Copra or linseed meal

[Clodagh3110]

Coming into winter I want to add more weight to my very bad dooer. So far I’ve managed to maintain a good weight on her with pink mash but she got very skinny last winter. Heard both copra and linseed meal and are very good, wondering which would be more worth the money as I can’t afford to buy both at the moment. Thoughts?

 

[Barton Bounty]

Go for the linseed then, for the time being.
I feed both in winter but the copra just once a day to switch it up from the veteran light,

both are highly recommended for condition and weight gain ?

 

[HBB]

I stopped feeding Copra last year after all the contamination issues with sharp shards of coconut shell, it wasn't worth risking expensive dental damage to teeth so now only feed micronised linseed.

 

[TPO]

I stopped feeding Copra last year after all the contamination issues with sharp shards of coconut shell, it wasn't worth risking expensive dental damage to teeth so now only feed micronised linseed.

I didn't know about this

I haven't fed Copra for years because nothing has needed it but when I've used it in the past it's always worked wonders. Everything I've fed it to has loved it but some people posted on here that their horses wouldn't touch it. Might be worth emailing them for a sample before buying a bag if you choose to go that route.

Personally I've found Copra more conditioning than Linseed. My mum's last TB could get really hot/sharp when the linseed was increased to a conditioning level but he's been the only horse to have had that type of reaction. I fed Copra to TBs and they all remained sane.

 

[HBB]

@TPO Myself and a couple of friends have fed it for years and the horses always looked great on it. One friend noticed one of her ponies having a melt down while attempting to eat his feed so she kept an eye on what was happening, then she heard a horrible crunching noise so investigated the feed. It was very quickly realised that it was bits of shell in the copra, we all checked our feed and all our bags had bits of shell throughout. We all contacted Boomerang, they promised it was an isolated incident and that the hammer plates hadn't been smashing the copra correctly. But this was an empty promise as there is still an ongoing issue with the feed and I would urge anyone using it to sieve it and take a good look at what is left. The shell pieces were up to 6mm in size, a dull black/brown colour, unbreakable with a hammer and does not soften in boiling water. It's a great product but not worth risking dental fractures or shards being wedged between teeth.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I didn't know about this

I haven't fed Copra for years because nothing has needed it but when I've used it in the past it's always worked wonders. Everything I've fed it to has loved it but some people posted on here that their horses wouldn't touch it. Might be worth emailing them for a sample before buying a bag if you choose to go that route.

Personally I've found Copra more conditioning than Linseed. My mum's last TB could get really hot/sharp when the linseed was increased to a conditioning level but he's been the only horse to have had that type of reaction. I fed Copra to TBs and they all remained sane.

Quoting to basically say I agree with everything TPO has said and found the same thing when I fed it to my horse. Condition without the heating, he loved it and would eat as much as I'd feed him but some can be fussy.

 

[Landcruiser]

I've been feeding my oldie on Coolstance copra for a couple of years, his teeth are "expired" and he struggles with anything stalky, or with normal chaff. He is able to maintain his weight on it. I also add micronised linseed, and in the winter I add in vegetable or sunflower oil as well. I haven't had any issues with bits of shell - didn't even know about it.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I stopped feeding Copra last year after all the contamination issues with sharp shards of coconut shell, it wasn't worth risking expensive dental damage to teeth so now only feed micronised linseed.

Ouch! I didnt know either! Will have to rethink ?

 

[Clodagh3110]

@TPO Myself and a couple of friends have fed it for years and the horses always looked great on it. One friend noticed one of her ponies having a melt down while attempting to eat his feed so she kept an eye on what was happening, then she heard a horrible crunching noise so investigated the feed. It was very quickly realised that it was bits of shell in the copra, we all checked our feed and all our bags had bits of shell throughout. We all contacted Boomerang, they promised it was an isolated incident and that the hammer plates hadn't been smashing the copra correctly. But this was an empty promise as there is still an ongoing issue with the feed and I would urge anyone using it to sieve it and take a good look at what is left. The shell pieces were up to 6mm in size, a dull black/brown colour, unbreakable with a hammer and does not soften in boiling water. It's a great product but not worth risking dental fractures or shards being wedged between teeth.

Have u tried the cool stance copra feed, have u found the same problems?

 

[Clodagh3110]

I stopped feeding Copra last year after all the contamination issues with sharp shards of coconut shell, it wasn't worth risking expensive dental damage to teeth so now only feed micronised linseed.

Was this a specific brand or all of them

 

[criso]

Was this a specific brand or all of them

I'm guessing it was coolstance as hbb said they contacted boomerang though it goes under Stance in the UK.

I haven't had any issues, I don't feed a huge amount and pour into a container to soak so would probably have noticed. I guess if it was one batch, then it might heavily affect some sellers who had a lot of that batch and some not at all.

I get the occasional clump that's stuck together but it breaks up if you crumble with you fingers.

I feed Copra for weight gain, my tb won't eat a lot of linseed but I do feed 150g for efas.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I do put my fingers through it before i feed mostly cause i love the smell

 

[Sossigpoker]

If feeding linseed you need to feed additional calcium, I think the same might apply to copra.
Personally I'd use linseed as it has other benefits like skin and coat condition too, plus is more natural than feeding coconut !

 

[tda]

A friend just gave me a bag of copra as her old pony was pts, I've never used it before, usually just feed linseed. Can't say I've noticed much difference yet

 

[Kat]

I feed both to my poor doer and she looks great on it.

If I was only going to feed one it would be the linseed for the omega 6, but copra is cheaper by weight so you might want to use a small quantity of linseed now then add copra in winter if you need a bit more.

Copra adds energy more than linseed in my experience so that might affect your choice.

I have been feeding copra for years now and haven't experienced the shell fragments. My horse is really fussy so even if I didn't notice she would let me know.

 

[criso]

Checked for fragments and reassuringly free.

Copra is high in phosphorus so in theory you feed calcium to balance however everywhere I've been the forage has been low in phosphorus and very high in calcium so in my case it means I don't have to include phosphorus in my minerals.

You should also supplement vitamin e if you feed a lot of oil and build up gradually.

 

[Clodagh3110]

If feeding linseed you need to feed additional calcium, I think the same might apply to copra.
Personally I'd use linseed as it has other benefits like skin and coat condition too, plus is more natural than feeding coconut !

how would I add calcium

 

[Sossigpoker]

how would I add calcium

Feeding limestone flour would be an easy way.
But preferably I'd go for something balanced like Calm and Condition or Veteran Vitality.

 

[spookypony]

I've used both copra and linseed for conditioning for years, usually together and mixed with Alfa-Beet. They're about as good as you can get, with regards to a high DE with really low NSC.

 

[criso]

I've used both copra and linseed for conditioning for years, usually together and mixed with Alfa-Beet. They're about as good as you can get, with regards to a high DE with really low NSC.

And as Alfabeet contains alfalfa and sugarbeet which are very high in calcium it would balance out the phosphorus is the copra.

 

[sunleychops]

Omega Rice for my poor doer

 

[SantaVera]

Linseed every time

 

[Squeak]

I used linseed last year and don't think it helped much at all with weight, it's gone up in price quite a lot so was costing a fortune too.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I used linseed last year and don't think it helped much at all with weight, it's gone up in price quite a lot so was costing a fortune too.

£6 on a bag!

 

[Squeak]

£6 on a bag!

More! I think it was up to £29 a bag and that was before the price hikes of some feeds since so hate to imagine how much it would cost now.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Mine was 30.50 ffs

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I give my 27yr old WB who can’t manage hay micronised linseed all year and add Equijewel if he’s looking like he’s dropping weight.

 

[criso]

Mine has gone up to 24.99 for 20kg charnwood, 24.75 for another brand which is 25kg. I only feed 150g this time of the year, so a bag lasts ages.

It's £5 more than last year though.