Feed - complete feed based on alfalfa?

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vikuca

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I'm working my lightweight cob quite hard and I'm finding it hard to find a feed I'm completely happy with. At the moment he is getting Alfa-A + TopSpec feed balancer which is working very well in terms of energy but it is proving very expensive as the feed balancer is £25 a bag and I have to use such a lot of Alfa-A with it being the main feed. (five scoops daily).
He's 14.3hh, works five days a week - 3 days hacking for an hour, and two days schooling and lunging. He competes at the smaller endurance rides about once a month (up to 25km) and goes to small showjumping competitions once a month as well.
By the way, he's not the classic good-doer type, although he maintains weight nicely.
I would really appreciate any advice. Ideally I would like to find a complete feed so that I don't have to feed a balancer. He does get fizzy quite easily (I tried the Baileys Endurance Mix a while back and he was a nightmare!).
 
Do you specifically want an alfalfa based complete feed or just a fibre-based one? Have you thought about something like Spiller's Response Slow Release cubes? They supply calories through fibre and oil, rather than grain, and include vitamin and mineral supplementation, so no balancer will be needed.

(I'm not surprised he got fizzy on the Bailey's Endurance Mix as it is barley based!)
 
No, not necessarily Alfalfa, just fibre-based. I just mentioned it because he really is behaving and looking very well on what I'm feeding him, it is just so expensive.
 
Another option is to keep the Alfa A and replace the balancer with a normal vit/min supplement like Benevit or Equivite, which will work out a lot cheaper.
 
Could you not reduce the Alfa-A & replace it with more hay?

Also the cheapest way weight for weight of feeding Lucerne (alfalfa - same thing) is Simple System Lucinuts. You can feed them try or they soak up into a nice 'chaffy' mush
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www.simplesystem.co.uk
 
I'm trying to work out what it is you are needing/wanting? Does it definitely have to be alfa based?

To recap - cobby type, average doer, prone to be hyper, and in regular but not overly demanding work. Looking to reduce feeding costs.

I would probably base your feed on spillers high fibre cubes, fed maybe at a scoop am and pm (so roughly 3-4kg a day). This should be sufficient to give him sufficient vits and mins (you could always add a basic all round suppliment if you felt the need). Perhaps consider adding additional alphabeet and soya oil. During times when his exercise levels increase you could always up the additional oil.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm trying to work out what it is you are needing/wanting? Does it definitely have to be alfa based?

[/ QUOTE ]

sorry, sometimes it is difficult to be clear about things when you are writing rather than talking!
Basically it does not have to be alfa-based, it is just that I have found the high-fibre diet he is on currently seems to work very well for him. Cereals do not seem to do the same job.
What I need/want is the same results as I am getting now (i.e. good energy levels without fizziness, a generally contented manner and decent condition) without the expense. I find having to use a balancer is very expensive. The Alfa-A is not such bad value, the only problem with it is that it is not a complete feed.

...I was interested in the recommendation that I try a vitamin and mineral supplement in place of the balancer. Do these supplements do as good a job?
 
Vit/min supplements do a good job in supplying vitamins and minerals. The difference with balancers is that they also supply protein and something like yeast/probiotics to encourage good bacteria in the gut. You won't need the protein content of the balancer if you are feeding lots of alfalfa, so the crux of the matter is whether you think you need the yeast/probiotic, which might be the case if your horse is a stressy type, has been ill or been on antibiotics.

A couple of posters have suggested Winergy which is a chaff-type complete feed, but it is not a cheap option and when fed at an equivalent rate would probably work out at least as expensive as your existing diet, if not more so.
 
My pony is also on alpha alpha - just cause he always has been and I'd read there was evidence to 'suggest' it may help prevent laminitis - although he's not in work. But I'd agree with TGM and take him off the balancer and replace it with a good multivit instead. Won't affect fizziness and you'll know he's getting what he should.
 
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