Allen and Page Fast fibre?

[rummi]

I was chatting to a horsey friend and discussing feeds and she was raving about a feed she uses called 'Fast Fibre'. Now, as a big fan of high fibre/low sugar feeds, this was a new one of me!

I've done a bit of internet searching, and althought the Allen and Page website description say what ISN'T in it, it doesn't actually say what it IS!!!!!

"........Allen and Page Fast Fibre is high in Fibre, low in Sugar and low in Starch. Fast Fibre is a pelleted feed which is Barley and Molasses free and contains all the essential vitamins and minerals. It is manufactured from non GM ingredients and is suitable for all horses and ponies, particularly those that need a high Fibre, low Starch or low Sugar diet. Your horses feed will always be fresh as it soaks in under a minute, unlike other rival products..........."

In quite happy with my alphabeet as i soak it overnight with my seaweed and rosehips (which helps gets the active ingredients out of the herbs) but i just wondered what was IN this feed?

Not sure what fibre only needs 60 seconds to soak??!!!!

[fin]

Lol, I'm interested in this too. At a guess it'll probably have wheat/wheatfeed/oatfeed and some kind of unsuitable probiotic in it, which wouldn't be good for my horse, but I'm willing to investigate. Shall I email them for a full mineral/nutritional analysis and ingredients list?

[sulasmum]

I have not heard of this one, why dont you get in touch with Allen and Page and ask them. Would be interesting to find out more

Sula has Alpha beet too and loves it

[fin]

I've just emailed them Will report back!

[Azrael]

Sounds quite interesting, seems to be one of the few fibre things that doesn't contain alfalfa which means there's some hope I could feed it to my fatties, if I can find somewhere that sells it.

Someone on SU contacted them and asked for details recently.. stolen from there..


The Quick Soak Fibre Provider


DESCRIPTION:

Fast Fibre is an ideal feed for all horses and ponies, in particular natives, good doers, horses with dental problems and others who can’t or won’t eat much hay / haylage, fizzy horses, horses prone to tying-up / azoturia, laminitis or those that suffer from Cushing’s syndrome, or any horse or pony that requires a high fibre, low starch, low sugar diet.

Fast Fibre should be mixed with twice as much water to feed and allowed to soak for 30-60 seconds before feeding and any chages to the diet should be made over several days.


NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS:

Oil 2.5 % Vitamin A 10,000 IU/kg
Protein 8.5% Vitamin D 1500 IU/kg
Fibre 27.0 % Vitamin E 100 IU/kg
Estimated DE 8.0 MJ/kg Calcium 1.1%
Starch 5.0 % VERY LOW Phosphorous 0.4%
Sugar 2.0 % LOW Copper 7 mg/kg



INGREDIENTS:
Cereal Straw - fibre source provides fibre for a healthy gut and to satisfy appetite without excess calories

Unmolassed Sugar Beet - highly digestible fibre, slow-release energy source.

Grass - protein & fibre source.

Oat fibre - digestible fibre source

Linseed - provides a concentrated source of calories, and omega –3 oils for a healthy skin, and a glossy coat

Limestone flour - calcium source.

Salt - provides essential electrolytes

Vitamins and Minerals - the vitamin & mineral supplement in these feeds provides Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Copper, Selenium, Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Nicotinic Acid, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12 , Biotin, Iodine, Cobalt, Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Calcium and Magnesium.

Mint - has a natural pre-biotic effect, creating the right environment for bacteria to grow

Yeast - supplies a natural bio-available source of vitamins

Fenugreek - very palatable and stimulates appetite

Garlic - rich in sulphur, aids digestion by supporting the development of natural gut flora, whilst killing pathogens
What makes Fast Fibre different?
¨ Unique quick soak – 30-60 seconds – means that feed is always fresh and mimics the horse’s natural diet
¨ Vegetarian Society Approved – no animal by products or hidden ‘nasties’
¨ Made from high quality Non GM ingredients in a drug free mill
¨ Much higher fibre content than traditional high fibre cubes/pellets
¨ Molasses, cereal and alfalfa free – suitable for horses with intolerances
¨ Very low starch and sugar content
¨ Contains a full range of vitamins & minerals – no need for additional supplements/balancers
¨ Contains yeast for digestive health as well as mint and garlic that act as natural prebiotics
¨ Mint and fenugreek for added palatability
¨ Can be fed on its own or with other feedstuffs
¨ Can be used as a hay/haylage replacer or to make hay last longer


Is Fast Fibre suitable for my horse?

Good doers/natives – Yes, Fast Fibre is low calorie but still contains all the vitamins and minerals your horse needs and is more palatable than a chaff.

Poor doers and horses that need to gain weight – Yes, although Fast Fibre is low calorie it can be fed in quite large quantities if necessary to boost calorie intake. It is also very palatable and fibre is an excellent source of slow release energy that is very effective at putting on weight and condition.

Fussy feeders – Yes, Fast Fibre contains mint, garlic and also fenugreek, an appetite stimulant to make it extremely palatable.

Fizzy or excitable horses/ponies – Yes, Fast Fibre is cereal and molasses free, ingredients which can often lead to fizzy behaviour. The starch and sugar content is very low and instead the energy it provides comes from the high fibre content which supplies the horse with slow release (stamina) energy which is less likely to cause fizzy/excitable behaviour.

Horses & ponies at rest or in light work – Yes, as Fast Fibre is a low energy feed it is ideal for horses in light work or those at rest and due to it being cereal and molasses free is less likely to cause excitable behaviour.

Competition horses – Yes, often competition horses tend to receive diets that are low in fibre but high in starch, feeding Fast Fibre can help to boost the fibre intake and keep the digestive system healthy.

Horses & ponies prone to laminitis or Cushing’s and Equine Metabolic Syndrome sufferers – Yes, being molasses and cereal free Fast Fibre is very low in starch and sugar but high in fibre and provides all the vitamins and minerals your horse needs.

Horses prone to tying up/equine rhabdomyolysis syndrome/ polysaccharide storage myopathy – Yes, Fast Fibre is cereal and molasses free making it very low in starch and sugar and high in fibre.

Horses with gastric ulcers/prone to digestive upsets – Yes, a high fibre diet is very important in these cases to keep the digestive system healthy.

Older horses or those with dental problems – Yes, Fast Fibre will form a soft, palatable mash that requires very little chewing. Fast Fibre can be used to top up fibre intake or as a hay replacer if necessary in horses that can no longer manage hay/haylage/grass.

Horses and ponies with liver problems – Yes, these types of horses need a diet that is low in protein and fat (oil). Fast Fibre has a low protein content of 8% and is also low in oil.

Horses on box rest – Yes, Fast Fibre is low calorie and will not provide your horse with too much energy while he cannot exercise. Fast Fibre also contains all the vitamins and minerals your horse needs and is very palatable and ideal for mixing medication into.

Youngsters – Yes, Fast Fibre is ideal for native types and good doers who do not require a high powered stud feed, Fast Fibre can also be fed alongside stud and youngstock feeds to boost fibre intake.

Donkeys – Yes, its high fibre, low starch content makes Fast Fibre ideal for donkeys.

[rummi]

Thanks for that - looks interesting. I'm guessing that the vitamins and minerals may not be at high enough levels unless you feed quite a lot (like most feeds!).

I may stick with my alphabeet though as it soaks up to 4 times its volume so i get more bulk per 20kg bag, and I live to add my rosehips and seaweed. I think if i used it I'd still add my mag ox, rosehips and seaweed.

Does look good though - I may be tempted to try it if my local feed merchant can get some for me........

thought I'd look at the alfa beet analysis for comparison:

Typical analysis (%) ‘as fed’
Protein 15
Oil 3
Crude Fibre 21
Ash (Minerals) 10
Digestible Energy 10.5 MJ/kg

So..........alphabeet is much higher in protein, lower in fibre, higher in energy, and higher in oil!

Hmmmm.........Fast fibre anyone?!!!! Think I'll give it a try!

(is it me, or did I just talk my way into this???!!!)

[Susan]

The one major issue I have is the garlic..I stopped using that years back as it caused blood count problems to be wrong..and a lot of evidence to prove that, shame as the rest of it seems so helpful.When will feed companies learn about garlic.

Lucyloo just started it and wanted to know about it..

[rummi]

oh, missed that....grrrr!

Knew it was too good to be true!

[fin]

Lol, they were really good and got back to me this morning with the same analysis--so 10/10 for service!!

Actually it does look good, and at 7% sugar and starch it's pretty good. THe only thing that would put me off is the garlic too--but I suspect that D&H Safe and Sound (12% sugar/starch, so a bit high) may also contain garlic At any rate I've been getting away with feeding that in small quantities of about half a kilo a day, so I am actually tempted to try the Fast Fibre...it'll be a change if nothing else and if JJ doesn't get on with it, then at least H will eat it. But we'll see.

Wonder if they could be persuaded to remove the garlic?

ETA have emailed them querying the garlic. Certain other feed companies I've politely questioned on issues like this have got very defensive and stroppy so it'll be interesting to see how these guys react

[dingbat]

Yes the garlic isnt ideal as i dont feed it.
Also the
'Yeast - supplies a natural bio-available source of vitamins'
i'd like to know what yeast? i queried their 'L' mix with Jackie (Taylor) a while back, who said she doesnt advise the use of A&P feeds because they use the wrong type (can never remember pre or pro and which is the good/bad one) of yeast.

[fin]

Buggger, forgot about that.

ETA--they are now 'looking into' the garlic issue. Well!

OK. WHo wants to ask the poor devils about the yeast?

[rummi]

I'd guess the yeast is Brewer's Yeast:

Brewers Yeast is the perfect natural source of a wide range of B vitamins, It has long been a favourite of horse keepers. Brewers Yeast is effective against the effects of stress, behavioural problems, anxiety, mareishness and travel stress. Its high quality amino acids encourage a healthy population of gut flora, ensuring better hindgut digestion. It also provides copper and zinc, and is particularly useful for hard working horses, lactating mares, anxious and problem horses.

It can help to improve feed palatability and aid in improved digestion of fibre in the horses diet. As it is high in Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), it can help to calm nervous & highly strung horses.

Helps to gain Weight: Brewers yeast increases fibre digestion, which simply means that a horse should be able to get more out of the fibre it eats. If the fibre is making a greater contribution to the horse's requirements, then less concentrates should be required, which is ideal for any horses that are prone to digestive upsets or over-excitable behaviour.

Feeding guidelines: 5 to 15 grams daily

I'm hoping the amount of garlic is quite small - I'm going to ask at my feed merchant tomorrow if they have it.,.,.......

[fin]

There are lots of different sorts of yeast tho. If it is brewer's yeast, that's not as useful as a live yeast like Yea-Sacc, but it is still safe to feed. I'd like to know for sure though!

Actually tho Brewer's Yeast isn't that high in vits or copper and zinc--it does contain them, yes, but having looked at a human BY supplement 100g of the stuff barely contained the RDA for a human being, let alone a horse--and 15g of the stuff arguably wouldn't contribute a significant nutritional benefit at all to a horse. I don't know what the RDAs are for horses in terms of B vits, and I'm not sure anyone does--they're manufactured in the hind gut usually. Having said all that I suppose anything is better than nothing and there's yeast and yeast I guess

I'm in two minds about the feed....not sure whether to try it or not!

[dingbat]

PMSL - Finn u r hated by most feed companies so you might as well upset this one an ask about the yeast?!

there is something on the metabolic group about it and i contributed and hoped Jackie would answer, but she hasnt yet.

its ok if its the right type of yeast (no matter what it is) although being dim i am yet to remember which type the right type is!

[dingbat]

Ah - ok, found an old post where she said - A&P contain probiotics.