North 40 Life Magazine | Page 6

If, however, your answer is no and the 1000# horse does need at least a 3 quart scoop of feed or more per day for calories to maintain an appropriate body condition, then choose a standard design feed suited to fit his/her specific needs, such as SafeChoice Original fed at 4-6#/day along with his hay. ORIGIN AL There are a lot of great feeds available, but what makes them different? You might start by looking at a couple of feed tags. Every feed will have a purpose statement at the top of the feed tag just under the product name that can often guide you as to whether the product is suited for your horse’s needs. I’m often asked why two feeds that are both 14% protein can be priced $5 differently? First of all, they are probably both great feeds, but there is a reason for the difference. Take a look at the feed tags. Some feeds will guarantee more nutrient levels on their guaranteed analysis, such as protein and amino acid levels. At the top of the guaranteed analysis, the minimum protein level will be listed, if you see Lysine, Methionine and Threonine levels listed just below, you know that likely that manufacturer is guaranteeing a better quality source of protein. This may mean better topline support, hoof and hair coat quality for your horse. 6 You might also look at the fat level and whether starch and sugar maximums are guaranteed to see where the calories are being sourced from and if the starch and sugar are being controlled. Trace minerals such as Zinc are key for immune support, more important than quantity, effectiveness is determined by the source of the Zinc itself. The most bioavailable