Does anyone know any grains that have anise flavor? I have a SUPER picky eater. No taste for sweet feeds, or pretty much every other grain on the market (we’ve been through almost 20). However, she does like Purina Strategy, I believe because of its more palatable anise flavoring. I’m not a big fan of Purina feeds though, especially the lower end strategy, since there isn’t even a fixed formula (and she won’t touch the ultium). I have tried diluting liquid star anise with water and spraying it on other grains, also with no luck. The only other grain I’ve found that she will touch is Crypto Aero, but only in small amounts, and I need something with a better mineral balance if she’s not going to be eating a ton of it. She won’t even look at anything with much beet pulp or molasses.
So to anyone who has a picky eater, or anyone who has read the ingredients on their feed bags - is there a high quality feed out there that has the flavor profile she seems to be after?
(and yes, she has been scoped for ulcers, totally clear. Bloodwork is normal, fecal is clear) She is a mustang so doesn’t really have a taste for much domestic food. She loves alfalfa, but not alfalfa pellets or cubes.
Have you tried adding ground fenugreek?
The flavor in Strategy is anise, isn’t it? Not star anise. Different things, right? Yeah, it looks like strategy uses anise and fenugreek. Not star anise.
Fenugreek is generally recognized as a “favorite flavor” for most horses. You can pick it up cheaply in quantity at ethic grocery stores.
Triple Crown Lite, Naturals, and 30% RB have anise and fenugreek. (Others might too, those are the ones I’m familiar with.
I doubt it would be considered “high quality” but Calf-Manna is well known for its anise smell/flavor.
Seminole Wellness Herbal Blend:
https://seminolefeed.com/shop/equine-feeds/seminole-wellness/seminole-wellness-herbal-blend/
I’ll second the fenugreek. My super picky gelding loves it, so that’s my go-to when I need him to eat something he otherwise won’t eat. You can pick it up at a a grocery store that sells bulk herbs or buy it on Amazon.
