What role does amino acids play in growing antlers? Also, how do yall come up with your mineral package? |
Answer: |
| Hi Kash,
Thanks for your good questions. Amino Acids are the compounds (building blocks) that make up protein. Simply stated they are protein and it is what the animal needs so their bodies can build protein tissue. Even though it does not appear like antlers contain protein (amino acids), they actually do contain 36 to 40% protein even in mature antlers. This percentage is more than any other nutrient. Consequently protein and the amino acids are very important to antler growth. If the proper amount is not supplied by the food they eat, antlers will not grow to their maximum genetic potential.
Our mineral package both macro- and micro-minerals (trace minerals), is determine through research in deer and other small ruminant animals similar to deer such as goats and lambs. All are field tested before application. Thanks, Huck
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Hello,I'am wondering if you can feed meat goats paylean to build thier muscles? |
Answer: |
| Hi Darron,
Thanks for your question. Paylean is not approved for use in any animal other than pigs. It is unknown as to the effects of Paylean in goats and should not be fed. You may have heard that some one is feeding it but FDA (Federal Drug Administration) has not approved and any use other than for pigs is in violation of their regulations. The safety of this drug has not been determined for use in Goats. The other issue is that even for swine Paylean is to be fed in a complete and cannot be top-dressed. I hope this is a help to you and others that may have the same question. Thanks, Huck
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My show steer has been bloating over the past few days. He has done this every morning and sometimes in the evening. I would like to know what may be causing this. We have separated him from his friend and I have just moved him back with him but he is still bloating. Please can you help me. Thank You |
Answer: |
| Dear Kaitlyn,
Some calves are more sensitive to bloating and will need extra precaution to maximize their performance. There are some feeding practices that can help, but it is not a guarantee for prevention. The three to consider are:
1. Reduce daily feeding rate and increase feeding times.
2. Introduce small quantity of high quality legume hay.
3. Treat with a probiotic paste.
Reduce daily feeding rate/increase feeding times: The amount to reduce daily will depend on the current amount you are feeding in relation to the body weight. Without knowing the weight or amount being fed, all that I can do is give some rules of thumb. If the calf is 700 pounds or less normal feeding would be about 2.75% of his body weight. If greater than 700 pounds, the rate can be adjusted to 2.5% or take the rate a 700 pounds and add 1 pound per month, e.g., 700 x 0.025= 17.5 +1 = 18.5 at 700; one month later 19.5, etc. However when a level of 24 to 25 lbs per day is achieved, additional increases should not be needed. Another way to adjust the daily rate is to decrease your current rate 1 lb. per day and see if the bloating stops. Do not decrease more than 20% of your current rate.
Introduce small quantities of hay: I recommend no more than 2 to 4 lbs to prevent developing an extended rumen. I like high quality hay because feeding high will decrease the total energy of the diet. High quality legume hay will minimize the reduction. I recommend the hay be fed prior to the show feed. This will provide some fill before eating.
Treat with probiotic paste: Your local feed store should have this available. We have a paste called Showmaster Probiotic Paste.
Another feeding practice that sometimes leads to chronic bloat could be feeding too much corn. If you are adding crimped or whole corn, discontinue this practice with this calf. Grains, particularly corn, can cause a digestive upset by providing too much soluble carbohydrate in the rumen. This was a very good question and we wish you success. Huck
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Hi, How should I give my horse salt and mineral supplement? Are the blocks more or less effective then loose? How much should he be getting? he is ridden 5-7 times a week with shows or compitions 2-3 times a month. Thanks! |
Answer: |
| Hi Gina,
I like to recommended feeding salt separate of mineral supplements. The reason is that activity effects salt requirement and by feeding salt free choice separate of mineral it will avoid the consumption of expensive mineral to satisfy their salt requirement. I prefer loose mineral to block but either will work. If it were more suitable for you to feed blocks, I would not sacrifice your convenience to do so. However I do recommend separate salt and mineral blocks. As far as a mineral supplement, I strongly recommend a low/no salt mineral (as long as you have a separate source of salt available) that contains a calcium:phosphorus ratio of 1:1. It is not important that the mineral have horse in the name as long as it meet the requirements listed above. Thanks, Huck
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Dear Sir
I am not finding any mention on your site about your SouthWestern line. Is the 14% a good balanced feed for a broodmare in her last trimester and also for the growing foal from birth to two years? Thank you |
Answer: |
| Hi,
Thanks for your question. Southwest Competitor (SWC) is and excellent product for mares in last tri-mester especially if you are supplementing grass hay. If you are feeding alfalfa hay or any other legume hay you may want to consider 12% SWC. All SWC competitor products are well fortified to provide balance nutrition for performance horse, gestating and lactating mares, growing horse and other breeding stock. However for young foals you should consider SWC 16% or our pelleted product Golden Foal. For weanlings to yearlings, you should consider SWC 16% also. Yearlings should do fine on 14% even when supplementing grass hays. In fact if alfalfa is fed, yearlings and long yearling will do fine on the 12%. Please note that the 12 and 14% SWC contain 5% fat. All supplemental fat comes from soybean oil, which means they are rich in energy and omega fatty acids. Sorry it has taken me awhile to answer your question. Huck
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My daughter is showing market lambs. We are feeding Acco Products (Sweet Feed, Power pack, Showmaster)My Concern is "We are asking a lot of questions trying to learn. But my concern is that when someone tells me what to use to get results I need to win, Is it legal & will it test out & get us disqualified. How or Where do I get a list of what NOT to use. |
Answer: |
| Hi Ellen,
Thanks for a very good question and for your concern to do things legally. All feed labels will contain the information to make an informed decision. At the top of the label just below the name, a product purpose statement is shown. It will list the specific animal the feed is designed to be fed. If it is a medicated feed, the label will give you the level, the purpose and warnings about the feed. The warnings are very important and usually appear at the bottom of the label. Warning and Caution statements will begin with those words. They will be devoted to statements related to undesirable affects to other animals. In addition and just as important, the statements could warn you to discontinue feeding prior to slaughter. This is commonly referred to as withdrawal statements. If the label does contain a withdrawal statement it is very important that you adhere to it. Some medications do not require a withdrawal prior to slaughter statement. If it does not, it means this feed is safe to feed to market/show without concern of disqualification or harm to people that may consume the meat. General rule: only feed to the animal(s) that the label addresses and strictly adhere to any withdrawal statements that may be stated. Your local feed store should be able to help you decide if you have any questions. Unfortunately, the advice available is not always in the best interest of your child or there animal. Glad you asked. Huck
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Can you feed 18% pig conditioner handfed showmaster to broilers and turkeys-at what age to start and what porportion-what is withdrawal |
Answer: |
| Hi Cheryl,
Pig feeds are not designed to be fed to poultry. In addition, the feed you mentioned (Showmaster Pig Conditioner Hand Fed) is medicated and the medication is not legal to be fed to chickens because it is not known as to what effects it will have on them. Some people are trying to feed Paylean (the medication) for muscle development. However, there is not any research to support that this will occur when fed to any animal/bird other than pigs. Even in pigs it is not 100% effective. Thanks for your question, Huck
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Dear Dr. Huck I have always been wondering if a the horse's belly sticks out a little bit is the horse considered fat? |
Answer: |
| Dear Delaney,
A protruding stomach does not mean a horse is fat. Eating a lot of hay or grazing may do this. The best and easiest way to determine if a horse is fat is to look at and feel the ribs. If you cannot see any ribs and you can feel a fat covering, your horse may be getting too fat. In addition to the rib covering, check the back. A crease down the back will usually mean the horse is too fat. The ideal body condition is just at the point that you cannot see the ribs or they are barely visible. Thanks, Huck
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My filly is three months old and she lost her mom. What should I feed her???? |
Answer: |
| Hi Holly,
I’m Very sorry to hear of your loss. I’m going to assume that your baby has not received any supplemental feed other than the mother’s milk. You will need to purchase a milk replacer and start feeding immediately. Your local feed store or veterinarian should be able to make recommendations. Even if they don’t have a replacer specifically for foals, you can use a good calf milk replacer. In addition, you will need to make dry creep feed available. Your local feed store should have a foal feed such as our Golden Foal. The feed needs to be at least 16% protein and well fortified in minerals and vitamins. You can go to our website, www.accofeeds.com, and check out the label for Golden Foal and gain an insight as to the nutrient guarantees necessary for a good foal feed. Since your foal is three months old, the transition to dry feed needs to be started immediately. This process can be aided by restricting a full feeding level of liquid and by providing fresh dry feed daily. Start offering the dry feed in small quantities until the foal starts eating. Once the foal begins eating the transition from liquid to dry feed can begin. Again because the foal is three months old, you should be able to complete this transition to dry feed rather quickly, 2 to 3 weeks. I highly recommend that you seek advice from your local veterinarian or feed store. We wish much success in your mission to raise a healthy foal. Thanks, Huck
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DR.Huck , A couple of hunters on my South Texas deer lease have considered feeding half creep feed and half 20% protein. I would appreciate your help in explaining the benefit of straight protein. |
Answer: |
| Hi Ken,
Thanks for the excellent question. Your hunters are trying to lower the purchase cost of the feed. Please note I said ‘purchase cost’ and not the cost of feeding. Creep feeds are formulated for calves and are usually 12 or 14% protein. Consequently, a 50:50 mix with a 20% protein feed formulated for whitetail on native habitat is diluted to 16 or 17% protein when mixed with a 12 or 14% creep feed, respectively. All nutrients will be affected similarly. Another example of nutrient dilution is in trace minerals such as copper, zinc, manganese, etc. There are two major nutrient requirement differences when formulating these feeds. First of all for the calf, we are not feeding for antler development and secondly they are excellent grazers. In addition when dealing with a wild animal in a wild, free-range environment, we do not have the ability to feed does (lactating and gestating), bucks (rut), fawns, etc. separately. Another important factor, we usually don’t have as many limitations to ‘teach/train’ a calf to eat supplemental feed. Consequently we don’t have as much emphasis on palatability. This is more important when supplemental feeding of deer is introduced and the significance declines as they become adapted to feeding (usually after 3 years). These are some of the more important differences.
All of the above can have a significant impact on bottom-line cost. It is true the cost of a bag of calf creep feed will be cheaper. However calf creep feed is expected to be fed at a higher rate to a larger animal. Consequently it is not going to be as nutrient dense as a quality deer feed supplement. I suggest you compare the labels from each of these feeds. This means you need to buy more creep feed and to compound the problem you may not get equal results. The investment to supplemental feed should not be based on cost of a bag of feed but rather to maximize the cost of your goals for supplemental feeding. Thanks, Huck
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we are going to Houston Stock show in March. We have two goats we are showing right now they weigh 81lbs and 65lbs and we want thier weight to be 110lbs. We are currently feeding boer goat express, sheen, corn, and alfalfa. Could you give us some advice on the ratio of weight gain per week that we need. |
Answer: |
| Hi Heather,
Thanks for your questions and for choosing Showmaster. My calendar shows that the goat sift will be March 10th. This means you have approximately 38 days to achieve the desired weight of 110 pounds. It also means that the 65 pound and 81 pound goats will need to gain 45 and 29 pounds, respectively. The lightweight animal should be consuming about 2 to 2.5 pounds per day of total ration. This means currently a daily rate of gain could be estimated to be 0.5 to 0.6 pounds. As the rate of intake increases more gain will occur. Bottom line I would estimate that a daily rate of gain could average 0.75 pounds over the next 38 days. This means a total weight gain of about 28 pounds, which will yield a show weight of 93 pounds. You will need to do everything you can to maximize gain in this animal. I suggest you discontinue feeding corn and add about a 1/3 of a pound of Showmaster Power Pak. You did not say how much Showmaster Sheen or Boer Goat you were feeding. I would continue to feed Sheen (0.25 pounds/day). In addition to the Sheen and Power Pak, you need to feed the maximum Boer Goat Express that your goat will safely consume. I would also cease feeding the alfalfa. This is also a step to help your goat maximize the gain. Even though this may not be the best practice but you may have to limit the exercise. I do not want you to limit all exercise. The heavy weight goat should be able to achieve your expect weight. Because it is larger and able to consume more feed, I would estimate near a 1 per head per day rate of gain. Consequently this should yield a potential show weight of near 115 to 119. I would eliminate the corn and Sheen. If you are satisfied with the amount of finish, I would recommend replacing all of the corn and Sheen with Express. If you feel more finish is needed, you can add the Power Pak as prescribed for the lightweight. Another option for the heavyweight might be to switch to Showmaster Cabrito. However if you prefer not to change feed at this late stage, I would stay with the Express. If you are limiting the daily alfalfa feeding to 0.25-pound maximum, I would continue with this animal.
I strongly recommend that you weigh every week if convenient to do so. If not, please do it as often as possible. All animals are different and you may find my estimates to be off. By weighing you can make adjustments in the feeding rates more precisely. We wish you much success and keep up the good work. Thanks, Huck
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We have decided to start feeding acco show feeds to our goats for the 2003-2004 show season. We would like some advise on feeding and excercising. We usually get our goats when they are three months old. What type of feeding and excercise program do you suggest we put them on? |
Answer: |
| Hi Melanie,
Thank you for selecting Showmaster as your feed of choice. We have two Show Goat feeds and two supplements that can be fed to Show Goats. I invite you to review these products on our website www.accofeeds.com. My recommendation to you as a starting point for your program would be to start the young kids on Showmaster Boer Goat Express Medicated. Depending on the development and finish, I suggest you may need to consider switching to Showmaster Cabrito Medicated. This change could be considered the last 30 days before show date if the animals are growing to fast or have too much finish. Or you may switch to Cabrito if they seen to be getting ‘bored’ of eating Express. The two supplements are Showmaster Sheen and Showmaster Power Pak. Showmaster Sheen is a protein, mineral and vitamin supplement that can be used when extra stress is present, i.e., traveling, diet restriction, environmental, etc. Showmaster Power Pak is a finishing supplement that can be supplemented about 30 days before show date if extra finish is needed. Always remember when starting your animal on feed or when changing diets to do it gradually over a 7 to 10 day period.
As for as an exercising program, I like starting early. I suggest as soon as the stress of weaning and acclimation to new surrounds have past. This is usually within 30 days after you get your young kid. Start slow, 50 to 100 yards and increase the distance as the animal grows. Usually the person determines the maximum, i.e., we wear out before the animal. However the distance or amount of exercise depends on the freedom they have in the pen or pasture. Another important point is to make sure you feed enough food. The chart shown on the website should help you and give you a rough rule of thumb for growth expectations. Feed intake rule of thumb is 3.5 to 4.0% of their body weight. We wish you success with your project and while you are on the website, checkout the Showmaster programs for first time exhibitors and winners. Thanks, Huck
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How should I feed Acco Sheen to my show meat rabbits? How much should I feed? There is two and half weeks left to the show. |
Answer: |
| Hi Kelsey,
Thanks for your question and your interest in our Showmaster Sheen product. We recommend 0.5 to 0.75 ounce per day. This is equivalent to 1 to 1 ½ Tablespoons. The directions are on the label that is sewn on the bag or you are welcomed to review this information on our web site, www.accofeeds.com, select the icon show feeds and then show supplements. Thanks and we wish you success with your project. Huck
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Why do animals need salt? ie: cattle salt blocks. Someone asked me this question and I did not know the answer.
Thank you. |
Answer: |
| Hi Linda,
Thanks for your question. Salt is a very important compound for all animals. It is essential to be in the diet to maintain proper blood chemistry. Salt is made up of the essential elements sodium and chloride, which are two of the electrolytes for maintaining the balance of these elements in the blood. They can be lost during exercise (sweating) and must be replaced in the diet. Unlike humans they do not have a saltshaker or foods that contain too much ‘added’ salt. Horses should also have access to free choice salt since many horses are subjected to varying amount of exercise. Consequently it is very difficult to formulate a diet for horse that covers all the exercise variability. Many natural feedstuffs, grains, hay, etc., are low in these elements especially for an active horse. This is why we recommend having a source of salt available at all times. Unlike some nutrients, horses will do a very good job of balancing their need for salt. Thanks and hope this helps a little. Huck
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I am looking for a feed that is high in fat and low in protien. I am thinking this will get my show broilers for San Antonio to grow bigger. Do you know of any feed from any brand like this? |
Answer: |
| Hi Wade,
Thanks for asking. To maximize growth it is necessary to feed a balance of nutrients, especially protein and energy. They will consume feed to satisfy their energy need. Consequently, the higher the energy the less a bird will eat of that diet. Adding fat, which is very rich in energy and contains zero protein will promote extra fat but may not maximize growth. I suggest you feed a formulated finisher ration such as our Showmaster Broiler Grower/Finisher Medicated. It is 18% protein and 6% fat. You should not need to supplement any fat. This is a pelleted product to help maximize feed intake. If you are feeding a high protein Starter, 28%, you may be able to add some extra fat by topping feed with melted grease or lard, or add vegetable oil. However my recommendation is to feed the lower protein, higher energy (fat), pelleted, formulated (balanced) finisher. You are welcomed to visit our web site, www.accofeeds.com to review our Show poultry feeds. Also, the folks at the Feed Barn in Pipe Creek should be able to help you. Good luck with your project. Huck
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We have boer goats and I would like to find out on one of them, we need to put some top on him what do we do? On the other two we need to draw them down a little and muscle them up a little more? |
Answer: |
| Hi Renee,
Thanks for your question. For your goat that needs some added top (finish) I recommend our supplement called Showmaster Power Pac. We recommend it to be fed at a rate of a third of a pound daily. For the other goat, I recommend adding a protein supplement such as Showmaster Sheen and to cut the daily intake of the regular ration by 10%. I would only reduce the amount of the regular ration if you are currently feeding more than 3% of its body weight. The protein supplement will help add muscle and allow less feed to be fed, which could help ‘slim’ down the animal. Thanks and the best to you in the show ring. Huck
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Dear Dr. Huck,
I'm thinking of getting a horse but I wanted to know if I should keep him on the old feed or can I transfer him onto a new feed.
sincerely,
Jordan |
Answer: |
| Hi Jordan,
Changing feed can be accomplished safely if it is a gradual transition rather than a sudden change. It needs to be accomplished over a 10 to 14 day transition by introducing the feed in one-pound daily increments. You may want to base your decision on the body condition of your new horse at the time of purchase. If you are very satisfied with the looks and condition, you may want to stay with the same feed. If you are not happy with the body condition, you may want to change. It is always good to ask if the horse had problems with digestive upsets like colic. You may want to ask the name of the veterinarian that the current owners used. You can check with the veterinarian about the health status including treatment of any digestive disorders. Thanks, Huck
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What feed would it be best to feed to Boer bucks and nannies for breeding shows.
I am an Ag teacher. |
Answer: |
| Hi Joe,
This is a tough question because there can be a number of options. If these are young, developing breeding stock and need to be ‘pushed’, I might consider the Showmaster Boer Goat Express or Cabrito. If they are mature stock or younger breeding stock in good condition, I would consider the ACCO Cocci-Ban Goat Developer. Thanks for your question. Huck
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Can Boer Goat Express be mixed with Showmaster Sheen? This would be for an 80% boer goat that is seven months old. It is for show in mid March or do you have any other recommendations? |
Answer: |
| Hi Tony,
You can feed Sheen with Showmaster Boer Goat Express however it may not be necessary to do so. Showmaster Sheen is a protein, vitamin and mineral supplement. It is design to be fed during times of stress including nutritional stress such as period(s) when limit feeding is/are required to slow growth rate. If you are seeking a supplement to add finish, I would suggest Showmaster Power Pac to be fed the last 30 days before show. Under normal circumstances, Showmaster Boer Goat Express does not need additional supplementation. You can learn more about these two supplements by logging on to www.accofeeds.com and selecting show animals. We wish a winning experience with your market goat project. Thanks, Huck
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I would like to know the best Acco feed i could feed my 4-h turkeys. Is it best to start off with high protein. i will be getting my turkeys this week. Please advise me. |
Answer: |
| Hi Joyce,
Thanks for your interest in Showmaster Feeds from ACCO. Yes it is recommended that you start the young poults on high protein like our Showmaster Poultry Starter, which is a nutritionally balanced 28% protein feed. It is a crumble to help get the young birds on feed and is medicated with Amprolium as an aid in the prevention of coccidiosis. We recommend feeding this for the first 13 weeks and then switch to our pelleted finisher called Showmaster Turkey Finisher. Some people elect to stay on the Showmaster Poultry Starter and mix corn chops starting at 6 weeks and gradually increase the corn chops as the birds get older. Feeding directions for both feeding programs are on the feed label sewn to the bag. Of course, fresh, clean water should be available at all times. Good Feed consumption is very important and having water available will help as will providing the proper lighting. As you probably know your local feed supplier in El Campo is the Pet Center and they will be glad to help you with your project and introduce you to the Showmaster programs available such as Cash for Champions, Alpha and Cash Awards. Have a great time with your project. Huck
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When it comes time to "hold" our show pigs weight is it safe to use beet pulp fiber as a filler when cutting back on the feed. Some say yes some say no because pigs have "simple stomachs". Some use rolled groats to stop the hunger pains of these pigs..One FFa teacher sain Not to feed beet pulp, can you answer this question? |
Answer: |
| Hi Annie,
I do not like feeding beet pulp to swine. Oats are a much better choice. However I would like to suggest another alternative. We have a product called Showmaster Sheen that is a protein, mineral and vitamin supplement designed to be fed during periods of stress. This product has been used very successfully as a ‘holding’ ration for show pigs. The key thing is to limit the daily feeding to 4 pounds. The best way is to feed two pounds twice a day. Even though this is below the amount of full feed, it supplies a balance of nutrients for maintaining a healthy animal that is not contained in a grain or a single commodity. Diluting feed with oats will slow gain but it also dilutes necessary vitamins and minerals necessary for good health. You can find Showmaster Sheen at any Showmaster dealer and you can review this product on our website, www.accofeeds.com. Thanks, Huck
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Have there been any studies as to how much copper a goat can utilize? I see loose minerals for goats containing 1200ppm of this and it seems kind of high to me.
Thanks,
|
Answer: |
| Hi Cynthia,
Thanks for your excellent questions. Recently, we sponsored a study with the Texas A & M Extension Research Station in Uvalde, Texas that was designed to determine toxicity of copper in meat goats. We found that levels as high as 200 ppm in a complete feed did not have any detrimental effects on growing kids. However this does not specifically answer your question of how much a meat goat can utilize. As far as I know the exact requirement level has not been determine.
It is commonly believed that the copper requirement is higher than what we considered adequate in the pass. There has been some research conducted on milk goats that verifies this need. Most likely the requirement for meat goats is not as high as lactating dairy goats. Nevertheless we, as well as others, do now formulate rations for meat goats with higher copper than in the past.
The second part of your question relating to the mineral containing 1200 ppm is somewhat easier to answer. As long as the consumption remains low, i.e., one ounce or less per day, it should be fine. One ounce per day would yield about 34 ppm daily supplemental copper. An important note would be to make sure this is the only supplemental source of copper. Our Super Charged Caprine Mineral contains 600 ppm copper. We will continue our attempts to improve our knowledge of copper utilization/requirement so that more confidence can be gained for proper supplementation. Thanks for interest. Huck
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I want to thank acco feed for this service. I have a health question on swine. My daughters pig has been diagnosed with mycoplasma. Where does this come from, and what effects does it have on my hog? The medication that we were given is called lincomycin. Will this medication cure the illness or is it just a treatment for the symptoms? |
Answer: |
| Hi Darrell,
Thanks for the kind words. By the way, I like your first name. Lincomycin is an effective medication for the treatment of Mycoplasmal pneumonia. I'm assuming you are referring to an injectable source. As a medication added to feed, lincomycin at the 200 gram per ton level will reduce the severity when fed for 21 days. However for treatment, injection is a much better means. It is one of the reasons we elected to use Lincomycin in our Show Pig Conditioner although it is not a level to treat mycoplasma. Since I am not a veterinarian, I cannot give you a medical description but I will attach a brief description from an article related to Mycoplasm that came from our company’s library. Another source of information may be through your county extension office. Hope this is helpful to you, Darrell Huck
Mycoplasma is a bacterial infection causing pneumonia in growing and finishing pigs and is present in over 95% of the swine herds world-wide. Mycoplasma is considered a primary invader of the lung setting up damaged areas within the lung that will often lead 1o invasion by a wide variety of secondary bacteria. Often when laboratory diagnostics reveal Pasteurella or Strep. the initiator may have been mycoplasma. One other concern with the mycoplasma infection is that it has a synergistic interaction with the PRRS virus, making an infection with both organisms many times worse than expected with a pure infection
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I raise sheep for the fiber and occasionally sell a lamb or two. I am concerned about the copper content of feeds and I can'tfind it on your lable. Can you tell me how much copper is in the various sheep feeds you produce? Also which feed do you recommend for breeding ewes and growing lambs? |
Answer: |
| Hi Dee Ann,
Thanks for your question and for making ACCO your feed. We share your concern for copper toxicity in sheep. The reason a copper level is not stated on our label is that no supplemental source of copper is added. The only copper available in the diet comes from the natural levels contained in the ingredients used. The level of copper coming from the ingredients is low and will not cause toxicity. This level will normally range from 7 to 15 ppm. If our products are labeled to be fed to sheep, you can be sure the formulation has been considered for safe feeding in regards to copper toxicity. This does provide an opportunity to remind everyone feeding sheep to make sure they are feeding a product that is labeled for sheep because most all feeds formulated for other species of animals could contain copper levels that are unsafe for sheep. This is especially true of horse and beef cattle products. Never feed a product that has a copper guarantee above 20 ppm. The best practice is to only feed sheep feeds to sheep. This includes mineral supplementations. Thanks for your question hopefully it will provide a reminder to all sheep producers. Huck
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My children have been feeding the heifer developer for our show steers. We are needing to know about the withdrawal period on the medications in the feed. Thank you. |
Answer: |
| Hi Laurie,
Thanks for your question and for choosing Showmaster as your feed of choice. All of our Showmaster Calf products, Heifer Developer, Grower and Finisher, all contain the medication Bovatec, which is the trademark brand of Alpharma, Inc. for the antibiotic Lasalocid. Bovatec can be fed all the way to show/market. It does not have a withdrawal period. Thanks for asking and we hope you experience winning! Huck
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Our daughter just started her first FFA program and has a boer mix goat. We do not know if we should worm her monthly or not (how would you know). Also is there a good book that give the basics of goat care like worming, vitamins whether or not to do anything? Your site contains a great deal of information but whether or not to do something is the question. |
Answer: |
| Dear Rene,
Thanks for your questions. It is recommended to worm your animal as soon as you can following the adjustment period after purchase. This is usually 10 days to 2 weeks. The animal needs to be brought on full feed gradually and you should wait to worm once the transition is complete. It is advisable to worm the second time about 30 days after the initial de-worming. As you probably know, we have a de-wormer called ACCO Rumatel Goat and Cattle De-wormer that is to be fed at a rate of 1 pound per hundred pounds of body weight (50 pound goat would be fed 0.5 pounds). It is a purge de-wormer, which means a one-day application. It is important that the feed be completely consume in that day. Repeat the application 30 days later to break the worm life cycle.
I think the best source of information other than what we have available would be from your local County Agriculture Extension Office. Perhaps your local FFA Instructor can provide assistance or your local Veterinarian. Thanks and hope you have a great year in the show ring, Huck
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Dr.Huck-
we have a charlois steer that is tremendously thick, but he needs to grow a little. He is weighing about 920 lbs. right now and is gaining 3 lbs/day. We are feeding him showmaster grower and oats. He seems to be growing a little, but seeing him everyday it's hard to tell. I was wondering if adding the Sheen to his ration would help with his growth any? |
Answer: |
| Hi, Donna,
I am Dave Baldwin, a regional equine consultant for Nutrena. I
want to try to answer your question clearly. In order to do that I am
going to have to make some assumptions, or you could email the
information. Your 9 yr old thr. gelding weights 1450 lbs., my assumption
is that you would like to maintain that weight. My hay choice would be a
grass hay preferably timothy or orchard, free from dust and mold(check
smell and color). I will also assume that your horse has little or no
pasture to graze on. Now the one thing that you will have to determine
from your horse is, how fast is his metabolism. Thoroughbreds have a
tendency to be on the fast side, meaning they burn calories faster. So,
my feeding direction will have a range from less to more depending on
how you horse uses calories.
Hay- Grass - If you have pasture this amount will go down significantly,
however always provide hay.
14 - 18 lbs/day - average local square bale hay is 40-50lbs., usually
closer to 40lbs. If no pasture I would start with 1/4 of
a bale twice a day.
Feed(pellets)Life Design Prime- This would be an active pleasure horse
feed we make.
6 - 8 lbs./day broken into at least two feeding of 3 - 4lbs.
Or
Feed(pellets) Life Design Compete - Which is our performance feed with
added energy from corn oil.
5 - 7 lbs/day broken into at least two feedings of 2 1/2 - 3 1/2lbs.
I would recommend that you start on the lower feed rate. If you find in
a few weeks that your horse is either over weight or slightly under
weight, you can make the adjustment. If ever you are trying to put
weight on, do not exceed 5 lbs/feeding of grain rather change your
feeding program to include a third feeding per day.
If you provide me with a little more info than I will refine the
recommendations. Pasture? Good weight or Gain weight? Too fat?
Hope this helps, any question please respond, Dave
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The book we have about show animals states that vitamins need to be added to the water of our does (rabbits) after they are bred. What type of vitamin and where do we get them? |
Answer: |
| Hi Sue,
It is true that vitamins are very important especially during critical times such as pregnancy, lactation, environmental stress and during disease threats. However most formulated commercial feeds are well fortified with all the vitamins needed. All of the ACCO rabbit feeds are well fortified. During times of severe environmental (heat and cold), or physiological (pregnancy and lactation) stress, you can supply supplemental vitamins as insurance either by water or feed. ACCO has a mineral, vitamin and protein supplement called Showmaster Sheen that can be fed. One to two ounces a day will provide adequate supplementation. If you desire water application, make sure that the solution contains both fat soluble vitamins, A, D and E and B-vitamins, B-12, thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxol (B-6), pantothenic acid and niacin. I suggest you contact your local feed store, County Extension Agent and /or FFA instructor for assistance. More information about Showmaster Sheen can be found on our website www.accofeeds.com. Thank you for question and we wish success with your project. Huck
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I have a show lamb, Hamp 110#, and I want to enhance the growth in the top of the lamb. It has good potential and we really want to do all we can to explode the muscle and develope a good cover. We are currently feeding showmaster. |
Answer: |
| Dear Mr. Wilkinson,
Showmaster Lamb normally has all the nutrients needed to maximize the genetic potential of your animal. However all lambs are different and adding a protein supplement adds some insurance. Our supplement called Showmaster Sheen added at a rate of 2 to 4 ounces per day will provide that insurance. Your local ACCO feed store should have Showmaster Sheen in inventory or can get it for you. Log on to www.accofeeds.com and find more information about Showmaster Sheen and other supplements. Thanks for your support of ACCO feeds and we hope you experience winning! Huck
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This is our 2nd year showing goats. Last year and so far this year we have been using Showmaster Cabrito. I know several people are using Boar Goat Express. Could you tell me what the difference if in the two and what you recommend. |
Answer: |
| Hi Jodie,
Thanks for your question. Our Showmaster Cabrito product has been a popular show goat feed for many years with periodic updates as new information is discovered. Two years ago we developed Showmaster Boar Goat Express with two purposes in mind. One, we wanted a product that could be more applicable to the very young animals especially for the breeder that wanted to develop show goats for sale and be able to feed as a show feed. Second, we knew that some feeders preferred Rumensin (monensin) as the coccidiostat of choice. Consequently, Cabrito has Deccox (decaquinate) as the coccidiostat and Express has monensin. Both of these products have produced winners. However Cabrito remains our most popular show goat feed in South Texas but Express is gaining popularity. We believe there is a place for both in a show goat feeding program. Express is a very good feed for the younger animals especially if they were started on this product before weaning. Since it has a higher fat content/energy it sometimes can result in excessive finish. If this occurs changing to Cabrito may help this situation. Conversely if you are in need of more finish and you are feeding Cabrito you may want to consider changing to Express. However you can feed Showmaster Cabrito and add about 0.33 pounds of Showmaster Power Pac per day for the last 30 days before show to stimulate a firm finish if you prefer to stay with Cabrito. I guess what I’m trying to say is that either one of the products will do the job. They do provide some options that may be applied to individual goats depending on their development. We wish you much success and hope you experience winning. Huck
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Are there any research data on how much ammonia chloride should be used in goat feeds? |
Answer: |
| Dear Gerlinde,
Yes, there is research. The research that I’m familiar with and the one that we base our inclusion rate of ammonium chloride was conducted by Texas A & M University Extension Research Station in San Angelo, Texas. Their research determined that several ammonium salts, like ammonium chloride and ammonium sulfate, were effective in lowering the pH of the urinary and aid in reducing the incidence of urinary calculi (water belly). The level is dependent on the challenge and the compound used. Currently we are recommending an inclusion rate of 1% of ammonium chloride for show goat rations. This is based on a full feed rate of at least 3% of the body weight. It is best to have the ammonium chloride mixed in the ration, as it is not palatable as a top dress or as a water solution. Of course there are other preventive actions that help in the prevention of water belly, like adequate water consumption, proper calcium and phosphorus level and ratio, and proper castration procedures. Thanks for your question, Huck
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I have 10 days until our county show and my lamb has a bloated looking belly, i have cut back its water to 1 gallon a day is there anything I can do to tube it in this short time? |
Answer: |
| Hi Brittany,
Sorry for not responding sooner. I have been out of country and just got your message. I know this response will probably be too late for you but perhaps someone else will have the same concern. If the problem is truly bloat (gaseous), restricting water will not help and in fact I do not recommend. The risk is urinary calculi (water belly). Hopefully the bloat is not urinary calculi. If it is truly bloat, the first thing I would ask is ‘are you adding any grain to the ration?’ If the answer were yes, I would recommend eliminating this supplemental feeding. The second question would be ‘is the lamb eating normally’? If yes, then a slight reduction in the amount fed may solve the problem. If the answer is no, then a more drastic reaction may be required such as adding hay or feeding only hay for a few days and then start feeding the ration as if you were starting the lamb on feed for the first time. If you have more time, you could reduce the amount of feed being fed and introduce some hay. As soon as appetite is restore the hay should be gradually reduced and full feed re-established. One suggestion would be to give a probiotic such as our Showmaster Probiotic paste. Hope you were able to solve your problem and had a successful show. I would like to hear from you again. Thanks, Huck
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I started my goat on Cabrito in April, gradually changed to Boar Goat Express in June. He is 95 lbs now & great muscle tone. My goal is for him to be 135 lbs
(40 lbs difference) in the next 7 weeks, about 5-6 lbs a week. Should I add Powerpac, Sheen or both? |
Answer: |
| Hi Jackie,
Thanks for your great question. I believe you will be able to make your weight. It could be some stretch to average of a little more than 0.7 pounds per day. The best way to make that determination is to weigh regularly and calculate the average daily gain. If your animals are not at that level of gain, I suggest you add Showmaster Sheen at 1 to 2 ounces per feeding. If you feel your goat needs extra finish, adding Power Pac will help you do that but it will not necessarily enhance growth. Power Pac is recommended to be fed the last 30 days before show to add the desired finish if needed. Showmaster sheen is a high protein, mineral and vitamin supplement whereas Power Pac is low protein, high energy barley based supplement. You can find more details on our website, www.accofeeds.com or by visiting your local ACCO feed store. Thanks and we hope you have a winning experience. Huck
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Dr. Huck:
Is changing feed on a steer dangerous? If I decide I want to change feeds, how should I go about it? |
Answer: |
| Hi Jenna,
Thanks for your excellent question. Changing feeds does present a risk but it can be done safely. The greater the differences between the feeds the more caution you have to include in your transition. By difference I mean primarily the level of grain variation between the two rations. The key to a successful changeover is a gradual program that last about 10 days to two weeks. The longer, less change per feeding the easier it will be for your animal. I recommend a 1-pound per feeding change. For example, the first feeding of the changeover substitutes one pound of the new feed for 1 pound of the old feed. Do this every feeding until the transition is complete. If your animal is consuming 20 lbs. per day, it will take 10 days to complete the changeover. If it is feasible for you to reduce the amount of change over a longer period, this will be even more helpful to your animal. However, I feel very comfortable with the one pound per feeding program. Good luck and I hope the feed you are changing to is Showmaster. Thanks. Huck
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Is Showmaster Calf Grower an acceptable feed for develpoing breeding bulls? If not, which of your feeds would you recommend? Specifically, I presently have a bull I need to get in sale condition for a Februrary sale and need him to gain about 350-400#. |
Answer: |
| Hi Mike,
Showmaster Grower is an excellent bull developer. You will need to average about 3 pounds of gain per day assuming about a 120 day feeding period remaining. This should be feasible. However you will need to feed 2.5 to 2.75% body weight. This is assuming that this is a 700 pound bull or greater. If it is smaller the amount fed will be closer to 2.75 to 3.0% body weight until it approaches 700 pounds. With this amount of gain needed, I truly believe you have chosen the correct feed. Thanks, Huck
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I have a young mare 28 months with a trainer now for about 3 months she is being rode 6 days a week until she is fully broke I am wondering about fat % in her feed when I get her back and she is not being riden as much about 2 to 3 days a wk. |
Answer: |
| Dear Mr. Wheeler,
Thanks for the question. Sorry for the delay in responding. You are very correct in your assessment of a high fat diet. During heavy activity and especially endurance training high fat diets are able to supply the energy needed without creating greater risk of digestive upsets that is associated with high carbohydrate (grain) rations. You are also correct in expressing concern when the heavy activity is reduced. You can simply reduce the amount of the high fat diet being fed and increase the hay feeding. Or, you can switch to a lower energy feed such as our Golden Performer pelleted feed or Southwest Competitor Sweet feed. I would recommend staying with a 14% feed if grass hay or pasture is being supplemented and a 12% if alfalfa is fed. As a rule of thumb, if less than 5 to 6 pounds of concentrate is needed per day to keep the mare in good condition, it is better to switch to lower energy product to insure that other nutrients such as vitamins and minerals are supplemented in adequate amounts. Thanks, Huck
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We have 5 show pigs that we are pushing hard to meet the min. weight limit. We are currently feeding free choice of your pig conditioner. There are about 38 days untill the show. What if anything can I do to increase the daily weight gain. They are gaining and ave of 1.9lbs/day. |
Answer: |
| Hi Rick,
Thanks for your inquiry. We have two Conditioners. One has the words Hand Fed in the name. It is the one that contains the additives Paylean and Tylosin. I would suggest that you use this product to get the maximum growth possible. The product code for this product is 10338-RT. Carl at Katy Feed should be able to get this product for you. Also, you can get more information about this product on our website www.accofeeds.com. You should be able to achieve a weight gain of over 2 pounds per day especially as the animal gets older. Hope you achieve your goals to make the show and experience winning. Let me know how you did. Thanks, Huck
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my son is about to starter his second broiler pen and we are looking to use acco feed what do you suggest for a 6 week program.thank you,by the way he is in 4-h |
Answer: |
| Hi Jack,
Thanks for your question. Our program for show broilers consist of two feeds, Showmaster Poultry Starter Medicated (code 18113-A) and Showmaster Broiler Finisher Medicated (code 10161-A). The medication in both products is the coccidiostat, Amprolium. The starter is a 28% protein product to be fed for 3 weeks and then followed by the finisher. I suggest that you start introducing the finisher a few days before three weeks and make the change over a gradual occurrence over 5 to 6 days. Another important point is that the starter is a crumble and the finisher is a pellet. The forms are important to maximize the intake especially in a short growing period that you describe. The finisher contains sufficient pigments to provide the coloration desired in the show birds. In other words there is no need to add additional pigmentation supplements. The Showmaster products are available at your local ACCO Feedstore. The products can be reviewed and your nearest ACCO Feeds feed store can be located on our website www.accofeeds.com. Thanks, Huck
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Which is better - pellet or textured horse feeds. Why? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type? |
Answer: |
| Hi Mark,
Thanks for the question. As you suggested there are pros and cons to both. Allow me to list a few and then I will give you my opinion:
Pelleted Feeds vs. Sweet Feeds
Advantages
Consistent Nutrient intake—no sorting
Longer storage life
Less attraction to fire ants
More flexibility in formulation—less dependency on grains as energy source.
Disadvantages
Sometimes less palatable
Pelleting limitations to make a durable pellet
Less visual inspection of composition—more training required to read label.
Both forms can provide good nutrition. I prefer a pellet because I believe the advantages out weigh the disadvantages. However it is important to buy from a reputable company. With either form, it is important to match the intended need of your animal with the proper feed. Consultation with your local feed store or to seek information from the manufacturers representative may be necessary to assist you with that proper match.
Thanks, Huck
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Hi my daughter is showing goats for the first time and we have been feeding them the Cabrito. Should we switch this last month over to Powerpak or the Sheen or keep them on the same feed. I have heard a little of both. and I have also heard that we could supplement. Which is the best way to go. |
Answer: |
| Hi Nancy,
Thanks for your question. Power Pac and Sheen are supplements for you specials needs. They are not intended to be feed as the only feed. If you feel you need extra finish you should substitute about a third to one half of a pound daily of Power Pac for Cabrito. Sheen should be used if extra growth or if added stress (transporting, exercise, environmental) is being applied. In this case only a couple of ounces of Sheen are needed. If you are satisfied with the growth and with the degree of finish neither supplement may be required. You can find out more about these supplements on our website www.accofeeds.com or see Cecil at Smith Supply in Caldwell for more information. Thanks, Huck
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I am early weaning a group of calves at 60 days. I plan to keep these calves through the stocker phase. What feed would be ecominical and give me a good shot at a profit. |
Answer: |
| Thank you for visiting ACCOFEEDS.com and for your question Dennis. Early weaned beef calf programs are possible and can be successful with the proper optimum nutrition and health programs. Please consult your local vet for the best health program for your area. The nutrition program we would recommend is outlined as follows;
1. For early weaning beef calves at 60 days of age, hand feed the ACCO Dairy Calf textured starter feed for as many days as it takes until daily starter consumption reaches 5 - 7 lbs. per head per day
1A. Good quality hay should be fed along with the ACCO Dairy Calf Starter at a quantity not to exceed 1% of bodyweight
2. When intake of the ACCO Dairy Calf Starter reaches 5 - 7 lbs. per head per day, start transitioning the calves per the following protocol to the ACCO Accelerator pelleted starter feed
Days 1 - 3 50% ACCO Dairy Calf Starter / 50% ACCO Accelerator Free choice this blend
Days 4 - 7 25% ACCO Dairy Calf Starter / 75% ACCO Accelerator Free choice this blend
Days 8 - 45 0% ACCO Dairy Calf Starter / 100% ACCO Accelerator Free choice this
2A. Maintain a max intake on the good quality hay through days 8, while dropping hay from the program after day 8.
3. When the calves have completed the ACCO Accelerator program listed above, transition the calves to the grow-out phase using one of the ACCO Stocker Advantage feeds. The actual feed you use in this stage of production will depend upon your objectives and the style of production; grass or dry lot. ACCO's Stocker Advantage program allows for optimum nutrition and performance in a variety of different production scenarios. Contact your local dealer or ACCO Consultant for the specific ACCO Stocker Advantage feed you will use based upon your management situation and objectives.
Thank you again for the question and don't hesitate to contact ACCOFEEDS.com again if we can be of further assistance.
David W. Havard
Cargill Animal Nutrition
Business Development Manager
Mineola, Texas
903/569-6121 ext. 229
1-800-274-2359
David_Havard@Cargill.com
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PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT YOUR GOAT WORMER.NOT SURE THE NAME BUT IT COMES IN 50#BAG.AND IS IT SAFE FOR PREGNANT NANNYS. |
Answer: |
| Hi Wade,
Good to hear from you. Our dewormer for goats is call ACCO Rumatel Goat and Cattle Dewormer Medicated. You are correct it comes in a 50-pound bag. The active ingredient (morentel tartrate) commonly called Rumatel is a registered trademark of Phibro Animal Health. The unique aspect of this effective compound is that it is safe and approved to be fed to pregnant and lactating goats and cattle without withdrawal of the milk for human consumption. Our product is formulated with a concentration of the dewormer so that it is fed at rate of 1 pound per 100 pounds of body weight. For example, a 50-pound goat is fed ½ pound for 1 day. The measured quantity can be mixed with normal daily feed as long as the prescribed amount of the dewormer is consumed in one daily feeding. To break the cycle of the worm infestation, we recommend that you repeat the purge (one day) worming in 30 days. Thanks for your question and we hope that you realize the same success as many others have with this product. Thanks, Huck
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I have a 6 month old fullblood boer show goat. We are feeding him Showmaster Cabrito and are giving him hay. When he finishes eating, he goes to the water bucket and tanks up with water. Our vet said it was do to the pelleted feed. What do you think we should do? |
Answer: |
| Dear Tyler,
Good to hear from you. Increased water consumption is not related to form of the feed. It can be related to what is in the feed, the amount being fed, hot weather, increased exercise and supplementation of extra salt. Water consumption is good and helps the digestive process and aids in the prevention of urinary tract problems such as water belly (urinary calculi). Showmaster Cabrito is formulated with an ingredient called ammonium chloride that helps control the pH of the urine and aids in the prevention of water belly. Ammonium chloride is a salt and will increase water consumption but should not interfere with normal feed consumption. It is very important that show goat feeds contain this preventative supplement. Normal daily full feed consumption is 3 ½ to 4% of the body weight. This means an 80-pound goat will consume 2.8 to 3.2 pounds of feed daily including the hay. Hay will also increase water consumption because it is very dry. When feeding Showmaster Cabrito, hay is not necessary to feed unless you are having a digestive upset problem such as bloating or not eating properly. We did increase the level of ammonium chloride in all of our Show and commercial goat feeds this year because of the increased incidence of water belly in recent years. The reason we recommend pelleted feeds for goats is that goats are excellent at sorting feed when they eat. They tend to select what they like rather than consuming all of the diet. In other words they go after the ‘candy’ and leave the ‘vegetables’. Showmaster has been fed to thousands of goats and many, many winners. We wish you the same success and thanks for choosing Showmaster Cabrito. Huck
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We have a show goat that tends to bloat. Is this problem related to feeding a pelleted feed as opposed to a textured feed? This particular goat drinks a lot of water! Any suggestions? |
Answer: |
| Hi Tanner,
You did not indicate what pellet you were feeding. Bloat can occur on a pelleted feed or textured feed. Some goats are more sensitive to dietary upsets. Sometimes feeding too much can cause bloat especially if the ration is high in grain (soluble carbohydrates) and low in fiber. The normal amount of full feed is 3 ½ to 4% of the body weight. Consequently an 80 pound goat should be fed 2.8 to 3.2 pounds or about 3 pounds per day. This should be divided into at least two equal feedings of 1.5 pounds each. If your goat continues to bloat, you may want to add a small about of hay to the diet. However, limit this to no more than ½ pound per day. You did not say the goat slowed or stopped eating which should mean it is gaining with normal body conditioning. Are you adding any grain or any other additive to his diet? I would suggest you stop any supplementation of additives especially if it is grain. Is the animal receiving any supplementation of mineral especially one that contains salt. Salt will increase water consumption. However I would not worry about water consumption as long as the feed is being consumed at a normal rate. Increase feed intake will increase water consumption. Good water consumption is good especially during hot weather. Thanks, Huck
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Dr. Huck, We recently purchased two older quarterhorses. They are approximately 20-23 years old. They have been thoroughly examined by our vet, and received a clean bill of health. They are both underweight, and we have not had any luck putting weight back on them. We have been feeding your Golden Age product, 6lbs./ea., 2 times/day. How can I get them to add weight? |
Answer: |
| Dear Mike,
I am surprised that the Golden Age is not adding weight. Normally for older horses this add weight when being fed the amount indicated. You did not say how active the horses were or if they are in any sort of exercising activity. I recommend that you increase the amount being fed up to 1 ½ % of their body weight. For an 1100-pound horse this would be 16 to 16.5 pounds per day. Or you could switch to a higher fat containing feed such as our sweet feed Superior 10-8 Horse Feed if you are feeding alfalfa or Superior 14-8 if feeding grass hay. We also have a pelleted high fat feed called Golden Endurance. However since you are feeding a sweet feed, I recommend staying with the sweet feed form. Since the Golden Age product is formulated for older horses, my first recommendation is to go to the higher level of Golden Age. Although it does not have as high of energy level as the higher fat feeds, it is formulated with easily digested ingredients. Thanks for your question, Huck
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Is the following mix complete for broodmares, foals and stallions?
2 parts hard rolled barley
1 part cracked or crimped corn
1 part steam rolled oats
1/4 cup corn oil (up to 1/2 for pregnant and lactating mares + foals)
enough water to moisten
I'd like to add Calf Manna for protein, but was told the above mix is sufficient. Steam rolled oats are very expensive in my area (maybe they are everywhere)would hard rolled oats be okay to substitute?
Thanks |
Answer: |
| Hi Sandra,
Thanks for your question. The ration you listed is certainly adequate in energy. However you did not supply enough information to effectively evaluate its feeding value. To effectively evaluate, we must know four things: 1). The kind and quality of hay or pasture; 2). The physiological state(s) of the animal, i.e., maintenance, growing, last 1/3 of gestating, lactating; 3). The level of activity, light, medium or heavy. 4). The mature weight. If you are supplementing a legume hay or pasture and your horse is in a maintenance state with light activity, the protein level is probably adequate however the mineral and vitamin levels may not be adequate. Consequently, a vitamin fortified mineral could be fed free choice to help balance this ration. The mineral should be a 1:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio. I prefer a mineral with no or low salt and salt offered separately. This is not too important with the above example since the assumption is low activity. However with increased activity it because more important because increased activity increase the salt need and feeding a mineral with salt as the only source of salt will cause unnecessary expense. Salt is relatively inexpensive compared to mineral supplements. If the physiological state or level of activity is elevated then protein must be added to the concern and supplemented someway. A protein, mineral and vitamin supplement should be added. We have a supplement called ACCO Sheen that can be used to satisfy that need. Other companies have products that are worthy of consideration. Thanks, Huck
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We have an orphan foal thats 2-1\2 months old.He's currently on foal-lac,3pts 6hrs apart,and ccrreep feed of oats, and anamax,aand one cup of Omeline #300.,and free choice of quality coastal hay.Question is -what should be next step feeding him, now that he's almost 3 months?? |
Answer: |
| Hi Gloria,
Since you are not using one of our products, I cannot give you an exact evaluation of you ration. However, I know you are feeding a 16% protein feed that is recommended for feeding foals. Based on our 16% sweet feed, Southwest Competitor-16 or our pelleted feed called Golden foal, this should be the proper feed. The oats and supplement should not be necessary but can be fed. The next step is to start the process of weaning the foal off of the milk replacer and achieve a full fed of the concentrate (grain ration) and ha |
