ForagePlus Vs Progressive Earth - Palatability

[maddielove]

Coming to the end of feeding first bag of Progressive Earth Balancer (Pro Platinum Performance) and it has been a battle to get my mare to eat it, shes normally a complete dustbin when it comes to feed so figure this stuff must taste awful, I've seen her enjoy eating wormer in a feed more than this.

Contemplating trying a Forageplus balancer next month, does anyone have experience of feeding both brands and find one more palatable than the other?

I don't know if it could just the volume of powder required that could be the main issue, a 75ml scoop seems a lot even in a big feed.

Thanks!

 

[Dontforgetaboutme]

Both mine eat 100g of the winter skin & hoof fp balancer in their on happily. I introduced it over 5 days but think it’s pretty palatable. Have used progressive earth but the postage is high

 

[criso]

Both contain the same core ingredients with some variations and don't add large quantities of sugary stuff to disguise the taste. I feed straight minerals based on forage analysis and basic things like copper and zinc taste really nasty, those followed by magox were the things I had most trouble with. Took alot of time and patience and building up from a pinch to the full dose.

 

[Follysmum]

One of mine has suddenly started leaving his pro balancer I really struggle to get him to eat it. ATM I am adding some extra fibre nuts and carrots to make it more palatable

 

[Burnttoast]

No experience of Progressive Earth but to balance my grass I need to feed 100g of the FP balancer plus fairly large amounts of copper, zinc, calcium and salt (plus mycosorb at the moment). They will eat this in half a mug of soaked grass nuts and a handful of chaff with a bit of linseed but I have to work them up to the full dose slowly as it clearly doesn't taste nice - and I've found beetroot powder to be great for encouraging them. They both have a heaped 15ml scoop of that (also from FP). If all else fails I will put a dollop of molasses in but I haven't had to for ages.

 

[maddielove]

I've found beetroot powder to be great for encouraging them. They both have a heaped 15ml scoop of that (also from FP). If all else fails I will put a dollop of molasses in but I haven't had to for ages.

I had read about the beetroot powder on another thread and have added to my FP order which will hopefully be here soon! Good to know it works, an interesting one I haven't heard before.

I think she is completely put her off feed now, gave her dinner last night without the PE supplement and she still turned her nose up at it, however most of it seemed to have been eaten by the morning, hopefully she figures out it isn't so nasty anymore and then start very slowly building up the new balancer when it comes. How much is sensible to begin with, would 1/2 a 25 ml scoop be a good place to start?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Weird because one of mine has stopped eating his feed with pro balance in it as well ?

 

[criso]

With my really fussy one, I started with about 1/4 teaspoon. As I said I mix my own blend but added a small amount of the full blend rather than one thing at a time.

 

[barefootbeginner]

Not used progressive earth but have used forage plus across five horses. Non-fussy eaters are happy with it in grass nuts and honey chop light and healthy. One of these is a nursing mare who has to have absolutely loads of it and she's always happy to see her feed. The two fussier eaters just won't consistently eat it despite adding it very gradually and adding mint, fenugreek, beetroot powder etc. They eat it reluctantly for a few weeks then leave it completely. As I need them to have other supplements (which they are very happy to eat) I've given up and swapped those two to Equimins Advance Complete Pellets despite my reluctance to, now they finish up enthusiastically again without fail.

 

[maddielove]

Opened up the bag of FP's Laminae Plus balancer last night and was hit with a lovely almost oaty smell, much more pleasant than the PE balancer which has that almost chemically/elemental smell. So I'm hopeful we'll be able to get to the full volume of required supplement, hoovered up a 5ml scoop and will keep increasing bit by bit over the course of the week.