Let us debate… or really just discuss. What are your opinions on these two feeds?
Hard keeper is currently on Kalm N Ez, which is fine, but I have fed the Fibre Max in the past to other horses and really liked it. I just have a really hard time with change, so please sway me either way.
Thanks!
First, what’s making you consider a change? KNE is a perfectly good feed, so if it’s working, I’m not sure I’d monkey with things.
That said the Fibre Max is almost double the fat, so is likely higher calories - call and ask. It also has slightly of many minerals. As a result of all of that, it has a lower feeding rate than the KNE, at 4-6lb for an 1000lb horse in light work, vs 5-10 for the KNE
So, it will help to know what’s making you consider a change.
My new schedule means I can no longer feed him 3x a day and I’m having a hard time sourcing flax to supplement… so I’m wondering if switching to something with higher fat will close the gap.
The higher fat appears to be from vegetable oil, at least in part, and likely that’s canola or soybean oil, so that doesn’t replace the Omega 3 from the flax. Flax is very had to find right now, you’re right, due to the droughts in many of the flax-growing areas having put a huge damper on the crop this past year. If you have access to Triple Crown you should be able to get the Naturals Ground Flax now.
I don’t now how much KNE you’re feeding, but if it’s enough that 2 feedings pushes him to his volume limit or more than 5lb/feeding, then yes, I’d switch for that reason alone
A main ingredient in the Fibre Max is Flaxseed, which makes it very attractive to me.
He gets 4 lbs 2x/day along with soaked alfalfa and beet pulp along with 1/4 cup canola oil. He’s on pasture for 14-16 per days and has free choice second cut grass hay at night. I’ve been adding a flake of alfalfa, too, since the weather has been so caustic (thank you pennsylvania).
I really liked Fibre Max for my guy (25yo TB). I was able to feed less quantity of it than when he was on comparable feeds- he’s a hard keeper type who requires a lot of calories. It made him absolutely blossom and he filled out nicely on it. He’s on the picky side and he loved the taste day after day. For what it’s worth, we did have a choke episode on it and ended up soaking it after that, but I only say that in case your horse is prone to choke. I don’t know that it’s any more likely to be a choke issue than any other feed of that texture.
I would have kept him on it forever but he needs some dietary changes with a recent PPID/IR diagnosis so we’re sadly moving on to a lower NSC product.
it’s still higher in Omega 6 than Omega 3, so I wouldn’t necessarily be dropping the flax. I’m not sure what your grass is like in PA right now - is it really good enough for 14 hours of real grazing? Mine sure isn’t, here in NC. If so, I wouldn’t worry about the flax at all
Is that what he was getting before, just in 3 meals a day?
How many pounds of alf and beep? The switch to the Fibre Max may mean you can feed a little less each meal.
I thought I saw somewhere that TC had ceased production on their ground flax due to supply shortages?
I might be mixing it up with something else…
Good point about the omegas. They’re have free choice hay available to them outside as well. If i could find Flax, I surely wouldn’t take him off of it.
He was getting about 3 lbs each feeding, so it does offset some. To be honest, I eyeball the alfalfa and beet. I can tell you it’s about a half of a 3 qt scoop of each. He also gets a scoop before a half hour or so before I ride to keep the belly happy.
I’m not sure if they ceased all together, but I DO know it’s painfully hard to find.
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