which would be the best chaff to use?

[wench]

My horse doesnt really get enough hay/haylage overnight at yard, ie he always eats it and there is never any left in the morning. I would like to put some chaff in his feed so that I can bulk it up and keep him entertained for a while longer? He is a 16.3 tb and doesnt heat up on anything,

 

[MarleyandDarcy]

There are chaffs you can use as hay replacers, therefore you can feed quite a large quantity. I feed Hi-Fi Lite which is just good quality chopped hay/straw therefore even if you had a horse that does heat up you should be able to use it. Mine get this during the summer so they still feel like they are loved and getting breakfast, and also to mix in garlic and any supplements.

On the other hand my horses LOVE Mollichaff apple flavoured, but have been told some horses get a bit silly on Mollichaff.

Is your horse not allowed more hay at your yard?

 

[Libbyn1982]

Can you not feed more hay?? If not try putting some Hi-Fi in a bucket or readi-grass.

 

[wench]

no horsey not allowed any more!

 

[chestnut cob]

Why don't use ask for more hay/haylage to be put in?

 

[wench]

not allowed to have any extra

 

[MerryMaker]

Happy Hoof, Hi Fi Lite and Alfa A Lite I think can all be used as hay replacers. Also, try putting some High Fibre Cubes in a snack ball for him to play with as this helps keep them eating and occupied. Feed his hay in a small holed haynet to keep him eating longer.

Look for Laminitis Trust symbol on chaffs, as this indicates a feed can be given on an adlib basis as a forage replacer. I feed my little poo-neigh ad lib Happy Hoof at the moment as he has had a poorly mouth. Works a treat.

Why won't yard let you have ad lib hay?

 

[Coffee_Bean]

If you're just adding it to his feed as bulk then honeychop is pretty cheap and my horse much preferred it to alfa a.

 

[lottiiee]

Hmmm... Feel a bit sorry for your ned also. Hate to see horses who have eaten their little bit of hay seriously early on, then just stood in the box. Is this your horse? What type of livery is he on??

Defo have a chat with yard owner, though I know how you feel as I had a horse on share some time ago and the lady that did him in the week whould give a pathetic amount of hay, by seven oclock when I got down it'll all be gone - so he would stand in his box until 8 the next morning (plus she only turned him out for a few hours a day - so annoying as I couldn't do anything but change his routine on the days I had him) Anyway call up Horsehage they are good, can feed their stuff as a complete fibre feed, 'Just grass' is good (its called just grass, not suggesting you go off hand picking for hours!)
Also, does he have his feed in a haynet?? If so could you double haynet it (make sure its a small holed one) so it will take a little longer to eat.
Best of luck.x

 

[wench]

wont be allowed any more i'm afraid. He is a pig as well which doesnt help. He is on a straw bed which he does nibble at so that can keep him entertained, just think he needs a bit extra thats all!

 

[Taffster]

Again ready grass or dengi hi lite, i also think the dengi chaffs although appear more expensive to the molli's they do seem to last for ages

 

[loopylucifer]

i use good doer for my little pigglet as very low calories. wot about a snak a ball type thing with hi fi nuts thats normally gd for keeping them ocupied with out too many xtra calories!

 

[TGM]

Using chaff as a partial hay replacer works out very expensive - it is necessary in some cases where animals have dental problems, but in your case it seems a bit wasteful. I'm assuming hay is included in your livery price, which is why the YO won't give more. It would work out much cheaper to buy some extra hay yourself than to buy even the cheapest chaff to supply extra bulk. If storage space is an issue, then buy some small bale haylage like Horsehage High Fibre, that will still work out cheaper than chaff and won't take up any more room in the feedroom than a bag of chaff.

If you really still want to go down the chaff route, then as you say he is a bit of a pig then I would give something like HiFi Lite which is quite low calorie and will take him a while to munch through as it is quite coarse.