Re: [RC] Fencing (now free choice mins) - Mike & Kathy Kelly
Regarding offering free-choice mins..........I
liked this idea too and tried if for a few years. I was always amazed at
how much of some of the mixes my horses ate. But for a few reasons, I've
since decided my horses are better off if I get a hay analysis and have a custom
supplement made up to balance their diet. The reasons are:
1) at least with the ABC mins
there are some pretty yummy additives (like alfalfa meal) in many of the mixes
that will encourage the horse to eat the mix, and possible too much of
it
2) one of my horses ate alot of
the Cu mix (I believe that one is just salt and copper sulfate) - I have no
idea why he ate so much (he was also getting a supplement with Cu in it based on
my hay analysis at the time and shouldn't have needed any more Cu). But he
also frequently had diarrhea during this time. I made
various feed changes to try and cure his diarrhea, nothing worked until I
took away the Cu mix, he's been fine since then. I think he ate so much of
it that he drank alot (cuz of all the salt) and then had diarrhea.
please tell me more about these 4
selections. i am a firm believer that given the choice of what they need
the horse will eat it but... now what selections do
you put out so they are sure to have what they need
offerred?
