Equine Nutrition: Comparing Protein Sources

Re: Equine Nutrition: Comparing Protein Sources

Gina Dungworth — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:42:37 GMT

Thanks, but I think transport to Hampshire would be the drawback. Also the issue of whether we could store enough for the whole winter, even if we used all the stables.

Re: Equine Nutrition: Comparing Protein Sources

Robert Whiteford — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 20:08:46 GMT

The best food is grass, then hay,haylage and silage. While you have all been sweating away down south in a drought, up here in Scotland we have had the usual.....rain. There is plenty of hay around and if you have enough horses and storage for a big enough quantity you might be able to afford the transport of some hay?? Could maybe even do a little business with neighbouring horse owners? There is also a chap up here does dried grass bricks and alfaflfa discs - Halley Feeds he is. Transport costs could be the drawback?

Re: Equine Nutrition: Comparing Protein Sources

Gina Dungworth — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:02:24 GMT

Thanks for that advice. We do use a few bags of pony nuts (of the cheap and cheerful variety), so I'll have a word with the other owners and see which of us is best placed to phone them (most of the horses belong to someone with far more years of horse ownership to her name than me).

In my searches I found a couple of useful web pages from Australia and Canada on feeding in/after a drought, but apart from the straw and sugar beet, none of their suggested feed stuffs are readily available in Hampshire.

Re: Equine Nutrition: Comparing Protein Sources

bob lehner — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:54:07 GMT

Most of the horse-feed manufacturers (eg Spillers, Baileys etc,) have feed advisers/nutritionists whom you can telephone for advice on your particular animals. Of course they will want you to buy their products, but are generally fairly sensible and helpful.

I guess these days most people use compounded commercial feeds, which should supply all nutritional requirements appropriate to the level of work/production. The days of the old 'horse-master', who made up feed at home, using different cereals etc, is largely a thing of the past.