Sad News About Ukele - sold Equine Products to Smartpak

Say what? Really? Greenhawk looking to expand in to the US?

That is what I was told, ā€œstraight from the horseā€™s mouthā€ ( a close family member who worked @ SP).

I fail to see the logic as Dover and State Line both cover that market already. Donā€™t see Greenhawk having a unique selling point that would make inroads in the US marketā€¦ unless their service was miles better than the existing choices. But then what am I, no marketing genius, just a dumb customer.

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Our local feed store will repackage the mag ox for us into 5 pound bags so we donā€™t have to store 50 pounds. The problem with mag ox from the feed store is that it is powdered. Many of the horses sift it out of their grain. We add a squirt of oil to their grain to help keep them from doing that. But that is cumbersome and some boarding barns wonā€™t deal with oil.
I used to use a pelleted mag for another horse so he would eat it. But the pelleted form is normally more expensive.

MVP Magnesium 5000 is relatively cost efficient

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This is what I use - cheapest pellet I could find thatā€™s easily accessible.

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Unfortunately the MVP is loaded with other stuff besides magnesium oxide - and it does not call out oxide, just magnesium.

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Magnesium oxide is right there in the ingredient list. It has to have other things in it to pelletize it and help make it palatable (all of mine ate it out of my hand when I used it). Thatā€™s not an ā€œunfortunateā€ thing, and it doesnā€™t create any problems unless thereā€™s a serious allergy to, say, alflafa.

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Isnā€™t magnesium oxide also a less bioavailable form anyway, than say magnesium proteinate? If I was super worried about type of Mg Iā€™d be looking for the proteinate form (which IME is dang hard to find in an economical way). Most mag supps are oxide.

And I also came here to agree that it may not list ā€œoxideā€ in the actives, but thatā€™s the only form listed in the ingredients.

MgOx is pretty bioavailable in horses, unlike people where itā€™s very low.

Hereā€™s a reasonably good chart on the differences between forms

I say ā€œreasonablyā€ good because MgOx has shown in some studies to be higher than 48% available, especially in foals (upwards of 70%) but even closer to 60% in adults. But itā€™s good enough for this.

you also have to look at the % of elemental Mg in each form, and MgOx is maybe the highest at 56-60% depending on the product

What this boils down to is - for every 10gm, for example, of Mg you want to add, you can feed less of MgOx than other forms because of the combination of bioavailabilty and elemental Mg. And, itā€™s cheaper than other forms, all else equal

It doesnā€™t list oxide in the GA because MgOx isnā€™t the nutrient, magensium is :slight_smile: So 2oz of that product is providing 5gm of elemental Mg

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Ah, see, my confusion. Thanks for clearing that up!

For once, the ā€œcheapā€ version is pretty good for what the average horse needs. Seems like thatā€™s rare :laughing:

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Right? LOL!

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Thats how you are required to list is per NASC. Mag Oxide is in the ingredients.

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I placed an order today and made a mistake. I called SmartPak right away to try and fix it. The person I spoke with was very helpful and friendly. It was a good customer service experience. Iā€™m also glad that theyā€™re carrying GUT and Aloe pellets (was looking for gut stuff awhile back to support my horse during a move). So thus far they havenā€™t pā€™d me off, but it might depend on timing and also who you get :woman_shrugging:t3:

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Quiessence is also inexpensive. It also has chromium, for what thatā€™s worth. I have both my very easy keeper mares on a half dose of Quiessence, which has 4 grams of mag. That plus the little bit of chromium is about the same cost as one dose of Mag 5000

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I have used Quiessence for my thoroughbred for 18 years on two vet recommendations bc of suspected RER. His current vet after we ran bloodwork a few years ago agreed he stays on. I get it from
valley vet on autoship in 14 pound bag (no shipping!).

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Thatā€™s somewhat reassuring. Maybe the day I called there was mandatory training and I got the person walking by while the phone was ringing. Thatā€™s sure what it felt like. We shall see. Time reveals all.

Another choice is Remission. Two scoops gives 6 grams of mag (as mag oxide) and itā€™s in the same price range, and has chromium and some other potentially useful ingredients. Iā€™ve had my older mare on it, but itā€™s a powder, and she wouldnā€™t eat it in her meals unless they were soaked.

In general, I like the Animed supplements. They usually have a better price point. I use their MSM for my.older mare.

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I have used Uckeleā€™s Equi VM for years. I buy (bought) it in a 50 lb bag. It has plenty of needed nutrients in quantities I donā€™t have to supplement, and it was very inexpensive compared to everything else. SP is not carrying it. I can find a few sellers who still have some in stock, but otherwise?
I have no idea what Iā€™m going to replace it with once I run out. I even checked Uckeleā€™s site, but no luck.

I came here for the Uckele thread after Chewy stopped selling the magnesium and treats I was buying from them and Iā€™ve discovered local tea! Iā€™ve been trying to figure out whoā€™s taking that over, a local blanket laundry service was hinting about an international store and I never thought Canada.

Bumping this threadā€¦ a barn friend gave me some powdered magnesium oxide by Uckele to try for my gelding who has been on Quiessence in the past (took him off of it for the summer). Those who have used this, how many scoops are you giving? My horse is around 1000lbsā€¦ i see that one scoop is suggested on the bag but wondering if that is best?