# best value vitamin mineral supplement?



## kezimac (13 July 2011)

So over winter I am planning to feed my horse mainly Grass nuts - she has them soaked to add in her calmer. but I want to add in vit/min supplement - what the best value - best one/cheapest.

cheers


----------



## Jackson (13 July 2011)

I got my horse a reward tub, it's a lick that he can use when he feels that he needs to. It cost £9 and he hasn't had it for long but I am already noticing an improvement in his coat and enthusiasm! Maybe this would be a better idea than actually adding vits and mins to her feed as it will also amuse her in the stable/field?


----------



## leonie&merlin (13 July 2011)

I know that my mum uses equivite for her horse and my sisters pony and she thinks its good! Not sure how expensive it is though sorry. Equibites are brill. My horse had them last summer and thats all he had. They can be given like treats or added to a feed and are full off vit and mins.they are about 6-7 pounds and lasted me just over a month. My horse had 8 a day. def worth the money.


----------



## trottingon (13 July 2011)

Try Feedmark Benevit Advance.  Mine look great on it.


----------



## georgiaziggy (14 July 2011)

Go pick lots of nettles, cow parsley, and wild mint etcc., leave them to dry out for a few days in a warm place and then chop them up and put them in plastic zip bags. Nettles are really good for horses and so is cow parsley and they can get all of what they need from them and its cheap (free)!! Just need abit of time  Got reccommended feeding wild herbs by a friend whos spent years reasearching this sort of stuff! Seaweed is another good one but I dont have a clue how you'd go about sorting that out!


----------



## jaspejoo (14 July 2011)

If you really feel they will need a vitamin supplement, then an all round lick will be fine.  To be honest, i wouldn't bother wasting your money on them as often you will find horses who are on grass and hay have over 150 % of their vit and min requirement that they need.  I found this out whilst doing a ration calculation for my horse which showed massive over feeding of vits and mins! oops!


----------



## Miss L Toe (14 July 2011)

jaspejoo said:



			If you really feel they will need a vitamin supplement, then an all round lick will be fine.  To be honest, i wouldn't bother wasting your money on them as often you will find horses who are on grass and hay have over 150 % of their vit and min requirement that they need.  I found this out whilst doing a ration calculation for my horse which showed massive over feeding of vits and mins! oops!
		
Click to expand...

I don't think this can be guaranteed tbh, OK if the horse is not in work but I find  I can see a difference between a cheaper horse and pony nut and a branded mix in about two weeks...... skin condition.
The main thing is the age, type of horse and the work anticipated, plus of course quality and availability of forage, hay, haylage, grass etc. I like to hand graze under hedgerows if they are in field which has a shortage of herbs etc.
In winter I like to feed a variety, so hay, haylage, and grazing,  a basic feed like Fast Fibre will provide lots of vits and minerals, and is the easiest feed, it only needs soaking for a few minutes.
Not many people round here feed grass nuts as their basic feed, usually molassed dried sugar beet[soak 24 hours] or unmolassed but cooked Speedi/Kwik Beet which need vits and mineral added.
Unless a full analysis of all the forage and feed is done, you don't really know what exact mins and vits are in short supply, also the needs of some horses is greater than others, so in my opinion, feed a supplement or a branded feed.


----------



## ILuvCowparsely (14 July 2011)

The best supplements i have every used is  MALCODIC STABLE   and Equivite .  now i just buy a mineral block  ( the brick type one) and just put it in his  their manger  comes off in feed and there to be licked too


      The essential Maintenance Feed Supplement promotes well being ans long term health

      Essential for Horses without regular daily access to pasture.

      Balanced mineral vitamin, amino acid complex.

      Insure against dietary deficiencies from poor quality grazing.

      Keep your horse healty and in peak condition all year round.

      Non dusty, palatable-contains Cod lever-oil.
      Inclusion Rate 	 
      Stallions & Mares 	90g daily
      Yearlings, Foals & Ponies 	60g daily

      Vitaminen / Vitamines:

      Vitamin A 160,000 I.U./kg

      Vitamin D3 30,000 I.U./kg

      Vitamin C 500 mg/kg

      Vitamin K 15 mg/kg

      Vitamin E (a-tocopherol) 1000 mg/kg

      Vitamin B1 (thiamin) 5 mg/kg

      Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 60 mg/kg

      Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 1,5 mg/kg

      Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 20 mcg/kg

      Calcium d-pantothenate 90 mg/kg

      Folic-Acid 10 mg/kg

      Niacin 300 mg/kg

      Choline Chloride 300 mg/kg

      Biotin 20 mg/kg



      Mineralen / Minerals:

      Calcium (Ca) 8 %

      Phosphorus (P) 0,9 %

      Sodium (NA) 2,5 %

      Pottasium (K) 0,02 %

      Magnesium (Mg) 0,43 %

      Sporenelementen / Trace Elements

      Iron (Ferrous Sulphate /

      Ferric Oxide) 1,5 %

      Manganese (Manganous Oxide) 50 mg/kg

      Copper (Cupric Sulphate) 10 mg/kg

      Cobalt (Cobalt Chloride) 0,2 mg-kg

      Zinc (Zinc Sulphate) 65 mg/kg

      Iodine (Pottasium Lodide) 6,5 mg/kg

      Sulphur (S) 250 mg/kg

      Selenium* (Sodium Setenite) 5 mg/kg

      Koolhydraten, Aminozuren, etc / Carbohydrates, Amino Acids, etc

      Oil (Cod liver) 6 %

      Fibre 14 %

      Protein 7,7 %

      Lysine 0,41 %

      dl-methionine 0,27 %

      * Selenium is a trace element mineral which enhances the effects of vitamin E. Please
      note an excessive dosage is toxic an therefore the recommanded dosage must not be grossly exeeded.


----------



## Miss L Toe (14 July 2011)

diamond_light said:



			The best supplements i have every used is  MALCODIC STABLE   and Equivite .  now i just buy a mineral block  ( the brick type one) and just put it in his  their manger  comes off in feed and there to be licked too


      Non dusty, palatable-contains Cod lever-oil.
      Oil (Cod liver) 6 %
		
Click to expand...

I am not keen on the idea of Cod liver oil, it is an animal product, so this would put me off.
I am trying seaweed meal this year as a vegetable product with an organic source, ie seaweed, also linseed meal which is a high oil product


----------



## kezimac (15 July 2011)

well fast fibre just about kept weight on last yr - 7/8thTB (reg ISH) lives out in medium work competing dressage weekly. stressy sort - does well on grass during summer so hoping grass nuts keeps it on winter too - will be out 24/7 with rugs/shelter - ad lib haylage - eats about 12kg a day and hoping to feed about 2.5-3kg grass nuts over2-3 feeds. she has linseed meal too. 
DONT give her cereal - and keep her off the starch too!!!!!! 
here is analysis of grass nuts  - so figured i need a vit/min supplement as i dont think everything covered with this....

TYPICAL ANALYSIS FOR NCD DRIED GRASS 		
Element 	Units 	Quantity 
Dry matter	%	93
Protein	%DM*	16
Ash	%DM	9
Oil (AH)	%DM	5
Sugar	%DM	12
Starch	%DM	1.5
Starch + Sugar	%DM	13.5
Calcium	%DM	0.72
Phosphorus	%DM	0.3
Magnesium	%DM	0.18
Potassium	%DM	1.58
Sodium	%DM	0.28
Sulphur	%DM	0.39
Cobalt	mg/kgDM	0.34
Copper	mg/kgDM	7.9
Iodine	mg/kgDM	0.45
Iron	mg/kgDM	584
Manganese	mg/kgDM	104
Molybdenum	mg/kgDM	1.05
Zinc	mg/kgDM	38.4
Selenium	mg/kgDM	0.28
Vitamin E	iu/kgDM	32.3
Beta Carotene	mg/kgDM	57.2
*DM=Dry Matter		


TYPICAL AMINO ACID PROFILE FOR NCD DRIED GRASS		
Amino Acid 	AA*(%) in CP* 	AA(%) in DM* 
Methionine	1.49	0.29
Cystine	0.98	0.19
Methionine + Cystine	2.47	0.48
Lysine	4.04	0.78
Threonine	4.06	0.79
Arginine	4.51	0.88
Isoleucine	3.76	0.73
Leucine	7.09	1.38
Valine	4.96	0.96
Histidine	1.98	0.38
Phenylalanine	4.75	0.92
Glycine	4.94	0.96
Senine	3.83	0.74
Alanine	6.07	1.18
Aspartic Acid	8.34	1.62
Glutamic Acid	10.33	2.01
Gamma-Aminobutynic Acid	0.86	0.17
*AA=Amino Acid*CP=Crude Protein*DM=Dry Matter		


not that i really understand all of it though! 

was thinking of having a forage analysis done closer to winter to see what they say in case overdosing on some things.


----------



## K27 (15 July 2011)

Pink Powder or Equivite are both very good products and economical too!


----------



## JCWHITE (15 July 2011)

I always use Codlivine, it comes in a handy plastic bucket or a silver foil bag these days.


----------



## ILuvCowparsely (15 July 2011)

i know what you mean i dont like using animal based ingredients

 the only recent exception is shark cartilage in flexi joint  that has made 110% difference in diamonds work and flexibility 
 if it comes down to her on bute all her life   which is only disguising the problem or shark cartilage  the shark looses. she is going sponsored rides again 

 maybe that's why she is such a good swimmer   she is my sea horse

  i wont use codliver oil  now being a vege myself


----------



## Miss L Toe (26 July 2011)

kezimac said:



			well fast fibre just about kept weight on last yr - 7/8thTB (reg ISH) lives out in medium work competing dressage weekly. stressy sort - does well on grass during summer so hoping grass nuts keeps it on winter too - will be out 24/7 with rugs/shelter - ad lib haylage - eats about 12kg a day and hoping to feed about 2.5-3kg grass nuts over2-3 feeds. she has linseed meal too. 

DONT give her cereal - and keep her off the starch too!!!!!! 
here is analysis of grass nuts  - so figured i need a vit/min supplement as i dont think everything covered with this....

TYPICAL ANALYSIS FOR NCD DRIED GRASS 		
Element 	Units 	Quantity 
Dry matter	%	93
Protein	%DM*	16
Ash	%DM	9
Oil (AH)	%DM	5
Sugar	%DM	12
Starch	%DM	1.5
Starch + Sugar	%DM	13.5
Calcium	%DM	0.72
Phosphorus	%DM	0.3
Magnesium	%DM	0.18
Potassium	%DM	1.58
Sodium	%DM	0.28
Sulphur	%DM	0.39
Cobalt	mg/kgDM	0.34
Copper	mg/kgDM	7.9
Iodine	mg/kgDM	0.45
Iron	mg/kgDM	584
Manganese	mg/kgDM	104
Molybdenum	mg/kgDM	1.05
Zinc	mg/kgDM	38.4
Selenium	mg/kgDM	0.28
Vitamin E	iu/kgDM	32.3
Beta Carotene	mg/kgDM	57.2
*DM=Dry Matter		

not that i really understand all of it though! 

was thinking of having a forage analysis done closer to winter to see what they say in case overdosing on some things.
		
Click to expand...

OK, HERE GOES:
Dry Matter is 93% ie 7% water [any less and feed would be like brick dust]
Protein 16% is high for a horse in light work, 9% is what I look for
Sugars at 12% would be too high for my boy, I am looking for 5% or less
Complex Carbohydrates 1.5 is low for a horse feed, they break down in to sugars but don't provide fizziness
The Ca to Mg ratio of diet overall should be 2:1, here it is 4:1, but other forage may level this out.
The oil percentage is 6%, that is fine, gives slow release energy and good skin condition
Ash is a reflection of the mineral content, ie it is what is left when all the organic matter is burnt off, in this case it is 9% of the Dry Matter, which will be the same as the ash content of the DM content of growing grass, only with growing grass, the DM would be very much less, ie grass is high in water, and the water is driven off in order to create the nuts, I know that is explaining a simple process, but sometimes it is easy to get confused.
AMINO ACIDS are the building blocks of protein so what you are seeing is the analysis of the protein in the nuts, of interest to nutritionists but rarely to the average horse owner.
For example: Lysine, I have an idea that only pigs NEED lysine in diet

Re FAST FIBRE, it is used for laminitics and to control weight, I use Calm and Condition to put on weight, FF to take it off, and a mix to keep him right!
Re Magnesium calmer: this will level out the Ca to Mg ratio, many areas in UK are low in Mg, I use Steady up for my Spooky boy, it also has yeast and some herbs and stuff.
All in all, I would not use grass nut, he will still be grazing and getting grass based forage, so I would go for Fast Fibre instead, it is quite green so must have some grass in it but has loads of vits and mins.


----------



## rema (26 July 2011)

I have been using Feedmark Benivit for a good few years now and my two look good on it.I have just ordered my winter Benivit and it is BOGOF at the moment.


----------



## wallykissmas (26 July 2011)

Equine answers 365.


----------



## kezimac (26 July 2011)

MrsD123 said:



			OK, HERE GOES:
Dry Matter is 93% ie 7% water [any less and feed would be like brick dust]
Protein 16% is high for a horse in light work, 9% is what I look for
Sugars at 12% would be too high for my boy, I am looking for 5% or less
Complex Carbohydrates 1.5 is low for a horse feed, they break down in to sugars but don't provide fizziness
The Ca to Mg ratio of diet overall should be 2:1, here it is 4:1, but other forage may level this out.
The oil percentage is 6%, that is fine, gives slow release energy and good skin condition
Ash is a reflection of the mineral content, ie it is what is left when all the organic matter is burnt off, in this case it is 9% of the Dry Matter, which will be the same as the ash content of the DM content of growing grass, only with growing grass, the DM would be very much less, ie grass is high in water, and the water is driven off in order to create the nuts, I know that is explaining a simple process, but sometimes it is easy to get confused.
AMINO ACIDS are the building blocks of protein so what you are seeing is the analysis of the protein in the nuts, of interest to nutritionists but rarely to the average horse owner.
For example: Lysine, I have an idea that only pigs NEED lysine in diet

Re FAST FIBRE, it is used for laminitics and to control weight, I use Calm and Condition to put on weight, FF to take it off, and a mix to keep him right!
Re Magnesium calmer: this will level out the Ca to Mg ratio, many areas in UK are low in Mg, I use Steady up for my Spooky boy, it also has yeast and some herbs and stuff.
All in all, I would not use grass nut, he will still be grazing and getting grass based forage, so I would go for Fast Fibre instead, it is quite green so must have some grass in it but has loads of vits and mins.
		
Click to expand...

well fast fibre didnt really keep the weight on as much as i like and calm and condition she nearly killed me!!!! - not exactly calm!- she does compete at least once a week and works 7 days a week sometimes twice a day so not so worried about protein level. but may have to up the mg as hadnt realised the calcium was so high - Amino acids - this is why need a balancer/vitamin mineral supplement to make up the shortfall of the grass nuts - re dry matter - they get soaked before feeding anyway. Fed as a slop. 
Many thanks for the help


----------

