# A & P Fast Fibre



## Achinghips (13 September 2010)

Anyone tried this? Its supposed to be a partial or complete hay replacer and when water added is ready in 30 seconds. Gave my girl some, she didn't much like it.


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## horsecrazy25 (13 September 2010)

I used to use it and really helped to keep weight on! x


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## lindsayH (13 September 2010)

I love it too. I mostly use it instead of chaff, much easier to stir and lower risk of choke. I found they like it a lot and it does help them to hold weight in the winter. Easy to mix with meds/supplements and great for older horses and dental problems. They have also had big buckets of it as part of their forage ration during hay emergencies.


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## Achinghips (13 September 2010)

ooh, fab, do you mix it with something or just give it "neat"?


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## lindsayH (13 September 2010)

I give it with a scoop of mix as an evening feed, or just neat in a bucket as part of a forage ration.  I throw the mix in, run my hand through to stir it then add water. I used to spend ages stiring feeds and find this much quicker when you've got several to do.


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## michellev123 (13 September 2010)

I love it feed it along side blue chip. Oscar loves it although not if its too dry or too wet!!  Spoilt a little!!


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## curio (14 September 2010)

here is the fact sheet as sent to me by allen and page


The Quick Soak Fibre Provider
DESCRIPTION:
Fast Fibre is an ideal feed for all horses and ponies, in particular natives, good doers, horses with dental problems and others who can&#8217;t/won&#8217;t eat much hay / haylage, fizzy horses, horses prone to tying-up/azoturia, laminitis,those that suffer from Cushing&#8217;s, or any horse/pony that requires a high fibre, low starch, low sugar diet.

Fast Fibre should be mixed with twice as much water to feed and allowed to soak for 30-60 seconds before feeding
NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS: 

Oil		  2.8 %					Vitamin A	 10,000 IU/kg	
Protein		 8.0%					Vitamin D	   1500 IU/kg	
Fibre		 27.0 %					Vitamin E	       100 IU/kg
Estimated DE 	  8.0 MJ/kg				Calcium	        1.1%
Starch 		  5.0 %	VERY LOW			Phosphorous	        0.4%	
Sugar		  2.0 % 	LOW				Copper		        7 mg/kg	

INGREDIENTS:
Cereal Straw	- fibre source provides fibre for a healthy gut and to satisfy appetite without excess calories

Oat fibre	- digestible fibre source

Unmolassed Sugar Beet	- highly digestible fibre, slow-release energy source. 

Linseed	- provides a concentrated source of calories, and omega &#8211;3 oils for a healthy skin, and a glossy coat.

Grass	- protein & fibre source.

Limestone flour	- calcium source.

Soya oil                            -provides a concentrated source of calories, and omega &#8211;6 oils for a healthy skin, and a glossy coat

Salt	- provides essential electrolytes

Vitamins and Minerals	- the vitamin & mineral supplement in these feeds provides Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Copper, Selenium, Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Nicotinic Acid, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12 , Biotin, Iodine, Cobalt, Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Calcium and Magnesium. 

Mint	- has a natural pre-biotic effect, creating the right environment for bacteria to grow

Yeast				- supplies a natural bio-available source of vitamins

Fenugreek			- very palatable and stimulates appetite

Garlic				- rich in sulphur, aids digestion by supporting the development of 
                                                       natural gut flora, whilst killing pathogens. 


What makes Fast Fibre different?
Unique quick soak &#8211; 30-60 seconds &#8211; means that feed is always fresh and mimics the horse&#8217;s natural diet
Vegetarian Society Approved &#8211; no animal by products or hidden &#8216;nasties&#8217;
Made from high quality Non GM ingredients in a drug free mill
Much higher fibre content than traditional high fibre cubes/pellets
Molasses, cereal and alfalfa free &#8211; suitable for horses with intolerances
Very low starch and sugar content
Contains a full range of vitamins & minerals &#8211; no need for additional supplements/balancers 
Contains yeast for digestive health as well as mint and garlic that act as natural prebiotics
Mint and fenugreek for added palatability
Can be fed on its own or with other feedstuffs
Can be used as a hay/haylage replacer or to make hay last longer


Is Fast Fibre suitable for my horse?

Good doers/natives &#8211; Yes, Fast Fibre is low calorie but still contains all the vitamins and minerals your horse needs and is more palatable than a chaff.

Poor doers and horses that need to gain weight &#8211; Yes, although Fast Fibre is low calorie it can be fed in quite large quantities if necessary to boost calorie intake. It is also very palatable and fibre is an excellent source of slow release energy that is very effective at putting on weight and condition.

Fussy feeders &#8211; Yes, Fast Fibre contains mint, garlic and also fenugreek, an appetite stimulant to make it extremely palatable.

Fizzy or excitable horses/ponies &#8211; Yes, Fast Fibre is cereal and molasses free, ingredients which can often lead to fizzy behaviour. The starch and sugar content is very low and instead the energy it provides comes from the high fibre content which supplies the horse with slow release (stamina) energy which is less likely to cause fizzy/excitable behaviour.

Horses & ponies at rest or in light work &#8211; Yes, as Fast Fibre is a low energy feed it is ideal for horses in light work or those at rest and due to it being cereal and molasses free is less likely to cause excitable behaviour.

Competition horses &#8211; Yes, often competition horses tend to receive diets that are low in fibre but high in starch, feeding Fast Fibre can help to boost the fibre intake and  keep the digestive system healthy.   

Horses & ponies prone to laminitis or Cushing&#8217;s and Equine Metabolic Syndrome sufferers &#8211; Yes, being molasses and cereal free Fast Fibre is very low in starch and sugar but high in fibre and provides all the vitamins and minerals your horse needs.

Horses prone to tying up/equine rhabdomyolysis syndrome/ polysaccharide storage myopathy &#8211; Yes, Fast Fibre is cereal and molasses free making it very low in starch and sugar and high in fibre. 

Horses with gastric ulcers/prone to digestive upsets &#8211; Yes, a high fibre diet is very important in these cases to keep the digestive system healthy.

Older horses or those with dental problems &#8211; Yes, Fast Fibre will form a soft, palatable mash that requires very little chewing. Fast Fibre can be used to top up fibre intake or as a hay replacer if necessary in horses that can no longer manage hay/haylage/grass.

Horses and ponies with liver problems &#8211; Yes, these types of horses need a diet that is low in protein and fat (oil). Fast Fibre has a low protein content of 8% and is also low in oil.

Horses on box rest &#8211; Yes, Fast Fibre is low calorie and will not provide your horse with too much energy while he cannot exercise. Fast Fibre also contains all the vitamins and minerals your horse needs and is very palatable and ideal for mixing medication into.

Youngsters &#8211; Yes, Fast Fibre is ideal for native types and good doers who do not require a high powered stud feed, Fast Fibre can also be fed alongside stud and youngstock feeds to boost fibre intake.

Donkeys &#8211; Yes, its high fibre, low starch content makes Fast Fibre ideal for donkeys.

I love it its the only feed mine kick the door for


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## Achinghips (14 September 2010)

lindsayH said:



			I give it with a scoop of mix as an evening feed, or just neat in a bucket as part of a forage ration.  I throw the mix in, run my hand through to stir it then add water. I used to spend ages stiring feeds and find this much quicker when you've got several to do.
		
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so could it be used to replace sugarbeet or would that dramatically reduce the calories?


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## Achinghips (14 September 2010)

Thanks Curio, very informative. so, if I used 2 scoops and soaked it, roughly what's the equivalent in hay bale - any ideas?


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## curio (14 September 2010)

2 stubbs scoops would be 2 kgs (i have measured them) i dont know how much hay that would replace though
allen & page said my good doer 15hh trad cob doing driving and hacking at least 1.5hrs a day only needs 1 kg dry weight a day to get all his vits & mins
I would use instead of sugarbeet as it is a complete feed but i do like to add chaff (currently readigrass) as he needs to chew or he gets choke


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## LadyRascasse (14 September 2010)

my stubb scoop weighs fast fibre at 1.5 kilos, and that is equivalent to 8kg of hay according to a+p (thats if i am remembering rightly but i will check and confirm tonight)


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## TGM (14 September 2010)

I feed Fast Fibre to two of mine - I use it instead of feeding High Fibre Cubes as both the horses need low starch, low sugar diets.  One is a good doer and just gets Fast Fibre on its own.  The other is a veteran mare with Cushings who drops weight easily so she has Fast Fibre mixed with Speedibeet to boost the calorie level.  (Fast Fibre has 8 MJDE/kg compared to Speedibeet's 12.4 MJDE/kg).

They do eat it, but I must say I get the impression that it is not the tastiest food they've ever had and they do sometimes leave little bits in the bowl, whereas when using previous feeds they have licked the bowl clean.  However, as it is much lower in starch/sugar than previous foods I've given, they will have to lump it!


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## PC Steele (14 September 2010)

Rotchana said:



			Anyone tried this? Its supposed to be a partial or complete hay replacer and when water added is ready in 30 seconds. Gave my girl some, she didn't much like it.
		
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All our police horses at work are on it and love it!!!! Try warm water also make sure you add enough water so its a bit sloppy otherwise I think they find it too dry


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## posie_honey (14 September 2010)

its a good fibre replacement but on the lower side of calories - great for fibre for fatties but not as a conditioner - its more of a bulker.

 i use a bit with some chaff each day to hide joint supp in for my fattie. 

if i needed condition i'd use calm and condition or a straight suger beet type which both have higher mj/kg


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## PurplePickle (14 September 2010)

if your new to the product they are giving out £5 vouchers on their website, you have to let them know how your horse gets on with the new feed with a couple of pics and a report but a fiver is half a bag so all good


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## Cyberchick (14 September 2010)

Rotchana said:



			Anyone tried this? Its supposed to be a partial or complete hay replacer and when water added is ready in 30 seconds. Gave my girl some, she didn't much like it.
		
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I'm just starting my 3rd bag today and I am very impressed. I'm careful what I feed mine because of sugar/starch but at the same time he isn't a good doer. Both of us like the fact he can have a big bowl full of this and I am certainly starting to notice a difference in a good way. He wouldn't eat it on the first day, sampled it on the second and wolfs it down now.


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## PStarfish (14 September 2010)

It is the same weight for weight as hay - so I was told by A&P. It's great stuff. I feed it instead of a balancer as it contains all the vits and mins they need - and so much cheaper.


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## TGM (14 September 2010)

Just be aware that you have to feed significantly more of Fast Fibre to supply all vit/mins than you would with a balancer which is much more concentrated.  Also that if you require a balancer to up the protein content of the ration (ie when forage quality is poor and no additional hard feed is given) then a proper balancer is better as Fast Fibre is too low in protein to do this.


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## _HP_ (14 September 2010)

I feed all mine Fast Fibre...thats a tb, 2 cobs, a Connie, a Welshie and a shettie. All love it and do well on it even through winter with ad lib hay.


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## Achinghips (14 September 2010)

Thanks for replies everyone. Greta to bounce some thoughts about.

My non do gooder Tb has some speedibeet, mollichop calmer with TopChop Veteran Balancer (hock arthritis) twice a day (bowl about half full, densely packed - decent flexitub size)

She also has about half bale of hay.

Would people recommend quarter of a bale and a bowl of Fast Fibre, instead of the half bale of hay? How else might you integrate it/substitute it?


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## coss (14 September 2010)

posie_honey said:



			its a good fibre replacement but on the lower side of calories - great for fibre for fatties but not as a conditioner - its more of a bulker.

 i use a bit with some chaff each day to hide joint supp in for my fattie. 

if i needed condition i'd use calm and condition or a straight suger beet type which both have higher mj/kg
		
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i completely agree with this - i've use calm and condition for my old horse to keep her weight up. i was given a trial bag of fast fibre, which both of them ate but with it lacking in MJ/kg i couldn't see the point in using that on the horse i wanted to gain weight.


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## TGM (14 September 2010)

Rotchana said:



			She also has about half bale of hay.

Would people recommend quarter of a bale and a bowl of Fast Fibre, instead of the half bale of hay? How else might you integrate it/substitute it?
		
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Is there a particular reason you want to substitute some of the hay for Fast Fibre?  Does she not eat all the hay, for example, or are you having difficulty getting hold of hay?  If not, I can't see any advantage of giving the Fast Fibre instead of the hay.  Even then, for a poor doer I would probably look at using a grass cube or grass chaff as a partial hay replacer as more calorific.  (Would only use Fast Fibre if a particularly low starch/low sugar diet was indicated - ie EPSM, laminitis, Cushings etc.)

If you are looking to put weight on I would suggest giving a source of oil eg straight oil, micronised linseed, Outshine, Equijewel, Triple Top Up etc.


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## Achinghips (15 September 2010)

Hay storage is my issue. At livery I only have 2 pallets I can use, so its precious space - yard politics etc, can't store it at home in garage, hubby moans it gets everywhere. She fizzes like hell on legs with oil/protein/starch/sugar.


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## potty_4_piebalds (15 September 2010)

I give it to my mini shettie she loves it, I give it on its own in spring/summer and add a bit of happy hoof in the colder weather.


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## ISHmad (15 September 2010)

Is this the one which contains garlic? That would put me off feeding it if that was the case. Simple System feeds are good. We feed Top Spec Chop and balancers to ours plus Speedibeet as well in the winter only.


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## L&M (15 September 2010)

I feed it to my hunters and they go mad for it! One cribs and has had ulcers in the past, and the other can be quite 'hot', so ideal for them both as high fibre and low starch. I feed it with alfa a oil to ensure their energy levels are sustained. I used to feed a mix,chaff and sugar beet, but have found their new regime more economical. Love the stuff...!


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## joeanne (15 September 2010)

Should you find that its not overly appealing to your mare, when I was feeding this to my oap shet, he would turn his nose up....until I added a scoop of mint. Another with not so good teeth would get 1/2 scoop of FF and 1/2 scoop of chaff for a bit of variety


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (15 September 2010)

Well I've been feeding it all summer to my cob and he loves it! BUT I didn't realise it had garlic, which is not good for horses with sweet itch apparently, so it might be that in future I only feed it during the winter months, which is a pity.

WHY does every blimmin thing have garlic in??


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