Anyone use "Barn Bag" by life data labs

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mydaddysjag

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Has anyone tried "Barn Bag" ? Its made by life data labs, and sold by smartpak equine. They are calling it a horse feed concentrate. To me it looks like a ration balancer. You feed a small amount of it along with hay, and you can add oats if you need more calories for working horses.

Im thinking about switching Midas over to a ration balancer, as he iss coming 3, and is currently on no work. (however, hes still being fed like he is working.)

Hes getting downright fat, and he isnt on any type of work routine right now, nor will he be until spring, so not much work for the next 6 or 7 months.

You can check the info on the product at Barn Bag
 
If no one has fed this could someone recommend an affordable ration balancer to be used with hay, and whole oats if he starts losing too much weight
 
My friend who manages a Purina store, recommends Mare and Maintenance, however its not cheap. She feeds her big horse 1 cup a day she gets worked about 3 days a week. Kathy
 
Kathy I was using Born to Win ration balancer by Purina which is now called Enrich 32. I used that alone with pasture/hay for the tubbies....... and then for some with oats for the ones that needed extra. The price has gone up like crazy on it now and its anywhere from $18.00 to $22.00 a bag.
 
I wish some of the feed experts would look at this balancer and give their opinion. I too have looked at this ration balancer and really pondered trying it.

I have used Progressive Ration grass Balancer for coming on 3 years in January. I love it and really like how it works with my horses. However, I can't help but look around with the way the price is going up so often and so much. There is no store in Louisiana near me and I have it delivered from Texas every 4 to 5 weeks.

I like the fact it comes in 11 lb bags that are easily kept. The closest feed store to me that carries the Barn Bag is 20 miles away but I could buy in bulk and store easily. I also see it's carried by several stores and even Valley Vet, due to being only 11lb bags and easily shipped.

I pay right now 30.50 a bag for Progressive and it takes 7 to 8 bags (depends on nursing or pregnant mares needs)for 5 weeks for 7 grown miniature horses and 3 fillies. The Barn Bag runs $59.00 on internet, for the 11lb bag but says it feeds an 1100 horse for 60 days. If I figured right, ( figured all my horses weights and adjusted portions for this), at that rate it would take 3.2 bags for 56 to 57 days at a cost of $ 3.13 per day for all 10 horses. So, I multiplied $3.13 times 35 days (5 weeks) and came up with $109.55 for the Barn Bag versus the $213.50 for the same time period of Progressive for all ten horses. Feel free to correct my math, I for sure am not the best at this.

Looking at the nurient level on Barn Bag (shown below) it seems to be better than the Progressive Grass Balancer that I use and closer to Progressive's newer and more advanced and expensive 25lb bag ration grass balancer.

But...I still hesitat due to being so happy with the way my gang is doing right now. However, I can't help but think about the savings. This is why I would appreciate any corrections in my thinking or assistance by more experienced feed people.

Barn BagIt says 1/2 cup per day, per 1100 lb horse, for 60 days is one 11lb bag.

NUTRIENT

Crude Protein (Min) 29 %

Lysine (Min) 4 %

DL-Methionine (Min) 2.8 %

Tyrosine (Min) 0.44 %

Threonine (Min) 0.82 %

Crude Fat, (Min) 3.2 %

Phospholipids (Min)

Phosphatidylcholine 0.90 %

Omega 3 Fatty Acids (Min) 0.30 %

Trans Fatty Acids (Max) 0.0

Crude Fiber, (Max) 8.8 %

Ash (Max) 27 %

Calcium (Min) 5.6

Calcium (Max) 6.2

Phosphorus (Min) 2.0 %

Magnesium (Min) 7,600 ppm

Zinc (Min) 1,500 ppm

Manganese (Min) 3,400 ppm

Copper (Min) 520 ppm

Cobalt (Min) 10 ppm

Iodine (Min) 6 ppm

Iron (Min) 2,400 ppm

Selenium (Min) 4.2 ppm

Vitamin A (Min) 45,000 iu/lb

Ascorbic Acid (Min) 0.54 %

Vitamin D3 (Min) 3,200 iu/lb

Vitamin E (Min) 1,500 iu/lb

Folic Acid (Min) 80 mg/lb

Thiamin (Min) 23 mg/lb

Pyridoxine (Min) 127 mg/lb

Biotin (Min) 10 mg/lb

Choline (Min) 500 mg/lb

%

Barn Bag™ Broodmare and Growing Horse Feed

Concentrate

INGREDIENTS: Soy Protein Concentrate, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal,

Yeast Culture Dehydrated, Calcium Carbonate, Monocalcium

Phosphate, Lecithin, Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate, Lysine,

DL-Methionine, Magnesium Oxide, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic

Acid, Manganese Oxide, Zinc Oxide, D-Biotin, Basic Copper Chloride,

Pyridoxine, Folic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamin, Vitamin D3

Supplement, Cobalt Carbonate, Calcium Iodate, Permitted natural and

artificial flavorings added.
 
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I emailed the people at the company who make barn bag, an 11 lb bag of it would last my B sized gelding 8 months. Because the it would last so long they recommended storing it an airtight container. (I only have one mini, and my other horse is on an extruded sr feed due to being a hard keeper, so I don't even have other horses to feed it to.)

So, an 8 month supply would cost me $60, or I could get it from smartpak equine and that way It would probably be fresher. I think Im going to need to feed a little bit of oats with it, because my guy isn't going to be happy with 1/8cup per day, plus hay. Right now his grain is around $18 per bag, hes really fat and out of shape, and he isn't working, so I don't think he really needs the grain. Hes almost 3, so I think he should be alright to switch off of grain around now, but correct me if Im wrong. I just feel that with him being so heavy it could cause joint damage and other health problems.
 
I emailed the people at the company who make barn bag, an 11 lb bag of it would last my B sized gelding 8 months. Because the it would last so long they recommended storing it an airtight container. (I only have one mini, and my other horse is on an extruded sr feed due to being a hard keeper, so I don't even have other horses to feed it to.)

So, an 8 month supply would cost me $60, or I could get it from smartpak equine and that way It would probably be fresher. I think Im going to need to feed a little bit of oats with it, because my guy isn't going to be happy with 1/8cup per day, plus hay. Right now his grain is around $18 per bag, hes really fat and out of shape, and he isn't working, so I don't think he really needs the grain. Hes almost 3, so I think he should be alright to switch off of grain around now, but correct me if Im wrong. I just feel that with him being so heavy it could cause joint damage and other health problems.

Also, either way I go, I can order it from smartpak in the "wells" which are pre portioned (for me it would be fresher) or in the 11lb bag and pay like $6 or $7 shipping for it. With the price of gas, its more economical for me to order it from smartpak, because I believe the shipping is the same no matter how much you order.
 
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We have used Purina Ration Balancer to feed Western Pleasure and Reiners. We feed a cup of the ration balancer with a half a scoop to a full scoop of oats. They all get worked regularly and always keep a great weight!
 
I never like to give advice for I don't feel I have the experience that so many on this board do and so I don't. But I will share my own experience with you.

Three years ago I had a lot of trouble with fat and what I felt looked like out of shape horses. I worried about colic, founder, laminitis and well everything..ha! I learned through Three C about progressive products and started them. I took all grain away and just feed the Progressive Grass Diet Balancer along with pasture and hay. I saw a great turnaround within a month. I have kept them on this for all this time and one thing I never see anymore is the bellies on weanlings and excess fat on the mares. The foals are born strong and healthy. One reason I worry about switching to anything else. But like I said for a small place the cost is getting out of hand and if the Barn Bag can do as much or better at a cheaper price I am interested.

I don't think you have to add the oats thats just for those really hard to keep horses that need a little more. Your gelding dosen't sound as if he would even need that.

It does look like feeding time will be shorter...ha! But instead we can use the extra time for more quality time bonding with them.
 
Im probably going to switch over to the barn bag sometime within the next month or so, and I'll let you know how my guy does on it.
 

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