Graze On Pellets! How Do You Feed Yours?

[Maesfen]

Having heard glowing reports of Graze On lately, I ordered some from my feed merchant and collected it yesterday. Only trouble is, it's in pellet form instead of a chaff!

So does anyone feed them, if so, how and in what quantities please? (I originally wanted it to have a double handful in their tea) Or would it be better to take them back and get the chaff - eventually?
Thoughts please!

 

[TGM]

I'd feed them soaked in a little water to make a firm mash. As to whether you should take them back and swap for the chaff, it depends quite why you are feeding it. The chaff would probably have the advantage of taking a little longer to chew, but the cubes may well be cheaper than the chaff and still have a similar feed value.

 

[Maesfen]

I was hoping you'd answer! Thanks for that.

Yes, it was to make it last a bit longer and they already have sugar beet so don't really need anything else mashy. The old brood mare is a complete gannet and gollops away with her cheeks puffed up like hamsters with her feeds only lasting a few minutes; I think it must be 'there might be siege, must get it while I can' mentality kicking in! The idea was to slow her down a bit which I'm not sure soaked nuts would do - or would they? (rocks in the manger don't help either!)

 

[TGM]

I think chaff is the best bet if you want to slow her down - soaked nuts won't do it, and dry nuts might even cause choke if she is a gannet!

 

[Maesfen]

THanks. Glad to know I was on the same wavelength.
It's another reason why I'm not too keen on giving just nuts after having a mare we nearly lost with choke, in spite of being used to just nuts before I had her and we had kept her to the same feed. Great for some people but once you've had a warning like that I think it's silly to ignore it and it would always be at the back of your mind if it happened again that it could have been prevented.
Back to feed man it is!

 

[Theresa_F]

Just a thought with your mare - could she not have nuts in a trickle feed ball?

In winter I add nuts to the diet but in balls. My two hairies adore their balls - Farra has inherited Cairo's massive equiball and Chancer has a snack ball. Slows them down, and mine often go for their balls first, even when there is a tasty feed of speedibeet, carrots and SS chaff beside it.

 

[Maesfen]

I think Theresa, that she would have a dicky fit if I put a feedball in with her! She's not the bravest of old ladies and I think must have been severely disciplined at some time as she hates to be talked too if you're cross or upset, she can feel your vibes and will stand in the corner waiting until you say she can go to her manger. I think a feedball would terrify her, poor soul but a good idea all the same, thanks!

 

[Theresa_F]

What a shame. I have to confess with my WB - she stood totally freaked out, whilst I sat on the floor rolling the ball making yum yum noises and "eating" the nuts.

She came over to investigate and rolled the ball, leaped back, then came back as mad me was still eating away.

2 mins later, she had the hang of it and became the queen of rock and roll nuts. This one I did a test of hayledge, carrots, apples and ball in a row - ball won every time.

Cairo, bless him used to lift his front leg and "ask" the ball to feed him, then got peed off waiting and would slam it around.

Chancer - only time he has been a bit thick and had to at first leave the lid off so they came out really fast, but again in a couple of days was cleaning them up.

Hopefully you can get the chaff version - if not, can you get Simple System Just Grass? I feed this to Farra and it is very good stuff - they also do Ruff Stuff for fatties.

 

[brighteyes]

<font color="blue"> whilst I sat on the floor rolling the ball making yum yum noises and "eating" the nuts. </font>

Sorry but APMSL

I have two 'kickers' and three 'nudgers' with the dodeca's here. I do worry about damage to pasterns with the kickers...

And since none of them need 'feeding', they get Safe and Sound or chaff and a few Hi Fibre nuts in.