Dengie Hi fi feeds

[MyBoyChe]

Sorry to be a bit dim but have never used these products before and Im a bit confused as to where they fit in. Last winter I fed Hi Fibre cubes. Fast fibre and chaff, spoken to Allen & Page this morning and they think the fast fibre is the best option (was thinking maybe calm and condition as he dropped weight about February) but instead of ordinary chaff to try Hi fi instead. Ive just been looking at the web site and am a bit confused as to which would be the best one to use as a chaff replacement. Che is a TB ex racer in very light work, out all day and in at night Oct-March. In fab condition now but does drop off from Xmas time to April. Definitely dont want to fizz him up but need to keep his weight steady. Could anyone who uses HI fi point me in the right direction please.

 

[JenHunt]

I would go for hifi original until his weight starts to drop, and then either go for hifi senior of alfa a original (both are higher calorie, but the alfa a may not be liked by him if he's fussy)

because its fibre it wont fizz him up. and its so much lower in sugar than mollichaff etc.

 

[gails]

Hi fi is ' apparently' the same as dodson and horrell alfalfa ' although D&H is cheaper' it is higher in calories and has added oils, than chaff, I used to use molichaff, is cheaper but has less nutritional value.

My horses diet is Alfalfa 2 scoops
16 plus 1 scoop
SB 1 scoop

I used C & C but my boy lost loads of weight as he seems to need the added barley

Hope this helps, my boy is a TB and this has never heated him up, but they are all different

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

I'd go for the HiFi original or Good Doer to start with. You can change to the Alfa Oil if he starts to drop weight. Do you know how he reacts to alfalfa?

 

[kerilli]

i'd look at HiFi Original. possibly look at Readigrass too (or Graze On, virtually identical), which is short-cut dry grass (therefore very green) my horses all love it, whereas some are fussy about HiFi and won't eat it.

 

[teddyt]

Hi fi is a chaff and is basically added to the bucket feed as a fibre source and to encourage chewing and to help the passage of food along the gut. It is better than heavily mollassed chaffs because it has less sugar. It is a mixture of alfalfa and straw. You could change to pure alfalfa in early december, instead of hi fi. It will be higher in energy than hifi so will help with keeping weight on.

Calm and condition has about 19% starch so if you want to minimise the risk of fizz you may be better off with feeds with less starch.

 

[MyBoyChe]

Thanks guys, that all helps. I do know he is not very tolerant of too much sugar, haylage sent him a bit scatty last year, as did the spring grass. Given the level of work he does he really only needs feeding for maintenance so its fibre all the way. He has as much hay as he wants and 3 small feeds a day through the winter months. I will take on board all your suggestions and see how he goes.

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

i wouldnt wait for him to drop weight before you up his intake! ad lib best quality hay or haylage avasilable 24 hours a day. fields have little goodness jan to april so if out all day without hay he will drop weight. i find alpha a and sugar beet is a good starting base, and seems to suit most horses, then you can add more as req. make sure he has a really good rug on and is warm enough as being cold pulls the weight off realy quickly

 

[kellyeaton]

i would put her on the orginal hi fi for now and if she does drop her weight put her on the alfa oil one!