# Cattle feed for horses



## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Anyone care to take a look at this and see if anything jumps out and makes it a no-no for horses? I didn't see anything (non cocci prevention meds that I see), but then I know nothing about cattle feed. This would be only part of the ration, the rest of the feed would be soaked beet pulp and alfalfa pellets and of course, free choice hay. Oh, and they have constant access to a trace mineral block as well. I think with that combination, I should be okay, nutrition-wise. 

http://www.ourcoop.com/productcatalog/Main/PdfViewer.aspx?el=58588

Thanks!


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

A lot of cattle feed has Cotton seed meal, which isn't really good for horses.
Honestly, I won't feed that to horses for a number of reasons but one of them is 16% protein is wayyyy to high.


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

It has Animal Fat in it..... I wouldn't do it, and for the same too-high protein that bergere mentioned. Also, all those "grain by-products" and not one single mention of a whole grain?? You'd be better off buying oats and making that a base for your own mix instead of trying to put them on this cattle feed....JMHO.....It also has Ammonia as a preservative, yuck!


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Thanks for weighing in. 
We've only fed either a custom blend or Strategy. 

A friend is feeding his horses this feed and DH got all excited about possibly cutting the feed bill a bit. Figures it's too good to be true


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## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

The main problem I see is that it's cattle feed. Which means it is made on the same machines as the cattle feed that DOES have cocci meds etc. I've seen multiple warnings lately about making sure your horse feed is not pelleted on the same machines as cattle feed due to the meds and that even a tiny amount of some of those meds can be lethal to a horse.

It might be okay, but just that bit alone would be enough to make me paranoid.


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

A veterinary bill will cost much more than the difference saved on the feed bill. Cattle tend to handle lower quality feed a bit better, they can usually eat hay that would kill a horse. So the price difference is most likely reflective of something else.

I would avoid it and let your husband know he is saving money by preventing possible vet bills. 

Cutting the feedbill is always tempting, I'm sure we all feel your feed bill pain! (But vet bill pain always trumps feedbill pain!)


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

bergere said:


> A lot of cattle feed has Cotton seed meal, which isn't really good for horses.
> Honestly, I won't feed that to horses for a number of reasons but one of them is 16% protein is wayyyy to high.


If it is only part of the ration, the total protein will be lower.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

rabbitpatch said:


> The main problem I see is that it's cattle feed. Which means it is made on the same machines as the cattle feed that DOES have cocci meds etc.


Do you really think most mills have separate machinery to process horse feed with?


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

RamblinRoseRanc said:


> Thanks for weighing in.
> We've only fed either a custom blend or Strategy.
> 
> A friend is feeding his horses this feed and DH got all excited about possibly cutting the feed bill a bit. Figures it's too good to be true


IIRC, Strategy is pretty pricey.
There are less expensive, still good quality feeds designed specifically for horses. Cattle are ruminants. Their feed requirements can vary ALOT from those of horses. 

Do some people feed some horses cattle feed? Sure. But I wouldn't do it if I were you.

I have however found that EVERY animal, without fail, on our farm LOVES Equine Senior and can eat it without issue :baby04: Currently using it to rehab a geriatric llama.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Strategy is 13.xx a bag here, Senior (and this IS the cheap feed) is 15.xx, Mare & Foal 16.xx. 

I prefer to feed Strategy first, Senior second and the custom blend third.


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## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

tinknal said:


> Do you really think most mills have separate machinery to process horse feed with?


If you ask, some mills will say their machinery is "safe" and others will say it is "free" - those that say "safe" simply clean their machinery first. Those that say it is "free" have separate machinery. Smaller feed mills like the one near where I live do not have separate machinery. Some of your bigger mills (not necessarily just the huge ones either) process enough feed that it makes sense to have 2 sets so they can process more feed simultaneously.

The point I was making about it being cattle feed is the fact that, even a mill with only 1 set of machinery is not going to clean it between processing the medicated cattle feed and the non-medicated. Cattle feed has the potential to be contaminated period. Sure they may do a spectacular job of cleaning it between making the cattle feed and making the horse feed, but between two types of cattle feed, cleaning is not necessary.


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

To me the question is: Do the horses need any grain? Usually they dont and if they don't it's harmful to feed it especially rich stuff.


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

You're already feeding alfalfa pellets. Add the cattle feed and you're doubling the amount of protein. Hoof problems are bound to develop since they develop when horses are just fed alfalfa hay/pellets. Also possible internal problems. Horses, unlike cattle, don't have 3 compartments in their stomach to process their feed.

I've never fed alfalfa. I've never grained. I've had no sickness/diseases for over 30 years. All I've fed all these years is Bermuda and DE. Not for a lesser feed bill, but for good health.

My steer, who rode and drove, was also on the same menu for many years. All my livestock are free choice fed.

There's no 2 folks who feed alike, but think before you do.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

I haven't yet began to feed anything other than hay. Our hay here is a basic grass hay and they're not getting the nutrition they need from it. Hence the projected feed program. 

We fed alfalfa hay only in NM and had no problems whatsoever. So did everyone else out there.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

rabbitpatch said:


> If you ask, some mills will say their machinery is "safe" and others will say it is "free" - those that say "safe" simply clean their machinery first. Those that say it is "free" have separate machinery. Smaller feed mills like the one near where I live do not have separate machinery. Some of your bigger mills (not necessarily just the huge ones either) process enough feed that it makes sense to have 2 sets so they can process more feed simultaneously.
> 
> The point I was making about it being cattle feed is the fact that, even a mill with only 1 set of machinery is not going to clean it between processing the medicated cattle feed and the non-medicated. Cattle feed has the potential to be contaminated period. Sure they may do a spectacular job of cleaning it between making the cattle feed and making the horse feed, but between two types of cattle feed, cleaning is not necessary.


I doubt most small mills mill any medicated cattle feed. Most small farmers do not regularly feed medicated feed. If they do need corid or antibiotics they get the stuff you mix in the water.


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## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

tinknal said:


> I doubt most small mills mill any medicated cattle feed. Most small farmers do not regularly feed medicated feed. If they do need corid or antibiotics they get the stuff you mix in the water.


:shrug: ok


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

rabbitpatch, commercial cattle feed isn't medicated and the big feedlot operations that may medicate mix their feed according to their specifications on site. If you're worried about medicated feed in mills, pig and some poultry feeds are usually sold in a medicated and unmedicated formula.


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

And goat


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## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

I still can't find the specific article I read a couple of weeks ago (I think it was a different magazine), but this one pretty much explains why I'm saying cattle feed is dangerous for horses.

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/nutrition/feeds/eqpoisionf111

"...if even trace amounts are on the mill when horse feed is processed, the result can be very tragic."

And this one from Oklahoma State - http://www.cvm.okstate.edu/index.ph...d&catid=28:equine-animal-questions&Itemid=259


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I understand the point you were making but I wanted to clear up the misconception that all cattle feed is medicated.


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## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

wr said:


> I understand the point you were making but I wanted to clear up the misconception that all cattle feed is medicated.


I did not mean to imply that all cattle feed is medicated, but rather that because some feed is medicated, even the non-medicated feed sometimes contains trace amounts of whatever feed was processed through the machine immediately prior. And that the major medications of concern to horses are common in the medicated cattle feed. According to the articles I posted (and others), even trace amounts are potentially lethal to horses. Apparently chicken and goat medications are not as much of a concern, or at least I have not read anything to that affect thus far.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

The biggie that may appear in cattle feed is urea. Urea can have several different trade names, including Monensin, Triurate, Rumensin, etc.

Urea can be fatal to horses. Urea is often present in protein blocks and licks made for cattle.


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## spinandslide (Jun 6, 2008)

We fed a custom blended mix for the place we buy our feed from for awhile. it was actually marketed as a creep feed for cattle. 

I got a tag and had my equine nutrionist look at it..he felt it was equal and even superior in nutrional quality then many other horse feeds on the market..and was less $$ then the Safechoice we were feeding at the time. it was 14% protein..which was perfect for us (16% protein is only used on preg and lactating mares on our place)

We fed it for afew years..before they stopped having it mixed (due to trucking costs). Now we feed versatile 14% with good quality grass hay.


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

tinknal said:


> The biggie that may appear in cattle feed is urea. Urea can have several different trade names, including Monensin, Triurate, Rumensin, etc.
> 
> Urea can be fatal to horses. Urea is often present in protein blocks and licks made for cattle.


Monenson and Rumensin aren't Urea, they are coccidiostats. Urea is a supplement that rumen bacteria turn into protein, so basically a protein supplement. Urea isn't as big of a danger as the coccidiostats, but it can be toxic to horses (and goats for that matter).


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