I just got Feed XL today and I’m noticing that every combination of hay (Alfalfa and/or Orchard/Grass and/or Timothy… I’ve tried and buy them all) plus SafeChoice feeds (original AND perform) put my horse at 380-400+% of her iron intake.
Feed XL says it’s still under dangerous levels, but why the hell so much iron?! I’m researching some of it’s effects and wondering.
Because it’s in the soil. We’re very iron rich here in the US in general. Forage grown here has a lot of iron in it.
That’s why so many people benefit from supplementing zinc and copper. It compensates for that iron overload.
Aha! I’m seeing the correct ratios in this articles, so it’s about balancing it out.
Yup!
For example, I’m at this ratio Fe:Cu:Zn: 4.9:1:2.6
My percentages are 573%, 468% and 308%.
I could bump up the zinc a little, but I think we’re probably close enough. 
But I’m supplementing poly copper and poly zinc!
Horsetech, Uckele, or CA Trace. Poly copper and poly zinc. Half dose of each. You can mix them together by volume and feed one “scoop.”
It’s not something you need to worry about.
https://ker.com/equinews/iron-important-trace-mineral-equine-diets/
Are you KIDDING?
YES iron overload is important.
https://balancedequine.com.au/nutrition-articles/32-iron-overload.html
https://balancedequine.com.au/nutrition-articles/9-minerals-and-coat-bleaching.html
Yep, exactly, sooooo much of the US just has a lot of iron in the soil. Some areas have huge amounts (ehem, red clay), some has not nearly as much, some are “just right”. But overall, most of the US has high iron soil.
So you can’t do anything about that, and while high iron itself can be a problem, the bigger problem for horses is the unbalanced ratios with copper and zinc. And that IS something you can do something about
Nobody said iron wasn’t important. That article is about the importance of iron - not debated.
What IS the issue is excessive iron intake in the diet, which automatically - by way of the chemical interaction between minerals - results in lowered copper and zinc intake. And that results in an imbalance among the 3 - fe, cu, zn.
Specifically what I was reading is high iron + IR or IR-prone horses. The more I learn about horse nutrition, the more I learn that I have much to learn! 
My horses are not IR or IR prone and I’ve had a whole host of iron overload problems–mainly poor haircoats and scratches type issues. Stuff that MAGICALLY clears up with cu and zn supplementation, yay! Some people might not consider that stuff a big deal, but when you get repeated cellulitis episodes because of the bacterial entry point that scratches allows, it suddenly becomes a Big Deal.
No reason to not evaluate and address! It’s a really cheap and easy fix :yes:
OP, if you have not done a hay and pasture analysis then you really don’t know what your horses are getting on a daily basis, since the bulk (15-20 lbs or more) of the diet is via hay/pasture. Not only do you need to analyze the roughage, you need to weigh what your horse is consuming on a daily basis for 2 weeks and then take the average. Good luck with that if your horse is on pasture. If you do not have the correct roughage numbers, Feed XL is practically worthless.
You should start by contacting Nutrena. They will have professional equine nutritionists who can answer your questions.
Rather than taking the advice of random strangers who are self educated via the internet, if you think your horse has some sort of nutritional issue, have your vet out and do a full work up to address what you think may need to be corrected. People will tell you that vets know nothing about nutrition because they don’t have to take nutrition classes in vet school, but I find it hard to believe that in this day and age, an intelligent professional will ignore something that is generally known to be important to their field.
The biggest problem is that you don’t know what you don’t know, and the self educated anonymous posters who have a firm belief in their comprehension of a very complex and dynamic topic may mistakenly give you “advice” based on a few words or phrases written by you that may not be in the best interest of your horse.
Simkie, I’m supplementing poly copper and poly zinc as well. For mine the percentages are 575%, 342% and 262%.
Next.
Nutrena was my first call last year when I got this horse. Actually I called all of the feed companies that my feed store carried, but that’s irrelevant (or is it? I mean, I am the idiot cavorting around without trying to get any information from professionals right?)
Nutrena “professionals” recommended a feed for my horse that a few other users have pointed out to me is WAY too high in NSC. Nutrena’s WRONG recommendation is why I’m pouring into this. I honestly don’t trust them over the collective wisdom of this board, OR Feed XL. For a light working horse they recommended SC Perform (I’m assuming because it’s their highest fat feed, for the weight gain) but it was wayyyyy too much for her. I have her tapering down to Senior and she’s already a different horse. Nutrena rep says that she should have been fine and just recommended I move her to the next most expensive thing they sell.
I have weighed my roughage, but because I don’t buy my own hay, I don’t think it would be worth the time of having it tested. I can’t really control that they buy it from the same supplier or ensure quality that way. I have supplemented the hay with my own when it seemed like we had gotten a poor quality load (my mare left a lot of the stems) but it’s totally possible that I could send hay in to be tested that my mare is never served again (new batch, new supplier, etc.)
I just moved from an area where my vet hd a better understanding of getting a cow’s balls off quickly than horse nutrition 1000%. She has an appointment with not just her new vet next week, but she’s getting seen by a dental specialist because I’m TRYING.
If you care so much - read this, then read it again?
Yay, that’s awesome!
Those articles I posted up above are written by Dr Eleanor Kellon, who’s one of the most well respected equine nutritionists around. She’s a good one to take seriously :yes:
(Btw, will never forgot when a Purina employed nutritionist was spouting off on FB to all who would listen that Omolene 200 was perfectly fiiiiine for all horses, even with it’s ~40% NSC. :rolleyes: :lol:)
I’m sure somewhere there is an equine nutritionist on the payroll, but not any of the people that picked up my phone calls - they were salespeople in every way. I even doubled back after getting the info on this to see what they would say, and that’s when they tried to recommend next $tep up.
& @Simkie - thanks! Never in a million years would I have signed up to rehab starved horse but it’s what came off the trailer, so all I can do is try (read: pay for things and ask a lot of questions)
No kidding. It’s the next place I’m heading after trying this. My feed store didn’t carry much in the way of TC back in N AZ but where I live now it’s plentiful and almost worth the switch for the peace of mind knowing that I’m no longer supporting a company that instructed me so poorly re: their product.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
