is cheap/own brand feed a false economy?

[Billy]

Any thoughts?

Do the more expensive brands provide more of the nutrients missing from thier natural environment? They certainly make many more claims on websites and feed bags. It would be false advertising to claim something without it being true, doesnt stop companies, but certainly in theory.

Own brands and cheap feed usually don't claim much on thier bags, so have no obligation to provide quality in thier feedstuff, arguably.

Always an interesting debate, any ideas?

Xx

 

[newforest]

There isn't anything wrong with a stores own brand, its all there used to be.
This is ours and I guess its stocked up and own the country?

http://www.horsehageforage.co.uk/WP/

 

[Rubic]

Whatever works really!

I wouldn't not buy a cheap/own brand/lesser known brand of feed. It is just that what suits my horse is simple systems and I cannot find anything similar that is easy for me to get hold of!

But for cat food I buy the cheaper brands/own brands and my cat loves them (dislikes many flavours of whiskas!) and seems happy and healthy on them too!

 

[Gimp]

I bought from my local feed mechants, was 5 miles up the road, and was bagged and made on site. Never had a sick, sorry or thin horse! The only branded thing I tended to buy was Dengie simply because they didnt do that sort of stuff onsite apart form Mollichop. I would say the feed was half the price of the major high profile brands. ETA: I also bought speedibeet for convenience !

 

[Mary Poppins]

I think that it's probably the same as buying sainburys own brand paracetamol over branded paracetamol. It's the same stuff!

I don't feed my horse any hard feed so I can't really comment, but I am generally suspicious of branded expensive products.

 

[squidsin]

Depends on the brand. The local 'own brand' pasture mix doesn't look as nice as some of the higher spec stuff, but I doubt the horses care that much. Lots of the high end stuff seems to promise the earth, but as I don't have a competition horse, I have never had any need to feed it so have no idea whether it actually works! Mine just gets speedibeet and chaff.

 

[Wally]

Horses don't need much to live on. Ask any vet how many fat animals he sees as opposed to thin ones!

Good hay is all they need and in areas where you know you are deficient in certain minerals, a bit of a mineral lick they can help themselves to is more than enough for the average happy hacker

If you were competing at a very high level then a feed tailored to your specific requirements might be in order.

Back in the 70's there was a little bandy legged, grey haired old Ostler who worked in one of the hunting livery hotels in Exford. He was of the opinion all a 'oss needed to hunt all winter 3 times a week was good 'ay.. All the horses under his care were blooming and fit as fiddles.

 

[newforest]

This. Most of us overfeed in comparison to the workload. Mine gets a simple small sniff of chaff to stop my magnesium blowing out. My vet said fibre only feed, nothing else.