A&P Fast Fibre - help please

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ct1

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ive started feeding the boy this, Now according to the bag, I feed 4kg of dry feed ( he is 600kg and in medium work). I'm assuming this is per feed and dry weight? If so, this is one scoop of fast fibre per meal. The bag is 20kg and so I would use all the bag in less than a week? Is this right? Im feeding the Fast fibre with a scoop of HI FI Molassess free
 
This doesn't sound right to me. I contacted Baileys feeds once to ask about what and how much to feed my horses and they advised to feed little and often for weight gain. They said a single feed shouldn't weigh more than 2kg (which i assume is dry weight, as they can have as much water as they need). They said feeding over that can mean they have too much to digest properly and some of the goodness in the feed is wasted and so it can cause them to lose weight.
You can feed as many feeds as you need to, but not over this weight and leave at least a 2hour gap between each feed.

Sorry, I have waffled a bit, but hopefully this helps you! Not sure if each feed company gives the same advice though. It might be worth contacting A&P?
 
I have 16.1 and still growing 5 yr old idx who has been on f/f all winter 2 scoops in morning and eve.Now the grass is growing I will cut back to 1 scoop twice a day .2 bags last me well over a month.:D
my scoops are smaller for hard feed so prob 2 scoops same size as your larger scoop.It should last well over 2 weeks
 
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I have just had a look on website. That is how much he would need to have per day so if you are feeding just once a day then yes he would have this all in one meal. Bear in mind this is a fibre based product so you can feed a lot at one time, compared to a feed that is high in cereals that should only be fed at a maximum of 2kg per feed. This is because fibre is broken down in the hind gut which is a much slower process so fibre based feeds can be feed in higher quantities.

PS the website says a stubbs scoop holds 1.5kg of FF
 
Why are you feeding FF?

My horses eat one and a half 20kg bags of food per week, each. If you're going to feed a hard feed up to manufacturers recommendations, then you do get through it pretty quick! Mine need it as are in fairly hard work and not good-doers nor on brilliant grazing at the moment. They have this in addition to completely ad-lib haylage.

Now if I had good-doers then I would not be feeding anywhere near the manufacturers amounts and would be topping up on vits/mins with a balancer instead.
 
RachelFerd said:
Why are you feeding FF?

My horses eat one and a half 20kg bags of food per week, each. If you're going to feed a hard feed up to manufacturers recommendations, then you do get through it pretty quick! Mine need it as are in fairly hard work and not good-doers nor on brilliant grazing at the moment. They have this in addition to completely ad-lib haylage.

Now if I had good-doers then I would not be feeding anywhere near the manufacturers amounts and would be topping up on vits/mins with a balancer instead.
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HI.He isnt a good doer and not on any grazing until he goes out in April. He gets Ad lib haylage also x
 
I feed fast fibre as a breakfast, one round scoop soaked overnight in 3 inches of water. Makes a good sized feed.
 
Just asking as FF is basically a very low protein very low energy feed. It has its place, but it isn't what I would choose to feed any horse that is in work or requires a little bit of 'extra'

Also tend to find that when you feed it fully up to quantities that it becomes very unpalatable and horses are quick to go off it.

It mainly seems to be useful as a hay replacer, particularly for old horses that can't chew very well. If you are already feeding ad-lib haylage, you won't actually be adding much to the horse's diet with FF. If you are feeding it for the vit/min content, then you would be better off (cost wise) feeding a balancer in addition to some soaked grass nuts or similar.
 
My horse is a good doer so I only use FF and Hi Fi Mollasses free to hold the vits I give him, unless he starts dropping weight then I up the quantity I give him. I don't tend to follow feed manufacturers recommendations for the amounts (unless it is vits / supplements) instead I go on how my horse looks and his weight.
 
RachelFerd said:
Just asking as FF is basically a very low protein very low energy feed. It has its place, but it isn't what I would choose to feed any horse that is in work or requires a little bit of 'extra'

Also tend to find that when you feed it fully up to quantities that it becomes very unpalatable and horses are quick to go off it.

It mainly seems to be useful as a hay replacer, particularly for old horses that can't chew very well. If you are already feeding ad-lib haylage, you won't actually be adding much to the horse's diet with FF. If you are feeding it for the vit/min content, then you would be better off (cost wise) feeding a balancer in addition to some soaked grass nuts or similar.
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^^^^^Totally agree with this^^^^^^

If you need weight gain do better to feed a conditioning feed
 
RachelFerd said:
Just asking as FF is basically a very low protein very low energy feed. It has its place, but it isn't what I would choose to feed any horse that is in work or requires a little bit of 'extra'

Also tend to find that when you feed it fully up to quantities that it becomes very unpalatable and horses are quick to go off it.

It mainly seems to be useful as a hay replacer, particularly for old horses that can't chew very well. If you are already feeding ad-lib haylage, you won't actually be adding much to the horse's diet with FF. If you are feeding it for the vit/min content, then you would be better off (cost wise) feeding a balancer in addition to some soaked grass nuts or similar.
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i was mainly feeding it for condition really as recommended by A&P. I previously had him on Baileys Lo Cal Balancer. I havent completley taken him of this as Ive been adding the FF to the feed slowly to inntroduce it. I dont want to give him anything with molasses in as he can get a bit sparky at times. He is turning 6 in May. Oooh Im all confused :confused: xx
 
I feed fast fibre along side rationed hay to give a bit of variety to my good doer. Pony gets 2 small scoops a day with vits and minerals in. I soak it well to make it look more :D A bag lasts me about 2 to 3 weeks.
 
I fed it to my good doer over winter to put her supplements in, just enough to cover the bottom of a bucket.
I also gave it to my old boy who cant eat hay, he loves it!!! Slurps it around and gets it everywhere :D
 
Mind you I would also describe C&C as not fit for purpose either. Just personal opinion on that one though ;) Try the Rowan Barbary Soft n Soak Ready Mash if you are really keen on having a soaked/mash feed.
 
Ff is useless for condition. It is basically a very expensive way of feeding watered down and mashed straw with vits and mins added. It has a teensy tiny bit of beet and linseed included. Its for fatties and horses with
no teeth for extra fibre. I used it on my TB and I may as well have fed air, even a slice of hay has more protein and energy in it so I'm completely in agreement with Rachelferd. You would be better off with grass nuts and a balancer. :)
 
I had the Allen and Page rep out this morning. She told me to ignore the recommended amounts on the side of the packet! They are made to put them there by Tradind Standards!!

She was happy with what I feed my mare (weigh bridged 617kgs) 1.5kgs Cool and Collected a day. She does not need any more than that to get the needed vits and mins and she is also in Medium Work and a good doer.
 
Could I also suggest Dengie's Alphabeet?
It's high in fibre (32%) which provides the slow release energy from the alfalfa and beet, but unlke FF, it's 14% protein and I think about 11 DE energy.

It also must be soaked (which I think is what you'd prefered).

No mollases or cereals added, just alfalfa and speedibeet.
 
RachelFerd - agree with every point.

If you are feeding FF for the vits and minerals it has you have to feed a LOT, its not the most appetising so if you do feed lots horses go off it.

Its a good feed if you only feed a tiny amount to mix in supplements for good doers (that's what I did when I fed it). Otherwise there are lots of better alternatives.
 
Thanks everyone. Important going to do my research on a new balancer for him maybe and just use a small amount of the ff until hrs is turned out into the field. :). X
 
monkeybum13 said:
RachelFerd - agree with every point.

If you are feeding FF for the vits and minerals it has you have to feed a LOT, its not the most appetising so if you do feed lots horses go off it.

.
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No you don't. Even Allen and Page tell you to ignore what is written on the back

ct1 said:
Thanks everyone. Important going to do my research on a new balancer for him maybe and just use a small amount of the ff until hrs is turned out into the field. :). X
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To get the required vits and mins you need to feed about one dry level scoop of it a day for a 600kg horse. Ignore what it says on the back about difference levels of work.
 
I've just started feeding mine ff, one as she's on box rest & gone off all chaff, she has her topspec balancer & will have a good scoop of ff when I've introduced it, she also gets a bucket of readygrass to keep weight on her!
I have the opposite in the summer when I find it hard to keep weight off her!! so she will be out all the time and on ff & balancer without the readygrass!
 
galaxy said:
No you don't. Even Allen and Page tell you to ignore what is written on the back
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That is scary! Producing a feed and then saying ignore the instructions on the bag! Surely that can't be right?

My understanding is there is some concern over the selenium levels if fed in quantities as a forage replacer.

The second listed ingredient is beet. lol I would feed beet myself and add appropriate minerals to that.
 
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