Mixes and the barefooter... starch

Queenbee

Queenbee

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'If' you were to feed a mix to your horse, what would be an acceptable level of starch content? Ive just been researching content in various mixes, I found some between 17-24% which shocked me, then I came across one that was 45%:eek:
 
Dodson and horrell leisure mix is about 13% I thought that was quite high even though it says low starch, but compared to the others it probably is low.
 
If they have a lot of cereals in them then that will push the starch up . Consider that Oats are 40% and they are lowest in starch of cereals.

I don't feed mixes but if I was considering I would be looking at the individual ingredients and asking myself if they were things I wanted to feed my horse rather than just the starch levels.
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
I don't feed anything over 10 in any quantity or regularity, for lami girl it is 8 or below (combined sugar and starch)
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Same here, I used to look for no more than 8% sugar & starch combined, cereal free. TBH I've given up on mixes full stop, if the sugar & starch level was OK there always seemed to be something which wasn't (out-of-date bags being delivered, or other supply issues). I'm sticking with a simple powder mineral balancer for now on linseed and beetpulp.
 
I believe it's no more than 1gm starch/1Kg horse weight per meal. Grains have different starch levels Maize is 70% starch. :eek:

Energy is much better from digestible fibre than grain but grain needs to be fed at low amounts to not upset the hindgut, same as sugars.

Taken from Nutrition course:-
"500 kg horse – 0.5 kg starch/meal
No more than 1.2 kg oats per meal
(1.2 kg x 40 % starch = 0.48 kg)"

Oats are 40% starch
 
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Yeah, I was really shocked, I looked into it after initially calling my local feed stores to enquire about linseed meal which they said they couldn't get although when I actually went they had a bag of cooked linseed just didn't realise it was there! Anyhow, knowing they couldn't get it, and that things like outshine were special order I thought I'd look at some mixes before going in and checking out the feed store couldn't believe my eyes when I saw 45% and I thought the 17 I'd seen on rowan and Barbary was a tad excessive!

Lucky I could get the linseed!
 
Yep you have hit my dilemma right on the head.

I need to keep my boys starch content of his feeds on or below 12%. Hes cereal intolerant and anything above sets him off, hair loss, behavioural changes, hives, itching, its horrid :(

At the minute hes barefoot and doing well on

Spillers conditioning fibre (12%)
Alfalfa cubes
Linseed
Beetpulp.

I was looking to add something for a bit more oomph and condition and I have looked at ERS pellets (7% i think) and Staypower cubes (10%) :)
 
Black Beastie said:
Yep you have hit my dilemma right on the head.

I need to keep my boys starch content of his feeds on or below 12%. Hes cereal intolerant and anything above sets him off, hair loss, behavioural changes, hives, itching, its horrid :(

At the minute hes barefoot and doing well on

Spillers conditioning fibre (12%)
Alfalfa cubes
Linseed
Beetpulp.

I was looking to add something for a bit more oomph and condition and I have looked at ERS pellets (7% i think) and Staypower cubes (10%) :)
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Have heard some positive things about this:
http://www.rowenbarbary.co.uk/horse_feed_products/light_exercise/36


Solution Mash

Key Features
High fibre, low starch and sugar diet High oil for weight gain Added herbs Enhanced by Sumo Original & Sumo Power

Product Information
Designed for horses requiring a specialist diet Soft ‘n’ Soak Solution Mash is suitable for horses that need a higher calorie diet for conditioning and controlled weight gain whilst being ideal for those that suffer from starch and sugar intolerance.

With no cereals and a very low starch and sugar content (under 1% total sugar) it is suitable for feeding to horses and ponies that suffer from Laminitis, Cushings, Insulin Resistance and EPSM. The high levels of oils provide an excellent source of slow release energy whilst helping horses to achieve the required body condition and perfecting a great coat bloom.

The high fibre content helps to encourage slow rates of digestion through out the hind gut and is particularly valuable for horses requiring a diet that is sympathetic on the digestive system.

Super high levels of Vitamin E are included helping support the immune system and maintain healthy antioxidant levels as well as additional Lysine and Methionine for optimal protein balance and protected Bioplex Selenium, Zinc and Copper for improved availability.

Yeasacc 1026 is added for optimum fibre and mineral digestion within the hindgut along with herbs garlic, spearmint and fenugreek.

With an advanced vitamin and trace element supplement, Sumo Power, to provide your horse with all the essential nutrients needed for a fully balanced
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NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

Digestible Energy 11.00 (MJ/Kg)
Fibre 26.00 (%)
Oil 15.00 (%)
Protein 10.00 (%)
Starch 4.75 (%)
Vitamin A 10000 (iu/kg)
Vitamin D3 2000 (iu/kg)
Vitamin E 500 (iu/kg)

INGREDIENTS

Selected Soya Hull Pellets, Soya Oil, Sieved Soya Hull Meal, Dried Grass, Sumo Super 50E, Di Calcium Phosphate, Sumo Power Supplement, Spearmint, Salt, Garlic, Limestone, Fenugreek, Magnesium Oxide, Yeasacc 1026, Vitamins, Minerals.
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Take a look at the Pure Feeds range - I really rate them. Add some speedibeet, grass nuts (if no lami issues) and linseed. Keeps it very simple.
 
Black Beastie said:
Looks good but I've heard it's not that palatable and my boy is a right fuss pot :(

I always have either dried mint or mint cordial to hand as he's guaranteed to eat stuff with that in, I don't like feeding it constantly though :o
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I was just about to suggest mint... nothing wrong with feeding mint constantly, its a great digestive aid too.
 
It is mainly pelleted with some peas but has a little bit of straw and alfalfa chaff in it. A&P would probably send you a sample if you wanted to inspect it.

I add a bit of water so it expands but you can feed it just dampened down a little bit as you don't need to soak it like you do fast fibre.

lachlanandmarcus said:
Is that a chaff or a pelleted feed, looks good but cant work out from web description?
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I feed Key Flow StayCool mix to my barefoot boys, it's 2.5% sugar and 16% starch but it's cooked differently from most feeds which makes it more digestable. I feed it with the Key Flow rice bran which is 3% sugar and 22% starch and has had no ill effects on their feet at all, I think the fact it's so digestible means I feed less (1kg of mix per day to a 16.2 TB in work 6 days a week) which also lessens the starch intake.

I was feeding Re-leve which is also low starch but my boy struggled to keep weight on even on 3 scoops a day, so although the StayCool is higher in starch I'm feeding considerably less so the starch intake is less overall.

I am shocked by the amount of starch in supposed 'low starch' feeds - one I called up about obce was marketed as low starch and was 24% - no wonder my TB went through the roof on it!
 
SO1 said:
It is mainly pelleted with some peas but has a little bit of straw and alfalfa chaff in it. A&P would probably send you a sample if you wanted to inspect it.

I add a bit of water so it expands but you can feed it just dampened down a little bit as you don't need to soak it like you do fast fibre.
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If you call them, their rep will do a yard visit, measure ned, chat to you about what you do with him etc and what you want out of a feed, discuss feeds with you, then send you a whole bag free via courier...
 
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