"Budget" ration balancer/grain for 1 pony?

[JB]

Almost all balancers are in the 28-32% range. Most of those are 30%. Tribute is 28%. Purina’s is 32%

Those are all grass balancers.

Alfalfa balancers are in the 10-12% range. Maybe a little higher.

Triple Crown Balancer Gold is 13% - still aimed at grass forages with the higher ca:phos ratio, but they didn’t replace (much) of the protein lost from the soy they removed, whereas Tribute did with their soy-free Wholesome Blends Balancer

11% COULD be a balancer but likely not.

The more definitive factor when looking at those lower protein products is the serving size. 1lb for a 1000lb horse makes an 11% “feed”, much more likely to be a balancer.

Not to be confused with something like TC Lite which is 1-2lb per 500lb body weight

[greywithchrome]

@JB

Almost all balancers are in the 28-32% range. Most of those are 30%. Tribute is 28%. Purina’s is 32%

Those are all grass balancers.

Alfalfa balancers are in the 10-12% range. Maybe a little higher.

Triple Crown Balancer Gold is 13% - still aimed at grass forages with the higher ca:phos ratio, but they didn’t replace (much) of the protein lost from the soy they removed, whereas Tribute did with their soy-free Wholesome Blends Balancer

11% COULD be a balancer but likely not.

The more definitive factor when looking at those lower protein products is the serving size. 1lb for a 1000lb horse makes an 11% “feed”, much more likely to be a balancer.

Not to be confused with something like TC Lite which is 1-2lb per 500lb body weight

Wow this is really interesting! I never really understood why different ration balancers had such vastly different levels of protein but the alfalfa/grass component makes so much sense.

[PamnReba]

Just a note on the Triple Crown feeds - any feed store that carries Purina can order any Triple Crown product for you. I have to go through my local Purina dealer to get mine, I call the store and order on Monday, it’s there by Thursday. Have to plan ahead just a tad, but I usually replenish stock once the last bag is opened, so that works out fine for me. This dealer doesn’t normally carry it, but since Purina now distributes TC (which is why Tractor Supply has it), it’s more readily available. By the same token, your local Tractor Supply should be able to order it for you too. I just trust my smaller, non-chain Purina store to actually get it ordered and know who it’s for when it gets in.

[JB]

@PamnReba

any feed store that carries Purina can order any Triple Crown product for you.

Not necessarily - it depends on whether they’re in the region where Purina is milling TC, or Blue Seal is milling it.

And unfortunately, a lot of TSCs simply won’t order, even though technically they can, so there’s that…

[PamnReba]

I misunderstood then - the person who handles ordering for me said all Purina dealers can order it, but maybe she just meant in our area.