# Speedibeet vs Fast Fibre



## peanut (25 November 2010)

I've always fed Speedi-beet but so many people seem to feed Allen & Page Fast Fibre these days that I'm wondering if I should swap.  

Is it just in fashion at the moment, or is it better?  

I believe that FF contains no sugar whereas SB has 5%, and FF is instant whereas SB takes 20 minutes, but apart from that what is the advantage?


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## Ali2 (25 November 2010)

FF does have sugar - its 5 % starch
SB is also 5 % sugar (http://www.britishhorsefeeds.com/speedi-beet/typical-analysis)

SB is just made from sugar beet
FF has a host of ingredients in it:
(min 40 percent) cereal straw (treated), (10-25 percent) unmolassed beet, (less than 10 percent) oat fibre, expelled linseed, grass meal, Di-calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, expelled soya oil, sodium chloride, natural vitamins, vitamins and minerals, mint, herbs garlic.

FF has 8 MJ/kg digestible energy, SB has 12.4 so you'd need to feed 50 % more dry weight of FF to continue to feed the same amount of calories.  

I'd stick with the speedibeet


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## ISHmad (25 November 2010)

From memory I think that Fast Fibre contains garlic which a lot of people (myself included) won't feed.  Think some people like feeding it as a partial or complete hay replacer for older horses who have problems eating hay or haylage.  Others like to feed it warm for some reason.

I'm very much of the if it isn't broken it doesnt need fixing school.  If your horse is fine on SB I'd stay as you are.


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## TGM (25 November 2010)

Depends on why you are feeding Speedibeet in the first place!  If you are feeding it for condition then stick with it as it has a much higher calorie content than Fast Fibre - 12.4 MJDE/kg compared with 8 MJDE/kg.

However, if you have a fatty that perhaps needs a feed to mix supplements into, then Fast Fibre being low calorie might be a better choice.

As regards carbohydrate levels, Fast Fibre is 5% starch and 2% sugar, whereas Speedibeet is 5% sugar but negligible starch levels.  So although Speedibeet is higher in sugar, its overall carb level is lower than Fast Fibre!


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## peanut (25 November 2010)

TGM said:



			Depends on why you are feeding Speedibeet in the first place!
		
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Yes, sorry I should have said!

My ISH is a skinny laminitic who needs to maintain weight (she's a perfect weight at the moment) and who will eat the bucket if there isn't enough in it!  

She's fed on Dengie chaff, Top Spec Anti-Lam and Speedibeet.  

I need SB or FF to fill her up without causing fizziness, and of course the lami is a major factor.


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## Saxon_Jasmine (25 November 2010)

TGM said:



			whereas Speedibeet is 5% sugar but negligible starch levels.
		
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That's interesting. Do you know how much starch is in it? The bag it comes in says it's low sugar and starch but doesn't actually specify the amount.


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## peanut (25 November 2010)

Saxon_Jasmine said:



			That's interesting. Do you know how much starch is in it? The bag it comes in says it's low sugar and starch but doesn't actually specify the amount.
		
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According the the link Ali2 provided, the amount is so negligible that there is too little to specify.


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## Cyberchick (25 November 2010)

I feed Fast Fibre now and I/Horse love it. I have fed Speedibeet in the past and certainly wouldn't hesitate to feed it again however I can easily feed a nice big bowl full of FF by feeding 1 and a half scoops a feed which means he has maintained his weight superbly and I have had comments on how well he's looking and good coat etc.


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## Kenzo (25 November 2010)

Well I feed both together.


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## NELSON11 (25 November 2010)

Kenzo said:



			Well I feed both together.
		
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Me too


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## Kenzo (25 November 2010)

NELSON11 said:



			Me too
		
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Yeah but you soak em both together?


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## tabithakat64 (25 November 2010)

I've fed both Speedibeet and Fast Fibre and am sticking with Fast Fibre this winter.
It's something I can feed my fat cob a handful of to put his supplements in as well as being able to use it to help keep condition on my aging lami prone pony.
It's quicker to soak than speedibeet which is great when I'm in a real rush


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## ShowJumperBeckii (25 November 2010)

my horse went off speedy beet and shes gets VERY skinny in the winter so someone said try fast fiber.... but now everyones saying its good for fat horses? :S


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## Rollin (25 November 2010)

When I lived in the UK SB was much more expensive than ordinary sugar beet - so why use it.  I buy non-molassed SB bought from my local agri-merchant.  With 13 to feed it makes a difference.

So why do you feed speedibeet?


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## TGM (25 November 2010)

Rollin said:



			When I lived in the UK SB was much more expensive than ordinary sugar beet - so why use it.  I buy non-molassed SB bought from my local agri-merchant.  With 13 to feed it makes a difference.

So why do you feed speedibeet?
		
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Because normal molasses sugar beet is about 20 per cent sugar and therefore not good for anything with laminitic or fizzy tendencies - Speedibeet is only 5 per cent sugar.  There are brands of cheaper unmolasses long soak beet available but unforunately none of my local feedstores stock them.


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## peanut (26 November 2010)

Kenzo said:



			Well I feed both together.
		
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Why?  And what else do you put with it?


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## NeedNewHorse (26 November 2010)

I absolutely love fast fibre. I have been through so many chaffs and such like trying to find something my mare will eat to put a host of supplements in and she was just never interested, especially as I wanted something without molasses in. Fast fibre for me is great because I don't want anything to fizz her up and nor do I want something sugary as she is a good doer (not a fatty though) and she loves it. Never seen her scoff her whole feed before so I am sticking with this now, she doesn't turn her nose up at anything I put in and simply loves it. So yep I am well impressed with it,

But its horses for courses in your case
x


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## TGM (26 November 2010)

martha said:



			Why?  And what else do you put with it?
		
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I don't know Kenzo's reasons, but I have fed the two together as well.  Fast Fibre is supplemented with vitamins and minerals, and is low sugar/low starch and makes a nice mash, so a great feed for my suspected Cushings veteran apart from the fact it is low calorie, plus a bit boring taste-wise for her.  So I mixed it with Speedibeet to up the calorie level, make it more tasty whilst still getting the benefit of the vit/mins in the Fast Fibre.  (Speedibeet is not supplemented with vit/mins).


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## Kenzo (26 November 2010)

martha said:



			Why?  And what else do you put with it?
		
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Extra fibre through winter basically.

They have portion of each in a morning feed with plenty of Hi Fi Lite.

Evenings I reduce the portions of SB and FF but then mix with a scoop of Alfa A oil and High Fi Light with half a scoop of Bailey No.6's but only into the evening feed. 

You can use as much High Fi Lite as you like as it can be used as a hay replacer, but because my two already recieve hay, it's a form of adding a good source of fibre without worrying about the extra suger content which you'll aready get in good quality hay.  

The Alfa A Oil helps to keep the weight on but also gives enough slow release energy along with the endurance mix.

I use No.6 because it's also low starch, however you have to bare in mind that it will also add condition to a horse if they are not fit or in regular work, but this enable me to keep a nice balance of energy and weight, if there not in regular work, I simply cut out the mix.

Works for my two anyway.


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