Alternatives to chaff?

Tori3610

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21 September 2018
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My thoroughbred mare is on Blue Grass Cool and Condition Cubes and chaff but she doesn’t like the chaff. She loves the cubes, but will eat round the chaff, and when I go up in the evenings to muck her out, her breakfast chaff is still in her bucket and it’s such a waste. I only use chaff to fill out her feed, is there any alternatives that are the same price as chaff is good and cheap at £6 a bag. I’m not sure if the grass chaff or speedy beat would do, she’s stupidly chilled out for a thoroughbred and I want to keep her that way!

Thanks 😄
 

Sussexbythesea

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I wouldn’t bother giving her anything else if she doesn’t need it. Mostly people feed chaff as a token feed for fatties, to hide supplements or slow down eating. If she’s none of these there doesn’t seem much point as long as she has sufficient forage.

If you do really want to use something speedibeet is good and usually non-heating, I use it mainly to hide supplements as both my WB are fatties but chaff can be unpalatable and especially in summer they’ll not eat up the chaff so they don’t get their supplements. A large mug full does two feeds.
 

Finnigan

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I use Thunderbrook Herbal chaff. It is freeze dried grass and herbs. Its like a tardis bag, it lasts ages!!! Soluble fibre feeds like fast fibre, or keyflow pink mash are available if you don't want to go down sugar beet or speedi beet route. Cube on their own is fine though, you may not need a chaff at all unless they bolt their feed and need slowing down.
 

Shay

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Is there a reason you need to add chaff at all? A sussex says its to add bulk, slow down feeding or hide supplements. If you don;t need any of those things then you don't have to feed it. You might want to increase the hay / forage ration slightly to compensate. But it won't be by much.
 
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