filler.. soybean hulls is filler

can_chaiser - 2014-01-31 2:40 PM While I haven't followed this thread I will try and shine some light on to what the OP was wondering about Soy Bean Hulls. I worked for 2 animal nutirition companies in Canada and the last company I worked for actually based their feed's on Soybean Hulls. Soybean Hulls are not a filler, they are actually the outer part of the seed that are milled off. They are low in NSC as the seed and the hull are actually seperated from one another. They are a very stable fibre source for horses. There are two products here in Alberta that main ingredient is Soybean Hulls, Hoffman's Horse Ration and Anchor R's custom feed. The nutritionist who formulated both products was, or still is conducting research on Soy Bean Hulls being a suitable base for a ration for horses recovering from colic surgery, that's how stable the ingredient is. To try and help disban some of the concerns regarding extra ingrediants in feed, ie corn in bags that shouldn't have corn in it, a feed mill is a very complex unit with multiple augers, bins, mixers, bagging chutes etc. While companies flush these between products, ie a dry run of oats, wheat, corn etc, not every nook and crany can be cleaned, that's why the odd time you will see corn or other basic grains mixed in, these flush products might get knocked out of somewhere with the right jolt of the mixer. What the consumer does need to confident in is that the right steps are taken to ensure the safety of their animals. For example, in Canada there is a product called Rumension that is added to Beef calf feed, that will kill a horse if it consumed. Where a feed mill goes and takes the necessary percautions is that the mill is flushed after that product is made, and then a feed for other ruminants is made follow ( IE Dairy feed following), there is a mininmun of 3 feeds and 3 flushed to be made after the Medicated feed prior to horse feed being made to reduce the risk of horse feed coming in contamination of that medication. While I am not 100% sure of the practises in the US, in Canada, the ingredients are not listed on the bag, just the guaranteed analysis. Feed ingredient listing can be requested by the consumer but they are not provided on the bag. I am totally open to answering as manye questions that I can, however it has been 3 years since of left that field. Brandi

wyoming barrel racer - 2014-01-31 9:13 PM The problem isn't the feed. The problem is everyone thinking they are feed nutritionists.  

CYA Ranch - 2014-01-31 8:20 PM  That's where it all gets super duper hard.  Sometimes you have to keep your questions off the board, do your own research, see what's available in your area and know your animals.  

Prehistoric - 2014-02-01 4:44 AM I come to this thread once or twice a day for a 'WTH did they just say moment'. I notice there are a few voices of reason that comment on this and a few, IMO, that are "sure out there a ways".

First of all, Purina, Nutrena and a number of other feed companies have multiple nutritionists on staff with PhD's behind their names. I am aquainted with seveal of these-they are smart, honest, have a equine background and sat through a lot more chemistry classes, etc in college than I cared to. I trust them.

If we study the evolution of the horse, we find they did not evolve in a corn (or oat)  field or a stall with 16 winter blankets. Therefore, they can safely handle a lot more than some of us think.

There are a number of by products of the food (both animal and human) industry and milling industry that can be successfully used in livestock feeds. Most of these have been researched and used for decades.

I will comment on three by products that have been mentioned: soy bean hulls (SBH), DDG (distillers dried grain) and wheat midds. All are high in digestible fiber and protien. SBH pellets are 10% crude protien (% CP), fiber 36%. Wheat midds-7.5% fiber, 16.5 % CP.  DDG-10% fat, 8% fiber, 25% CP.

All three of these byproducts can and are safely and successfully use as part of livestock rations, including horse feed. An argument can be made that these are safer for horses than corn, oats, barley, etc. I leave the formulation of these rations to the experts (in my case-Purina). This gives me time to worry about such important things as: are the hay feeders full and the water open this winter?

wyoming barrel racer - 2014-01-31 9:24 PM True. If people would actually find the truth and facts about what they repeat on here it would help. I can't say I know a darn thing about wheat hulls or whatever so I don't have an opinion either way. I know google can be a great thing, but it is something you should probably look at several sites. Just because you read it on the internet does not make it a fact.

I have few feeds here in WY. Pretty much Nutrena and Purina and Total Equine just because I have a friend that sells it. I feed all 3 to a different horse. I don't think you can have several horses and say, "I will feed this and just this." Like you said, you must know your horse and what works for them.

wyoming barrel racer - 2014-01-31 9:13 PM

The problem isn't the feed. The problem is everyone thinking they are feed nutritionists.  

Prehistoric - 2014-02-01 8:31 AM I guess I view these by products as viable alternatives instead of "fillers". Yes, all feed prices a too high, IMO.

On a wholesale level, soy hull pellets are about equal to the on farm corn price. SBH (soy hulls) are $155/ton (5 ton minimum in bulk) at the plant at Emporia, KS. That makes SBH and corn about 8 cents/pound. (Corn about $4.60 per bushel)

I have fed 2-3 pounds of Soy hull pellets to mature horses during the winter aong with free choice grass hay  However, I prefer DDG or 1-2 pounds of soybean meal to increase the protien level in their daily ration. This winter, 1 1/2 pounds of soybean meal is the cheapest way in this part of the world.

In the past, I have used a local mill mix of corn, oats, soy meal, 10% DDG. mineral, etc. However, all the local mills quit mixing horse rations a few years ago due to the liability of afla toxin in grain. Also,I had quite a bit of seperation of product coming out of the bulk bin. I have gone back to Strategy for young horses and mares with foals.