Independent Analysis of Horse Feeds?

brigantia

brigantia

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Hi, I've been scanning the various threads on different horse feeds and wondered if anyone knew of an objective comparative site that compared the different feeds with a complete and objective overview of sugar and starch content, nutritional value, etc.

Obviously the different feed companies are going to say that THEIR feeds are the best and most suitable for your horse.

On other threads in this forum, I've even heard people dispute the Laminitis Trust feed recommendations as unreliable.

Where can people go for completely objective feed advice?

Also it appears that many feed companies tell you to feed your horse more of their product than the horse actually needs?

Thanks!
 
Y'know, thats a bloody good question!
I avoid all mixs/cubes like the plague because I just don't trust the contents but you're right there is very little (if any) independent advice out there!
I had my haylage analysed by forage plus who did me a feed plan based upon it, I wonder if they'd do hard feeds? Then how would we interpret the results?
I'd be tempted to do it just for the perverse curiosity of it!
 
The feed companies don't make up the analyses of their products - my company sells the equipment they use to test it and the models they use to get that information are independent with data from a wide range of manufacturers (and industries). A totally independent company make up the calibration models the feed/forage companies use to test their products against, which they then sell to people like Dengie etc.

The figures for starch and sugar etc on the back of a bag of, say, HiFi Lite, are true and correct. Whether you choose to feed your horse something with that much sugar in is a different matter.

I would suggest that if you are trying to choose between various feeds, make a list and compare that way. For example, if you want to compare competition mixes then visit the websites of each manufacturer, find the starch, sugar, protein etc values and make a list/table.

I'd also imagine Forage Plus are using a similar technique to analyse the feeds that the manufacturers are using. The question is not about the truthfulness of the values on the back of a bag of D&H Pasture Mix but about whether you believe a) the marketing spiel that goes along with it, and b) if you want to feed your horse that much sugar, protein, whatever. I had my horse on Simple System Luci-Cob for 11 months last year. I knew what the protein content was because SS tell you, but I still chose to feed it to him so had no one to blame when he developed protein lumps from it but me! I would never blame SS for it although I do agree that manufacturers tend to tell you to feed vast quantities. If I'd fed the amount of Luci-Cob that SS told me to, my horse would have been the size of a house and one giant hive of allergy. That's where common sense has to come in... if you have a good doer, say, they why give it several scoops of mix per day? Why not just feed a low calorie balancer?
 
Thanks for your replies.

Chestnut Cob, I wasn't suggesting that feed companies were lying about their info but sometimes they don't even give the data or even list their ingredients. I believe Top Spec Antilam doesn't list their ingredients on their website? I was buying it because a friend swore by it, but now I'm a bit cynical if it's really worth £35 a bag, etc. etc.

I just wish there was an easy, transparent way of comparing and analysing all these feeds!
 
Whilst, regrettably, a lot of companies don't give the full information on their websites, they should give you that information if you email them (at least they do in my experience). Personally wouldn't touch the products of any company that wouldn't provide a full list of ingredients, starch/sugar levels etc when asked.
 
yes even when asked top spec wouldnt tell me sugar and starch levels in their fibre plus - just sadi combined they are lower than 10% so now i wont feed it unless they tell me - so feed fast fibre instead - their loss
 
kezimac said:
yes even when asked top spec wouldnt tell me sugar and starch levels in their fibre plus - just sadi combined they are lower than 10% so now i wont feed it unless they tell me - so feed fast fibre instead - their loss
Click to expand...

Have got to say TopSpec are one of the worst offenders for lack of nutritional information on their website, but even more appalling to hear that they won't even give a definite starch/sugar figure even if specifically asked.
 
Very informative thread! Thanks everyone.

I think there should be a law requiring animal feed companies to state all their ingredients and nutritional information, as there is on human food products.
 
brigantia said:
Very informative thread! Thanks everyone.

I think there should be a law requiring animal feed companies to state all their ingredients and nutritional information, as there is on human food products.
Click to expand...

As far as I'm aware, they do have to put the ingredients on the feed bags, but no obligation to do so on websites and advertisements. I think they also have to list basic analysis such as protein, oil, ash etc., but don't have to do so for sugar/starch.
 
Well how interesting! I was actually on the phone to Simple Systems this morning. Allen and Page recommended a complete 'cereal free' feed to me, first ingredient 'wheatfeed'?
Apparently they can say it is not a cereal because it isn't the whole grain. It also contains sugar beet which I am already feeding....
 
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