Dengie Hi Fi - Molasses Free

[ABCCaitlinP]

Both my mares are fed on this and the TopSpec Lite Balancer as I still have some left over, my plan was to get rid as they advised the Molasses Free was a complete feed, my first mare is Lami prone due to EMS, she is fine weight wise (now), lacks energy sometimes but this is due to her nature. My other mare is fine weight wise, no issues apart from sweet itch. Last year I was feeding them both Dengie Hi Fi Lite and the Top Spec Lite Balancer with a bit of Garlic and Tumeric, both fine no issues.

I went to a feed night at a tack store and was recommended the Dengie Hi-Fi Molasses Free as its complete and is lower in sugar. The Lami Prone mare is fine but my other mare has seem to blown her head on this? This whole winter getting worse with spooking, tried to bolt a few times which has all been quickly corrected but I'm wondering if this has been the case for anyone else?

Back, Teeth, Saddle have all been checked and recently done. This is the only thing I think has changed, I started feeding this late November and since she has just not come 'right'.

Do I change her back to Hi-Fi light or persevere?

Thanks

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

I used to use Hi-Fit lite and changed to hi-fi molasses free about two months ago as it has less sugar. I cant' say I've noticed a difference in my mare. However, she is only on a handful of that and pony nuts.

 

[dorsetladette]

The last bag of Hi Fi lite I've bought was really sticky. Sent a sample off to dengie to test and they have written to me saying that although the sugar content is said to be 7% they allow up to 12% and my sample came back at 9% so although it is within there range it is higher than it should be. They said that the grass/hay sugar levels had been higher than average this year so potentially that was why. They gave me 2 vouchers and apologised, but I did think that was a big allowance especially if your trying to balance a low sugar diet.
Maybe the same with the molasses free.

 

[ABCCaitlinP]

I'll take a sample and send it off, see what they say, just sent my mare weird. Thanks!

 

[dorsetladette]

I'll take a sample and send it off, see what they say, just sent my mare weird. Thanks!

I contacted them through facebook. They sent a sample bag and freepost envelope out to me within a week.

 

[ABCCaitlinP]

Oh wow! I'll do this now.

 

[supertramp]

Hi, my boy has EMS, hes managed by diet and exercise, He gets Baileys low cal chaff and the lite balancer, he looks great and at 19yrs that has to be a plus.

 

[be positive]

I suspect the extra alfalfa in the mollasses free is having more influence than expected even though there is less sugar it has slightly higher DE and having used both the mollasses free certainly appears to have more alfalfa and less straw, it is also far more palatable than the lite, mine thought it was extremely tasty whereas the lite was not very interesting.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Also from a financial POV I found the bag lasted no where near as long as a bag of hi fi lite! I’m tempted to switch back to be honest especially if the stated sugar content might not actually be correct! Although it does smell delicious

 

[be positive]

Also from a financial POV I found the bag lasted no where near as long as a bag of hi fi lite! I’m tempted to switch back to be honest especially if the stated sugar content might not actually be correct! Although it does smell delicious

The pellets will weigh more so the bag will not last as long if fed by the scoop/ handful and not by weight, mine certainly got through it quickly compared to the ready grass I am now using as a filler.

 

[Pinkvboots]

The pellets will weigh more so the bag will not last as long if fed by the scoop/ handful and not by weight, mine certainly got through it quickly compared to the ready grass I am now using as a filler.

I have noticed this as well and they are definitely enjoying the extra energy! I might go back to half ration and buy a bag of grass like you have.

 

[NinjaPony]

I’d be surprised if it was heating her up... I give it to my nutty and laminitic welsh pony and it does the job- tasty enough to get his supplements in him but no sugar to send him loopy and doesn’t make him fat. In fact I’ve put my Connie back on it as an emergency measure as I’m fairly sure the molasses in his hi fi senior has sent him loopy!

That said, my welsh only gets a handful, which is enough because it does have a slightly higher energy content than the normal hifi, but for me this is balanced out by the lack of molasses.

 

[Shay]

Readi-grass and other bagged dried grass feeds have quite high sugar. Typically listed at about 10 - 12% but with a leeway. If controlling sugar is what you need then bagged grass products will not help. The alfalfa in the molassess free might be your problem - some horses are really reactive to it.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I sometimes buy the Dengie molasses free if I can’t get my usual but I think it’s expensive and doesn’t last long. Hi-fi lite contains alfalfa so if your horse is sensitive to that you’d expect the behaviour to be the same on both.

I prefer Top Chop lite or Top Chop zero. The former has alfalfa and chopped oat straw the latter is just chopped straw. Neither are molassed, I can then add what I want in terms of vits and mins and other nutrients.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

The last bag of Hi Fi lite I've bought was really sticky. Sent a sample off to dengie to test and they have written to me saying that although the sugar content is said to be 7% they allow up to 12% and my sample came back at 9% so although it is within there range it is higher than it should be. They said that the grass/hay sugar levels had been higher than average this year so potentially that was why. They gave me 2 vouchers and apologised, but I did think that was a big allowance especially if your trying to balance a low sugar diet.
Maybe the same with the molasses free.

Just to say that they have done the same for me this week.
The most recent bag of Hi Fi Lite was v sticky indeed and strong molasses smell. Called them, got sent bag to fill and return the next day, posted back after last weekend and got letter on the Thursday, yesterday! I think they must have had a production problem late last year as this sample 'fell well outside their usual high standards due to the coating '.
Very responsible of them, but I do worry about others possibly having similar problems but not knowing what the product should be like to start with.
Fed in any quantities it could have triggered off my smallest one!

 

[OldNag]

Readi-grass and other bagged dried grass feeds have quite high sugar. Typically listed at about 10 - 12% but with a leeway. If controlling sugar is what you need then bagged grass products will not help. The alfalfa in the molassess free might be your problem - some horses are really reactive to it.

I also found that when researching. I now use Agrobs weisencobs or Weisenflakes. 7.2% sugar. Pony loves them.