[imacowgirl2]

Lately I've noticed a lot of questions about what ration balancers are, and specifically which products are ration balancers. I figured it would help a lot of people (me included!) if we could make a list of all the specific products by different companies (with link when possible) that are ration balancers, instead of just telling anyone who asks that most national brands make one.

I know we will never get a complete list since a lot of companies are regional, but if we can get a good list going, hopefully we can get most of the national brands and some regional brands from each region so that anyone who is looking for a ration balancer has a place to start.

So....lets see your ration balancers! Here's the ones that I know of:

Progressive Nutrition (http://www.prognutrition.com/EquineProducts.htm)
ProAdvantage Grass Formula
ProAdvantage Alfalfa Formula
ProAdvantage Hi-Fat Formula

Buckeye Nutrition (http://www.buckeyenutrition.com/equine/index.html)
Alfa Gro N Win
Gro N Win
Sho N Win

Triple Crown (http://www.triplecrownfeed.com/products.php)
30% Supplement

[Sue B]

Good idea!
Triple Crown 12% to complement alfalfa
Pennfield All Phase Balancer Pellet (sorry their site su.cks)
Purina Born to Win (at the bottom of the product list)
Seminole Equalizer
Allience Nutrition/MoorMan's StayStrong (possibly others on that page, not that familiar with the products)
LMF Super Supplement
Poulin Equi Pro MVP

As far as I know...Nutrena and Blue Seal are two that do not have ration balancers.

[wyldterv]

Elenbaas This is a local feed mfg that had this line forumlated by KER. I personally still prefer the LMF but this stuff isn't terrible

Nutrena currenly has not produced a true Ration Balancer. What MY rep's boss told me (Regional Manager) was that it is not felt it will be profitable enough to bother with it....We'll see if they change their mind as more and more people move away from feeding 'tradtional' mixed feeds.

[Sue B]

I wish they were Wyldterv...but from what I see at my friend's store...there are still way more people feeding economy feeds (and some of them just pick them up at a whim..whatever store they are in...it doesn't matter what brand...just looking for a 12% sweet feed or the cheapest they can get. Those people are also the big supplement buyers.

I think in general, that the majority of people still perfer to feed grain-based feeds. Although my friend offers both a ration balancer and no grain fomula, they are about the least purchased of her feeds. One issue is that large farms are looking for economy and ease...never know who will be feeding next time. These customers feel that alternative feeding programs are too expensive and difficult to utilize. I think another issue is that reps do not always have a full understanding of how ration balancers and alternative feeds benefit, so they push the traditional stuff they know about.Even nutritionists (even leading researchers), vets and and even holistic vets all push grains or grain-based feeds....none of them are moving toward ration balancers or non-grain feeds.

[wyldterv]

One of the reason I've liked the LMF feeds so much (Besides the fact that they're formulated for specifically for the soil deficiencies in this area) is that while they do have grain based feeds, they also have high fiber/more forage based pelleted feeds. I've had opportunity to speak with the rep for this region before and that rep really pushes the Ration balancer for the majority of horses.

MOST horses don't get worked hard enough that they need a huge caloric addition to their diets and the ration balancer is great for those horses.

For those that do work harder and need more caloric intake, honestly, it IS more expensive to blend your own fats, protein sources, etc IMO, but you can customize it to that horses needs.

I am currently considering putting Dancer on the New LMF Pro Pellet because she is my hardest keeper and requires more caloric intake then the other three to keep good weight with the amount of work I am asking of her. The pro pellet is blending alot of what I'm already feeding into one product so I'm going to try just her on it, but the other three will stay on their concoction

BTW, one of the LMF feeds specifically uses BOSS in it as one of their main ingredients

[Sue B]

I totally agree....when you use a ration balancer and added fat sources or other things to increase caloric intake, you can easily customize for each horse.

I have noticed that some of the companies are starting to put BOSS in their high forage feeds....also kelp and flax....makes life so easy. While the inclusion rates are not always as high as some of our custom mixes might be...they seem to be enough to do the job...unless there is really some strange issue or imbalances in an area. I can't wait to see where feeds will be in 10 years.

[blue eyes]

My daughters horse has been at a local riding stable this winter. This is the third year winter we have boarded there.This winter a few friends also decided to board for the winter months. My daughters horse and my friends (whom I had helped with their feeding programs) horses are all quite noticably healther looking.
Gradually over the winters many of the boarders have made changes and started asking questions. Over the last couple of years some had started including flax in their horses diets it was a start but were still feeding sweet feed. Last year when I was there some switched from the sweet feed to pelleted fat and fiber feeds.
Although with these changes in their rations their horses did not look as good as mine.So now three years later some have started using a ration balancer to balance their horses ration and bingo there horses are looking even better.
It takes time for people to make changes. However, it is hard to deny the improvement in these horses. The barn farrier of 20 plus years could not believe the improvement in a 16 year old qh mare's feet he has been doing since she was two. They had added flax to her diet last winter and started her on a ration balancer this winter, mind you she had been on a sweet feed cattle feed prior to this.
I have learned however, not to give advise unless asked. I am now feeding no starch diets to my horses and get blank stares from many when I mention it just like I did 5 years ago when I started feeding Flax and a ration balancer. My vet even questioned the flax when I started feeding it. Now he recommends it. It really takes a lot of people a while to get used to new ideas. But it is slowly happening.

[imacowgirl2]

Originally Posted by blue eyes

I am now feeding no starch diets to my horses and get blank stares from many when I mention it just like I did 5 years ago when I started feeding Flax and a ration balancer. My vet even questioned the flax when I started feeding it. Now he recommends it. It really takes a lot of people a while to get used to new ideas. But it is slowly happening.

I hear ya there! I get blank stares when I tell people I feed BOSS, and one of the vets even told my mom her filly didnt need BOSS...she needed oats cause it was healthier for her *bangs head against wall*

But hopefully if people start to become more aware of what is available, they will start to switch.

And for the high cost thing...I did a calculation last night for another member comparing the cost of feeding Omolene 300 and my ProAdvantage grass formula diet balancer...Omolene is $17/50# bag, my ProAdvantage is $29/50# bag. Feeding by bag directions for a 600 lb weanling for moderate growth, it cost $85/mo to feed the Omolene, and $61 to feed the ProAdvantage -- if you add in a $12 bag of BOSS every month with the ProAdvantage, it STILL comes out cheaper I dont think a lot of people realize there is that price difference...they just look at the bag price and think the diet balancers are so much more expensive.

[imacowgirl2]

Bumpity bump bump for another member that is looking for it

And while its up here...anyone else have any more ration balancers to add to the list??

[ryu2832]

When my vet was out early this spring she commented that everyone had wintered well and was looking good. I told her I'd gone grain free. She didn't think it was possible to get the finish on horses without grain.

My farrier recommends grain-free. Hopefully the vet will start thinking about it.