Top Spec Zero-Anyone had any skin issues?

[cblover]

Hi all,
I’ve recently changed from Honeychop Lite and Healthy to Top Spec Zero. No real reason apart from it’s a bit cheaper and the horse in the same stable block as me eats it. So we share a bag to make sure it’s eaten in good time.
However I’ve noticed her skin flaky and bald in places. This seems to be just after I charged to the zero. Anyone else have the same issues?
I’ve checked for lice, it’s not that. Thanks ?

 

[YorksG]

Hi all,
I’ve recently changed from Honeychop Lite and Healthy to Top Spec Zero. No real reason apart from it’s a bit cheaper and the horse in the same stable block as me eats it. So we share a bag to make sure it’s eaten in good time.
However I’ve noticed her skin flaky and bald in places. This seems to be just after I charged to the zero. Anyone else have the same issues?
I’ve checked for lice, it’s not that. Thanks ?

Does the top spec have alfalfa in it? If so, then I think that will be the cause. We feed honey chop, but it is the plain oat straw chaff that we feed.

 

[Surbie]

I've not found that (similarly swapped after finding stones in the Honeychop). But the artificial smell of mint and sweet apple in topchop zero makes me gag so I've gone back to Lite&Healthy. Mine's a sweetitch horse tho, so I expect scurf and itchiness to be kicking in round about now.

 

[TPO]

I've been feeding it to Fat Cob for a while now and my horse recently moved onto it (been on it 2wks now) but no skin issues here.

It is casting season and a lot get scurfy around this time. Could it be that?

 

[Bluewaves]

My cob prefers the Top Spec Zero to Honeychop but the feed stores out of Top Spec right now so had to buy Honeychop this time. Never had any skin problems for him on either.

 

[Sealine]

At this time of year my horse gets scurfy skin and bald patches. Could it be a coincidence that you just happened to change feed when the horses are changing to their summer coats?

 

[PapaverFollis]

I feed it. No associated skin issues.

 

[OldNag]

I had one that came out in hives after switching to regular Top Spec balancer

 

[SEL]

I fed it for a few years and no problems. Currently on Honeychop and horse itching madly which I hope is just coat shedding

 

[cblover]

Thanks everyone, it’s definitely not normal coat changes. She doesn’t seem itchy but there is a lot of patchy dry skin and bald patches. I’ll monitor and see how we go. Seems too much of a coincidence that it started when I changed to the zero chop.

 

[Sanversera]

Could it be a vit/min deficiency?

 

[sbloom]

Do a search on Top Spec, many years ago I used to recommend it, and fed it to my own maybe 20 years ago - post number 8 https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/feeding-advice.816564/#post-14870133

 

[cblover]

I do feed equivite original and Protexin Gut Balancer in with the chaff. Plus damp it down with a little water.

 

[Goldenstar]

I feed it as non of mine will entertain honeychop straw and it is easier for me to get .
pit does not contain alfalfa .
I do think it’s likely that it’s the time of year many horse get scruffy as their coats change .

 

[SpotsandBays]

No issue for mine either

 

[TwyfordM]

No issues with mine and she’s the first to react to stuff! ?
However she ate it for a long time with no issues, then suddenly went off it. Seems to be eating it again but it’s taken getting halfway down the offending bag before she would touch it

 

[[153312]]

Fed it without issue for a while as much easier to source than honeychop oat straw

 

[HelenBack]

Mine had a reaction to one of the low fat Top Spec chaffs but I can't remember which one now as it was years ago. Later on I found out he was allergic to oats and it was presumably the oat straw that was doing it for him.

Later on I switched from Dengie Alfa A which I had fed for ages with no problem to Top Spec Alfalfa and he got this weird dandruff all over his body. Don't know what that was about as the ingredients were apparently the same but I swapped back to Dengie and he was fine again so it must have been the Top Spec.

 

[cblover]

Thanks for that HB, it sounds similar to what’s happening to my mare. I’ve gone back to Honeychop Lite and Healthy. So I’ll see if it clears up.