Got my Ration Balancer! Question now..

Amber.Molly · 03-31-2008, 10:39 AM

OK so I finally got my ration balancer in from the feed store! I had to order it. I figured that it would be easier to switch them over to it if I mixed it in with the stuff they were getting now, so that I could just take a scoop out and feed it.

I read the directions, but didn't really think anything of my mixing job. Now I'm re-reading them, to figure out how much feed to give each of them and it says:

Quote:

Do not feed any other supplements, vitamins or minerals w/o veterinary supervision

Should I throw out all that feed that I mixed?? or should they be ok?

Dawn · 03-31-2008, 10:41 AM

I wouldn't have mixed it personally. You need to know how many lbs of the feed you mixed with how many lbs of the ration balancer. Then you really need to know the lbs/volume of both feeds, as well as the weight and volume of what you will be feeding them in the 'scoop'.

Otherwise you'll have no way to tell how much of the feed you're giving them and how much of the ration balancer.

So first question is, do you know any of the answers to those questions.

Amber.Molly · 03-31-2008, 10:45 AM

Nope. I dont

But I do know that I'm not feeding too much. I cut back on the amount of feed they should have been getting with the original grain because it was full of filler and 'candy' as someone put it. So they won't be getting too much of that. And then the ration balancer is in there... and with the mix between the two of them its less RB than is required to feed.

However, I haven't weighted the RB yet... my bf has to dig out his scale for me still. I just got the feed this weekend.

Dawn · 03-31-2008, 10:47 AM

How do you know that the mix will provide less ration balancer than a full amount if you don't know how much of each was there to begin with?

Also, unless you continue to add ration balancer to it (did you put the entire bag in?), you can't change them over. They'll just be getting a constant mix of feed and ration balancer until they're out of the mix and will be on straight ration balancer (which really wouldn't be an issue for most horses, but kind of defeats the purpose of what you're trying to do).

JBandRio · 03-31-2008, 10:51 AM

You've diluted the ration balancer with the rest of the feed, so you should be fine.

What did you mix it with? Why didn't you just wait until you were almost done with the old stuff, then start swapping out some of the old for the new until you were done with the old?

Amber.Molly · 03-31-2008, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawn

How do you know that the mix will provide less ration balancer than a full amount if you don't know how much of each was there to begin with?

I guess I don't know. All I know is that they're not getting very much of it at this point in time... so that i do'nt over feed it... my scoop is a 2 cup measuring cup. I did get a whole bag in with the old stuff, but I layered it so that there's more RB at the bottom than the top. My logic dosn't make sense today.. but it made sense when I did it for some reason.

I just don't want to harm them by my silly mistake is all.

JBandRio · 03-31-2008, 10:59 AM

You're not going to harm them with what you did. It was just more work that you didn't need to do, and you are possibly losing out on the benefits of the ration balancer in this situation. You'll be fine. Run through this mix, then put them on the rb.

Dawn · 03-31-2008, 11:03 AM

How many scoops of the mix will you be giving a day?

Likely it won't do any harm, but that's all relative to how much you're feeding. If there's it's a 50 50 mix (by weight) and you're feeding 8 cups a day of it, then you'll like be overfeeding them before you even get to the bottom, which can cause problems.

Amber.Molly · 03-31-2008, 11:05 AM

JB - this is what the mix is

STEP 7 Equine Supplement

Ingredient List

Barley and/or Oats and/or Wheat and/or Corn
Canola Meal
Vegetable Oil
Cane Molasses
Limestone and/or Dicalcium Phosphate and/or Salt
Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin B12
Flax, Dehydrated Yeast Culture, Ginger, Rosemary, Garlic, Lysine, Methionine
Selenium enrich yeast, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, cobalt proteinate, yeast fermentation solubles
Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid, Choline Chloride, Biotin, Pyridoxine
Cobalt Carbonate, Ethylenediamine dihydriodide, Copper Sulphate and copper proteinate, Manganese Oxide and/or Manganese Sulfate and manganese proteinate, Magnesium Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide and/or Zinc Sulfate and zinc proteinate, Selenium Yeast and Sodium Selenite

Crude Protein (min.)... 12%
Crude Fat (min.)... 4%
Crude Fiber (max)... 8%
Calcium (actual)... 2%
Phosphourus (actual)... 1%
Salt (actual)... 1.5%
Sodium (actual).... 6%
Magnesium(actual)... .25
(cant read, got cut off)ends with ne... 1.0mg-kg
(cant read, got cut off)ends with n... 250mg-kg
Copper (actual)... 125mg-kg
Manganese(actual)... 250mg-kg
Zinc(actual)... 400kg-mg
Cobalt(actual)... 1.0mg-kg
(?)ourine(max).... 50mg-kg
Vit A (min)... 30000 i.u.-kg
Vit D(min) ... 5500 i.u.-kg
Vit E (min).... 600 i.u.-kg
Vit K(min)... 15mg-kg
Vit B12 (min)... 150 mcg-kg
Thiamine(min)... 18mg-kg
Pyridoxine(min)... 50mg-kg
Riboflavin(min)... 50 mg-kg
Niacin(min)... 60mg-kg
Pantothenate (min)..... 50mg-kg
Folacin(min)... 6mg-kg
Biotin(min)... 600mcg-kg
Choline(min)... 1100mg-kg
Added Selenium at a level of 3.0ppm

Equine Step 7 may be fed up to 1.3kgs daily to 500kg pregnent mares, 500kg mature horses or growing horses. Do not feed in excess of 1.3 kg per head per day. Growing horses should be fed 250g per 100kg body weight.

WITH

StartRight Horse Feed STEP 1

Ingredient List

Barley and/or Oats and/or Wheat and/or Corn

Soybean Meal and/or Canola Meal and/or Suncurred Alfalfa

Vegetable Oil

Whey Permeate

Molasses

Limestone and/or Dicalcium Phosphate and/or Salt

Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin B12

Flax, Dehydrated Yeast Culture, Ginger, Rosemary, Garlic, Lysine, Methionine

Selenium enrich yeast, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, Cobalt Proteinate, yeast fermentation solubles

Natural and artificial flavour components, silica dioxide

Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid, Choline Chloride, Biotin, Pyridoxine

Cobalt Carbonate, Ethylenediamine dihydriodide, Copper Sulphate, Manganese Oxide and/or Manganese Sulfate, Magnesium Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide and/or Zinc Sulfate, Sodium Selenite

And then one other different feed (Step 4).. my baby got step 1 and the other two got step 4, but I don't have a break down of the ingreedients for it. I thought mixing it would be the best solution because I couldn't leave the open bags in the shed cuz the mice would get into it. I only have 2 garbage bins for feed. That was my initial logic. I should have asked here first.

Dawn · 03-31-2008, 11:08 AM

Are all 3 feeds mixed together?

03-31-2008, 10:45 AM	#3
Amber.Molly Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 3,586 Images: 301 Blog Entries: 97	Nope. I dont But I do know that I'm not feeding too much. I cut back on the amount of feed they should have been getting with the original grain because it was full of filler and 'candy' as someone put it. So they won't be getting too much of that. And then the ration balancer is in there... and with the mix between the two of them its less RB than is required to feed. However, I haven't weighted the RB yet... my bf has to dig out his scale for me still. I just got the feed this weekend. __________________ *God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change* I've Been Snowball'd!!

03-31-2008, 10:51 AM	#5
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,470 Images: 143 Blog Entries: 12	You've diluted the ration balancer with the rest of the feed, so you should be fine. What did you mix it with? Why didn't you just wait until you were almost done with the old stuff, then start swapping out some of the old for the new until you were done with the old? __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - Rio feels good - he bounced an in-and-out

03-31-2008, 10:59 AM	#7
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,470 Images: 143 Blog Entries: 12	You're not going to harm them with what you did. It was just more work that you didn't need to do, and you are possibly losing out on the benefits of the ration balancer in this situation. You'll be fine. Run through this mix, then put them on the rb. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - Rio feels good - he bounced an in-and-out

03-31-2008, 11:05 AM	#9
Amber.Molly Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 3,586 Images: 301 Blog Entries: 97	JB - this is what the mix is STEP 7 Equine Supplement Ingredient List Barley and/or Oats and/or Wheat and/or Corn Canola Meal Vegetable Oil Cane Molasses Limestone and/or Dicalcium Phosphate and/or Salt Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin B12 Flax, Dehydrated Yeast Culture, Ginger, Rosemary, Garlic, Lysine, Methionine Selenium enrich yeast, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, cobalt proteinate, yeast fermentation solubles Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid, Choline Chloride, Biotin, Pyridoxine Cobalt Carbonate, Ethylenediamine dihydriodide, Copper Sulphate and copper proteinate, Manganese Oxide and/or Manganese Sulfate and manganese proteinate, Magnesium Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide and/or Zinc Sulfate and zinc proteinate, Selenium Yeast and Sodium Selenite Crude Protein (min.)... 12% Crude Fat (min.)... 4% Crude Fiber (max)... 8% Calcium (actual)... 2% Phosphourus (actual)... 1% Salt (actual)... 1.5% Sodium (actual).... 6% Magnesium(actual)... .25 (cant read, got cut off)ends with ne... 1.0mg-kg (cant read, got cut off)ends with n... 250mg-kg Copper (actual)... 125mg-kg Manganese(actual)... 250mg-kg Zinc(actual)... 400kg-mg Cobalt(actual)... 1.0mg-kg (?)ourine(max).... 50mg-kg Vit A (min)... 30000 i.u.-kg Vit D(min) ... 5500 i.u.-kg Vit E (min).... 600 i.u.-kg Vit K(min)... 15mg-kg Vit B12 (min)... 150 mcg-kg Thiamine(min)... 18mg-kg Pyridoxine(min)... 50mg-kg Riboflavin(min)... 50 mg-kg Niacin(min)... 60mg-kg Pantothenate (min)..... 50mg-kg Folacin(min)... 6mg-kg Biotin(min)... 600mcg-kg Choline(min)... 1100mg-kg Added Selenium at a level of 3.0ppm Equine Step 7 may be fed up to 1.3kgs daily to 500kg pregnent mares, 500kg mature horses or growing horses. Do not feed in excess of 1.3 kg per head per day. Growing horses should be fed 250g per 100kg body weight. WITH StartRight Horse Feed STEP 1 Ingredient List Barley and/or Oats and/or Wheat and/or Corn Soybean Meal and/or Canola Meal and/or Suncurred Alfalfa Vegetable Oil Whey Permeate Molasses Limestone and/or Dicalcium Phosphate and/or Salt Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin B12 Flax, Dehydrated Yeast Culture, Ginger, Rosemary, Garlic, Lysine, Methionine Selenium enrich yeast, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, Cobalt Proteinate, yeast fermentation solubles Natural and artificial flavour components, silica dioxide Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid, Choline Chloride, Biotin, Pyridoxine Cobalt Carbonate, Ethylenediamine dihydriodide, Copper Sulphate, Manganese Oxide and/or Manganese Sulfate, Magnesium Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide and/or Zinc Sulfate, Sodium Selenite And then one other different feed (Step 4).. my baby got step 1 and the other two got step 4, but I don't have a break down of the ingreedients for it. I thought mixing it would be the best solution because I couldn't leave the open bags in the shed cuz the mice would get into it. I only have 2 garbage bins for feed. That was my initial logic. I should have asked here first. __________________ *God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change* I've Been Snowball'd!!

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03-31-2008, 10:41 AM	#2
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,295 Images: 1386	I wouldn't have mixed it personally. You need to know how many lbs of the feed you mixed with how many lbs of the ration balancer. Then you really need to know the lbs/volume of both feeds, as well as the weight and volume of what you will be feeding them in the 'scoop'. Otherwise you'll have no way to tell how much of the feed you're giving them and how much of the ration balancer. So first question is, do you know any of the answers to those questions.

03-31-2008, 10:47 AM	#4
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,295 Images: 1386	How do you know that the mix will provide less ration balancer than a full amount if you don't know how much of each was there to begin with? Also, unless you continue to add ration balancer to it (did you put the entire bag in?), you can't change them over. They'll just be getting a constant mix of feed and ration balancer until they're out of the mix and will be on straight ration balancer (which really wouldn't be an issue for most horses, but kind of defeats the purpose of what you're trying to do).

03-31-2008, 11:03 AM	#8
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,295 Images: 1386	How many scoops of the mix will you be giving a day? Likely it won't do any harm, but that's all relative to how much you're feeding. If there's it's a 50 50 mix (by weight) and you're feeding 8 cups a day of it, then you'll like be overfeeding them before you even get to the bottom, which can cause problems.

03-31-2008, 11:08 AM	#10
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,295 Images: 1386	Are all 3 feeds mixed together?