Features:
   13% protein from oil seed meals and grains
   Pelleted and highly digestible
   Fixed formula
   Fortified with GROSTRONG Minerals, vitamins, and electrolytes
   Contains natural source vitamin E

Benefits:
   Energy from fermentable fibers (soybean hulls, wheat midds,
   dehydrated alfalfa meal) to take advantage of the unique equine digestive tract

   Lower starch-to-fiber ratio than most grain mixes for reduced risk of digestive
   disorders, such as colic, founder, tying-up, and ulcers

Feeding Instructions:
   Feed up to 6 lb per day according to condition and work load of horse

The Results Speak for Themselves:
GROSTRONG Ultra-Fiber® Horse Feed was the official feed at the De Anza Trail Ride that started on the Mexican border on April 17th and ended in Julian, CA on. April 23rd, 2005. There were 120 to 150 riders who covered 22 to 26 miles per day. The GROSTRONG Ultra-Fiber Feed was provided by ADM Alliance Nutrition distributor United Pacific Pet and Alliance Nutrition salesman Al Fenchel.

United Pacific Pet salesman Chuck Gawle participated in the ride and was delighted to report that this was the first time all the horses ate the official feed and there were no reported colics. Some of the riders said their horses actually put on weight during the ride. GROSTRONG Ultra-Fiber Horse Feed, The Low-Starch Leader, provides the nutrients your horses need without the grains and starch that often lead to digestive disorders.

Are You Feeding a Low-Starch Horse Feed ?
In the past, before we knew horses could use fats and digestible fibers for energy more safely and effectively than grains, horse-feed concentrates were selected for low fiber content, often below 6% (Table 1), in order to provide the highest possible amount of digestible energy (DE) in the total ration.  

These low-fiber feeds also contained large amounts of non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) such as starch, sugar and pectin compared to forages.  However, the selection of low fiber/high starch feeds was based on two assumptions:

1.      1Fiber is not necessary in horse concentrates, and
2Starch in large quantities is not harmful to horses. 

 

Table 1. Nutrient Content of Horse Feeds and Forages

*NSC = 100 – (protein + NDF + fat + ash + moisture) where NSC is nonstructural carbohydrate; NDF is neutral detergent fiber
^fActual value in horses, due to low pre-cecal starch digestibility
**These represent examples of feeds within a feed category
¹ADM Alliance Nutrition, Inc., Quincy, IL.

Recent research has shown that those assumptions are not correct.  We now know that the unique equine digestive tract requires fiber, not just in the forage, but in the concentrate as well, in order to function properly.  Large amounts of low-fiber, high-starch feed, fed in meals, have no opportunity to mix with the high-fiber hay fed later.  And, non-structural carbohydrates, like starch and sugar, have numerous adverse effects on horses, such as: 

• Starch fermented in the stomach contributes to ulcers.

• Easily digestible starch and sugar from oats and molasses contribute to increased blood glucose and hyperactivity following meals.

• Starch from corn and barley has a low foregut digestibility, leading to its fermentation in the hindgut, acidosis and a high risk of colic and founder.

• Mares fed high-starch feeds might produce foals predisposed to developmental orthopedic diseases.

• Growing horses fed high-starch rations are at greater risk for developmental orthopedic diseases. 

High-forage rations are desirable, because they contain much less starch and sugar.  But, how can horses on high-forage rations get enough energy for maximum performance?  Fortunately, high-energy, added fat, GROSTRONG Ultra-Fiber Horse Feed is now available.  It provides substantial energy to horses with minimal starch.  And, its 5-6 pound feeding rate allows horses to be fed high-forage rations.  Therefore, the use of high-starch cereal grains, which often result in digestive and metabolic disorders, can be eliminated. 

When comparing feeds for starch and fiber content, look on the feed tag for these high-quality, easily digestible (low starch) fiber sources:  soybean hulls, beet pulp, wheat middlings and dehydrated alfalfa. 

High-starch ingredients include:  corn, milo, barley, oats, other cereal grains and the collective term ‘grain products.’ 

Many companies use a least-cost method to formulate horse feeds.  With this method, ingredient amounts change with every batch of feed.  Since horses digest ingredients differently, least-cost formulations can result in digestive disorders in horses and are not recommended by ADM Alliance Nutrition.  Contact your feed company to find out if they use least-cost horse feed formulas. 

The benefits of low-starch rations in elite performance horses in all disciplines and in broodmares, stallions, senior horses and growing horses are being consistently reported in the scientific literature.  Now, GROSTRONG^Ò Ultra-Fiber makes it easy and convenient to provide premium, low-starch rations for all of your horses.  

For More Information e-mail at AN.EquineHelp@adm.com

or call toll free
EQUINE NUTRITION HELPLINE
1-800-680-8254
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ADM Alliance Nutrition, Inc. 1000 North 30th Street P.O. Box C1 Quincy, IL USA 62305-3155