Chop / Chaff without the molasses &(or) alfalfa?? HELP!

[rcm_73]

I am having probs finding a plain chop / chaff to add to my horse's Ride & Relax coarse mix without also adding either molasses or alfalfa. I currently use Dengie HiFi and have to pick the alfalfa out! Does anyone know of a replacement that doesn't contain these ingredients and that doesn't cost the earth and is relatively easy to get hold of?? Or am I expecting too much in our modern times?!

 

[Molineux]

I thought Hi Fi Light did not have Molasses?

 

[Irishcobs]

Hi fi Light doesn't.
http://www.dengie.com/hi-fi_lite.htm

 

[Molineux]

I thought it was that!!

Thank you!

 

[rcm_73]

Remember looking at hifi lite and I'm sure it had either molasses or alfalfa...I just wanted to cut them out altogether and am finding it really difficult to find the right product!

 

[Chex]

I think Spillers happy dieter doesn't have either. It does have fibre pellets though
http://www.spillers-feeds.com/en-gb/unit...s/happy-dieter/

 

[brightmount]

I recently won a sack of Badminton Feeds Easy Rider which is similar in texture to HiFi but has no alfa or sugar. It's also only about £6 a sack.

 

[rcm_73]

Thanks I will look up Badminton Feeds & Spillers Happy Dieter. Just been on Dengie and as suspected it says Hi-Fi Lite is made from Alfalfa. Perhaps I should just get some straw and a chaff cutter!!

 

[CBFan]

Why do you want / need to cut out molasses / alfalfa?

Could you use something like redigrass?

 

[sleepingdragon10]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi fi Light doesn't.
http://www.dengie.com/hi-fi_lite.htm

[/ QUOTE ]

Contains molasses extract and alfalfa though

 

[rcm_73]

Got a TB not doing much work at the mo. She can be very very fizzy so am trying Ride and Relax and the idea with it is that you cut out barley, alfalfa & molasses. So far so good..but still need to lose the alfalfa. Have looked up two recommendations so far and they are looking good so will ask my feed merchant which he can get. Did consider readigrass but it's a medium energy feed and as she's in light work she doesn't need the extra energy (has stacks of energy anyway). Luckily for a TB she does keep weight on quite well.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Not sure, but pretty sure Readigrass will have more feed valve than Hi Fi Lite or Hi Fi.

If you find a unmollassed chaff let me know, I've been looking for one for year for my sugar intollerant mare. Have resorted to using Alfa A Oil (very small feed) as am yet to find anything better.

 

[sillygillyhorse]

Just be careful that Happy Dieter has a true open declaration as to the contents. As another post mentions it contains some sort of pellet, you really need to know what it is in the pellet, many of them contain molasses to get them to stick together but this is not always stated.

 

[Evil_Cookie]

I believe honeychop do a plain chopeed straw feed...

EC

 

[the watcher]

You can buy straight chopped straw as a bedding..comes in big bales like shavings..worth looking into that maybe

 

[sleepingdragon10]

[ QUOTE ]
You can buy straight chopped straw as a bedding..comes in big bales like shavings..worth looking into that maybe

[/ QUOTE ]

Would it be oat straw though?

 

[the watcher]

don't know..never thought about feeding it..although mine have munched on thier chopped straw beds with no ill effects..I guess you would have to call around and find out..but it is another direction to try

 

[sleepingdragon10]

Well I have caught SWUO having a crafty nibble of her bed when she's been in!
Always looks damn pleased with herself too

 

[Sooty]

We went through exactly the same problem, nobody seems to sell plain old chaff any more. We now feed Toffee ordinary straw (think this lot is barley) alongside her hay ration, as she likes to have plenty to munch overnight. You could always try and find a chaff cutter and chop your own straw! Some of the straw bedding is coated to make it unpalatable, so be careful. We paid £1 a bale for lovely straw, so as feed goes it is pretty economical!

 

[Theresa_F]

These are two products from Simple Systems which may do the trick. I am feeding LucieStalks to mine as part of the Simple Systems diet I feed. No sugar or additives and mine are looking fantastic at the moment.

RuffStuff

This is similar to Justgrass, but made from mature grass. The feed value is lower and the fibre higher, to give a feed higher in roughage. Ideal for good doers, natives and resting horses.


LucieStalks

We've taken away most of the leaf, creating a pure lucerne chop extra high in fibre and lower in calories than any other lucerne feed. Ideal as a boredom buster, for horses and ponies on restricted diets or where a low calories but good quality feed is needed. Also suitable for all mature equines with teeth for chewing! Ready to feed without soaking, but some horses prefer it dampened

 

[Evil_Cookie]

http://www.honeychop.com/htm/chopped_oat_straw.htm

Would it be any good?

EC

 

[Theresa_F]

Hey Cairo can have that - it says it is for heavy horses

Sounds ideal for fatties - I have fed oat straw 50 -50 with hay in a net before but not as a chaff.

 

[Magicmillbrook]

I blow the Simple systems trumpet - I use lucy stalks and rough stuff for my fatties - no additives, mollasses or oil - just fibre. They also do unmollassed sugar beet. Can I ask why you are cutting out the alfafa. Alfafa shouldn't make your horse fizzy, are you sure its not cereals or mollasses which are not natural for horses to be eating. It is an excellent digestible forage with a slightly higher feed and proetin content than hay.

I have a TB x who loses condition in the winter but gets very fizzy if fed mixes or compound feeds. Simple System has worked wonders for her over the last three years. She has a few lucy nuts (pure alphapha) with some unmollassed sugarbeet, then either rough stuff or lucy stalks to bulk it up. I also use total eclipse. This is a natural feed balancer made from seaweed, brewers yeast and linseed. Her coat is lovely and it seems to realy help her TB hormones.

Just Google Simple Systems to find there website. You can also e-mail or phone and they are sooooo helpfull - I am not on their payroll - honest - I just would like to pass the fantastic results I have had.

 

[Magicmillbrook]

I agree with theresa - Simple systems are fantastic - i have two fatties who have stalks and ruff stuff - also they do an unmollassed sugar beet. I also have a TB x who is a poor doer in winter and gets very fizzy on most feeds. She has been on SS lucy nuts ,rough stuff and sugar beet for last 3 years and is fantasic. I also use their feed balancer - gives a lovely coat and seems to help her TB hormones - give them a call or e-mail. They are very helpfull. Can I ask why you are cutting out the alfafa - it shouldnt cause fizz as it is just a forage with slightly higher protein than hay.

 

[CBFan]

[ QUOTE ]
Got a TB not doing much work at the mo. She can be very very fizzy so am trying Ride and Relax and the idea with it is that you cut out barley, alfalfa & molasses. So far so good..but still need to lose the alfalfa. Have looked up two recommendations so far and they are looking good so will ask my feed merchant which he can get. Did consider readigrass but it's a medium energy feed and as she's in light work she doesn't need the extra energy (has stacks of energy anyway). Luckily for a TB she does keep weight on quite well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, I see... Have you tried her on a chaff only diet? I had a pretty highly strung but good doer TB on a handfull Hi-fi lite over summer with just a broad spec vit and min supp and in the winter she was on about half a large scoop of happy hoof twice a day, glug of soya oil and carrots etc with ad lib haylage.... sometimes simple is best...