Looking for recommendations for a ration balancer or pelleted vit/omineral supplement to compliment a 40 percent alfalfa, 60 percent grass hay. 16 year old Arab mare in light work. Presently being fed all grass hay and Essential K. Not sure if extra protein in Essential K is needed if she’ll be eating some alfalfa.
Can you test the hay? Then you have a very accurate starting point. I have two PICKY PICKY horses and I’ve tried all sorts of vit/mineral supplements and FINALLY they are eating KIS Trace. Licking their bowls.
It’s got a nice amount of zinc and copper which matters to me.
But I also test my hay to really know what I’ve got going on.
Probably won’t test the hay. Just thinking of going to a lower protein ration balancer or just a vitamin and mineral supplement. She’s on Tribute Essential K with the plain grass hay…I just found out they make a balancer for alfalfa hay, too…although…her hay will only be 40 percent alfalfa…so she probably could stay on the Essential K. Just wondering what other options there are.
I like the Triple Crown Gold Balancer it’s relatively low protein for a RB. Don’t recall the exact percentage of protein. My horses are on Purina Omega Match currently and they love it. 13.5% protein
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Lenapesadie, I was considering the Omega Match, too ! I like that it’s soy free.
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The all natural Vit E and good serving of Biotin are also plusses!
With that mix it really doesn’t matter. If you don’t want extra protein, then TC Balancer Gold (13-13.5%) is a grass balancer option The most impactful differences between the types of balancers is the amount and ratio of Ca and P. For this mix, a significant imbalance is almost non-existent (some grass cuttings can be as high in Ca as alfalfa, that’s just not common) so neither a grass nor alfalfa balancer will really change that much.
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