Haycare v grass nuts?

[Annagain]

Arch has lost a bit of weight this winter. I posted the same last winter, he picked up really well in the spring but has lost a bit more this winter. There's less grass at the new yard and the weather's been so wet, there's even less than usual. The vet was out for another horse last week and he gave Arch a check over so we could have a repeat prescription for his danilon (he has it now and again when he's a bit stiff but it's not a regular thing, the last box lasted a year). He's not massively concerned about it but suggested Haycare as a hay replacer as, even though our dental vet is happy with his teeth (very good apart from one or two minor diastemas), he (normal vet) thinks all oldies benefit from a hay replacer on top of normal diet. If that's what he needs he can of course have it, especially as this is very likely his last winter, but at £20 a bag and with Arch likely to get through 2 bags a week I'm wondering if grass nuts would be a cheaper option and just as effective? Chaff isn't an option due to the diastemas. He eats hay just as well as he's always done. He has a healthy appetite but isn't greedy and has never gorged, he eats what he needs and no more.

 

[cauda equina]

I'm not sure what you're asking, Haycare is grass nuts

 

[SEL]

I've got both grass nuts and hay cobs (Simple systems) & I can't see you'd find much of a difference. I only use hay cobs because I've got one who needs low sugar / starch and just enough feed to hide supplements in.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

If his eating his hay fine I don't see the point of a hay replacer because it just increases the amount of bulk they have to eat, and some horses just won't eat huge bucket feeds if they are eating enough.

I would just look at adding linseed or something conditioning to his current feed.

 

[gryff]

If you look at Simple Systems' Facebook page, they've put a post up in the last few days about the difference between their hay Cobs and grass nuts. Something to do woth the different grasses used.

 

[TGM]

Haycare is made from timothy grass so is lower in sugar than the average grass nut which tends to be rye grass based. So Haycare is fantastic for laminitics and any other equines that need sugar/starch restricted. However, if you don't need to control sugar/starch levels then normal grass nuts can be an economical choice.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Arch has lost a bit of weight this winter. I posted the same last winter, he picked up really well in the spring but has lost a bit more this winter. There's less grass at the new yard and the weather's been so wet, there's even less than usual. The vet was out for another horse last week and he gave Arch a check over so we could have a repeat prescription for his danilon (he has it now and again when he's a bit stiff but it's not a regular thing, the last box lasted a year). He's not massively concerned about it but suggested Haycare as a hay replacer as, even though our dental vet is happy with his teeth (very good apart from one or two minor diastemas), he (normal vet) thinks all oldies benefit from a hay replacer on top of normal diet. If that's what he needs he can of course have it, especially as this is very likely his last winter, but at £20 a bag and with Arch likely to get through 2 bags a week I'm wondering if grass nuts would be a cheaper option and just as effective? Chaff isn't an option due to the diastemas. He eats hay just as well as he's always done. He has a healthy appetite but isn't greedy and has never gorged, he eats what he needs and no more.

Mine love Haycare just ordered more. They have a handful of grass pellets in feed but highly recommend Haycare. Mine are on haylage but give them half bucket of haycare at night as a tummy filler and to make haylage last longer and because they love it.

 

[meleeka]

My horse didn’t really like grass nuts, she preferred Fibrebeet when I was trying to bulk out her hay. Current small ponies get Haycare which they love, but I don’t feed anything near recommended amounts. I make up a black bucket daily with 1 stubbs scoop of Speedibeet and 1/2 Haycare (dry volume).I mix with Happy Hoof for the one that needs a partial hay replacer and the others just get a small amount as a feed.

I order my Haycare online and it’s always quick delivery.

 

[Annagain]

I'm not sure what you're asking, Haycare is grass nuts

I mean specifically haycare or bog standard grass nuts. There seems to be quite a difference in price. Is there anything special about Haycare?

 

[Annagain]

If his eating his hay fine I don't see the point of a hay replacer because it just increases the amount of bulk they have to eat, and some horses just won't eat huge bucket feeds if they are eating enough.

I would just look at adding linseed or something conditioning to his current feed.

He already has linseed with Veteran Vitality and Ease and Excel cubes. Vet said even though he’s eating hay, he’s not breaking it down to get the most out of it and the haycare is already broken down and more easily digestible.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I fed Haycare to my oldie when he couldn’t eat hay anymore. It was the lowest sugar I could find. He wasn’t that keen tbh and I used to add mint and fenugreek to make cut more palatable to him. Stopped him gorging it though as a lot of other soaked feeds were too tasty and eaten too quickly.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Might be worth a look at Baileys Meadow cobs.

Relatively new product but my vet suggested it for my horse because of its mix of grasses which supports a healthy gut biome. The info on the website suggests it might be suitable for yours too.

 

[cauda equina]

I mean specifically haycare or bog standard grass nuts. There seems to be quite a difference in price. Is there anything special about Haycare?

Oh, sorry
I think because it's Timothy, so particularly low in starch and sugar and can be fed in large quantities
I feed them in small amounts (just a couple of handfuls a day) to give my fatties their supplements.

Re Baileys Meadow cobs - they sound great and like @OrangeAndLemon I liked the idea of the mix of grass species.
However mine all seemed to go footy on them despite Baileys' claim that they are low sugar/starch so we went back to Haycare

 

[Annagain]

Might be worth a look at Baileys Meadow cobs.

Relatively new product but my vet suggested it for my horse because of its mix of grasses which supports a healthy gut biome. The info on the website suggests it might be suitable for yours too.

Thanks, I’ll take a look.

 

[Jambarissa]

Not what you're asking for but worth looking into copra. It's coconut meal, low sugar and starch, higher fibre but also higher protein. I have never fed it so do your research but has been used to successfully put weight onto cushings ponies on my yard.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I’m into my second bag of Baileys new meadow cobs…my girls love them. I got them predominately for my dentally challenged oldie but the other two get a small breakfast of them too before turn out into bare or frosted field. I soak them in warm water so it’s a lovely smelling wet feed.