Transcript Power Point Presentation

Good Nutrition on a Budget
Amanda Stephenson
Nutrition Consultant
Bluebonnet Feeds
How Do You Budget for your Nutrition
Program?
PRODUCT
Total Cost
Cost/Lb
Lbs Fed/Day
Cost/Day
Hay
$8.00/70lb
$0.11
15
$1.65
Grain
$16.00/50lb
$0.32
8
$2.56
Supplement
$75.00/50lb
$1.50
1
$1.50
• Cost/Head/Day
• What is this?
• Why use it?
TOTAL
$5.71
PRODUCT
Total Cost
Cost/Lb
Lbs Fed/Day
Cost/Day
Hay
$8.00/70lb
$0.11
15
$1.65
Grain
$23.00/50lb
$0.46
3
$1.38
TOTAL
$3.03
Difference
$2.68
Feed Tags- What are You Actually Reading?
• How can understanding a feed tag help?
• Some companies count on the fact that most people don’t understand feed
tags
• Know exactly what is or is not in your feed- and what you can’t be sure of
• Understand what guarantees mean- get more bang for your buck
• Open labels vs Collective-term lists
• Open labels- list all ingredients individually and by their “true names”. Formula does not
change unless whole tag is rewritten. Additionally companies may promise a “locked
formula”. Guaranteed Analysis remains the same and quality control is generally very
good.
• Collective-term list- typically includes “products” or “by-products”; i.e. grain products.
This allows the ingredients to legally fluctuate frequently. Guaranteed Analysis must
remain the same.
Feed Tags- What Are You Actually Reading?
Open Label
Ingredients
•
Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Wheat Middlings, Shredded Beet Pulp,
Soybean Hulls, Cane Molasses, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Soybean Oil,
Distillers Dried Grains, Salt, Ground Limestone, Monocalcium
Phosphate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Defluorinated Phosphate, Stabilized
Rice Bran, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, Flaxseed, Yeast
Culture, Hydrolyzed Yeast, Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate,
Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried
Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Anise Seed, Fenugreek
Seed, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried
Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Zinc Amino Acid Complex,
Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Kelp Meal, Copper Amino Acid
Complex, Lecithin, Magnesium Oxide, Iron Amino Acid Complex,
Magnesium Proteinate, Selenium Yeast, Ascorbic Acid ( Source of
Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin A Supplement,
Thiamine Mononitrate, Beta Carotene, Calcium Pantothenate,
Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12
Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Choline Chloride, Menadione
Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Folic Acid,
Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Sesquicarbonate, L-Lysine, Ferrous
Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Cobalt
Sulfate, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Brewers Dried Yeast, DLmethionine, DL-methionine Hydroxy Analog, (Propionic Acid, Sodium
Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate (Preservatives)). (Free from Restricted
Ruminant Protein Products per Title 21, CFR 589.2000/2001)
**Credit: Triple Crown Nutrition, Inc.
Collective Term List
Feed Tags- What Are You Actually Reading?
• Digestive Technology Guarantees
• Important to determine the contents and viability
• These may include but are not limited to:
• Probiotics- live yeast and microbial strains
• Prebiotics- metabolites that feed probiotics and protect the GI tract
• Enzymes- catalysts to speed up and maximize digestion
• Make sure these are guaranteed live and/or active on the tag!
• Example: Intensify® tag handout
Saving Money With Digestive Technologies
• Some digestive technologies
may increase bag price but offer
big savings in the long run
• What do some of these
technologies look like?
• “Gaining the Competitive Edge
Through Nutrition” handout
• Benefits may include
• Increased feed efficiency- absorb
more, feed less
• Increased bioavailability- horses
utilize nutrients absorbed at a
higher capacity
• Overall health improvementfewer trips to the vet
• Hard keepers maintain weight
during periods of stress or heavy
use
What Are the Essentials?
• Now that we know how to interpret what is out
there, what are the most important aspects of
equine nutrition?
• Always consider your horse’s individual needs (age,
workload, weight, medical issues, etc.)
• Provide plenty of clean, fresh water and white salt
free-choice (horses consume 5-15 gallons of
water/day)
• Good forage should be the foundation of every
feed program- 2% of total body weight ideal, 1%
minimum.
• Protein- these are the building blocks for the body
and are often misunderstood. Quality of protein is
important and determined on tags by LYSINE.
Protein is essential for body growth and
maintenance.
• Fat- excellent source of digestible energy. This gives
horses energy without making them “hot”. Take
care to balance with the needs of the individual.
• Vitamins- Divided into Fat-soluble (A,D,E,K) and
Water-Soluble (B-vitamins). Essential for many
body functions from hair and hoof health to
immune function. More is not always better,
especially with fat-soluble vitamins-balance is
important.
• Minerals- Also essential for body functions such as
bone health. Ratios are very important as toxicities
and imbalances can have serious consequences.
• Ex: Calcium to Phosphorous Ratio (2:1)
Supplements- Are They Worth It?
• First-why?
• More is not always better- best to consult a nutritionist or vet when in doubt
• Water vs Fat Soluble Vitamins
• Imbalanced Minerals (i.e. Calcium: Phosphorous)
• What is the research?
• Has the supplement or active ingredients been studied?
• Who performed the research?
• What does the tag look like?
• Are by-products listed in the ingredients?
• How much is in the guaranteed analysis?
• Weigh the benefits vs cost
• Include in your cost/head/day equation
• Will this increase feed efficiency or improve health? Is it essential?
• Many supplements can be a value-added tool to your program
Forage Analysis
• What is it?
• Simple tool to test your hay or pasture to determine protein, digestible energy, and
other nutrients
• Hay quality is not related to the cutting (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc) but stage of maturity when
it was cut
• Determining forage quality can help manage health conditions, maximize your forage
program’s efficiency, and determine what to feed additionally, saving you money
• Who does it?
• Typically your local nutrition consultant, feed representative, or agricultural
extension agent
• Can be sent in by individuals
• Rule of thumb: purchase a three-month supply of hay to make the analysis
worth it
Forage Analysis
• Interpreting results- items of interest include:
• Protein (Ideal horse hay should be minimum 11-12%)
• Relative Feed Value or RVF (Ideally 100+) is a general guideline to hay quality
• Digestible Energy or DE (usually ranges from 0.76 to 0.94) can be used to
balance the energy of your horse’s diet
• Moisture (range of 10-17% ideal in hay, disregard in pasture samples), avoid
extremes
• Acid Detergent Fiber (lower values indicate increased digestibility, 30-35% is
ideal)
• Neutral Detergent Fiber measures indigestible fiber, horses may not eat hay
with very high levels (lower than 65% is desirable)
Additional Tools
• Ask the experts!
• Build a relationship with your local veterinarian
• Find a reliable nutritionist, feed rep, or ag agent to work closely with
• National Research Council- Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Nutrient Requirements of Horses: Sixth Revised Edition
• University studies and articles
Takeaway Message
• Diligent research is worth it- make informed nutrition choices
• Use experts you trust as resources- they will save you time and
money!
• Proactive nutrition programs save more money than reactive
programs
• Remember the basics, when in doubt, keep it simple