Why Rising Horse Feed Prices Have Farmers Smiling.
We’ve all noticed the rising price of horse feed. But Juli Thorson put a spin on it that I had really never considered. And it could finally benefit a very deserving class of people: American farmers.But it makes perfect sense. Here’s what she has to say…and why she’s probably right. Read on…
| “As if the wallop to our wallets from high oil costs weren’t enough, now comes another prospective hit to the horse budget.I stopped by a country feed store yesterday to replenish my yearling’s supply of growth-formula horse feed, and remarked on the price increase since my last purchase of the same feed. “Yup,” said the store owner, “most of our feeds just went up in price. The supplier told us that with more grain being used to produce ethanol, feed ingredients have gone up in price.” |
| Seeing as how I don’t want to rush to judgment on the basis of one anecdotal comment, I’d like to know what you’re hearing and experiencing about the cost of horse feed. But I can add that I paid more for hay last summer than I’ve ever paid, due to what the producers had to pay for diesel in order to run their hay-harvest equipment. …Seems like we’re caught in a vicious circle. And that the horse-expense belt will need to tighten yet another notch.” |
No, Juli, it’s not your imagination. I’ve noticed it, too. And it isn’t cheap. But until now I had always put the blame on oil companies who are probably price gouging, or perhaps OPEC who is cutting oil supplies to keep the prices artificially high. But I had never even considered that another unlikely source might benefit: farmers.
It makes sense when you think about it. America has never really taken alternative fuels seriously until now. If we’re going to try to replace petroleum products with ethanol and other grain-based fuels, that transition won’t come easy. Or cheap. But I think it will benefit us in the long run.
Not only that, but if Juli is right, then the American farmer will finally be able to pay his bills and put some cash away for a much-needed and well-deserved retirement for all their under-rewarded hard work. Yes, we’ll have to tighten our horse budget belt another notch, but I don’t mind a bit that farmers are smiling about it. If anyone out there deserves to catch a financial break, it’s them.
Yours for Better Horse Health,
Sierra Lynch
horse horse expenses horse feedTags: Horsekeeping Costs
Hi Sierra,
Just read the article on Rising Feed cost. Good article and brings up some vital points.
Have you never heard of a product called Probiotic? It is very beneficial to not only the budget, but the horse as well.
Another thing a horse owner can do is switch from the complete pelleted feed to a sweet feed made with liquid molasses. The molasses like the probiotic puts enzymes in the gut to break down the feed faster so the horse gets more nutrition from the feed intake. The more nutrition the horse can utilize per unit of grain the less grain it takes to maintain it.Thereby cutting the cost per feeding and lower total feed cost at teh end of the year.
Hope this will help your readers.
Sincerely,
Russell Manary
www.horsebroker.us
R&L Horse Brokerage
Just want to make a correction in my typing to my earlier post, I asked if you never heard of a product called Probiotic. That should have been Have you ever heard of a product called Probiotic.
Just wanted to make that correction.
Thanks
Thanks, Russell for your comment! I’ve heard of probiotics for humans. As I recall, it’s the “good” bacteria found in things like yogurt. They help your digestive tract and can even treat Crohn’s Disease. But I didn’t know it could help horses as well. That’s great.
I really appreciate your comment. Oh, and my dad (Eric) says to tell you hi
Sierra
There are alot of companies incorporating probiotics in thier supplments today. Some companies even add it to the feed they make. Conklin Mfg. makes a straight probiotic that is probably the best product I have used.
You can enhance a horse in so many different areas. You get better feed utilization, better hoof strength, better hair coat, more energy. It is just a really good product tht has an all around purpose.
I had a lady in Kentucky get ahold of me one time and she had baught an 18 year old Arabian Stallion. He was nothin but skin and bone, couldn’t hardly hold his head up. I told her about feeding a probiotic, and to start him out at 2 scoops a day then after 7 days switch to one scoop per day.
On the 7th day she called me and told me she was takeing the stallion off the probiotic. I asked her why. She told me she just watched the stallion drag her husband across the pasture. I told her to take him to one scoop and it would be alright. She wound up breeding her mares with him and throwing some very nice foals out of him. Wasn’t a couple of months after that I went out to look at the stallion and you would not even know it was the same horse. He had good weight, his coat shined like no tomarrow. He was a gorgious Grey.
If you are looking to cut corners on your budget and feed bill, a probiotic is the way to go. Many benifits.
Hope this will help you readers.
Russ
I have a major concern with the higher prices of grain and hay and gas prices. The fact is the continous hikes in the prices are causing owners to put there horses up for sale because they cannot afford to keep them there fore very nice horses are ending up being neglected, taken to auctions and even making it to the killing pens. there are so many people out there trying to save horse but their attempts are not enough because of the prices. people who used to be able to save several horses at one time are limited because the money is not there now. The ball is rolling down hill and there is going to be a major equine (and human) depression in the near future. if the government and the money greeding corporation don’t get there acts strait. Enough is enough they need quit being money hungry and think of everybody as a whole not just themselves. I look on line all the time at different states o land that is for sale . just sitting idle acreas upon acreas. there is no reason that the land can’t be used to make enough to supply every thing from humans to animals. the whole thing with the government paying farmers not to farm too is the dumbest thing on earth. god gave us the land to grow so lets grow. Just a thought, don’t you think that if there was enough grains and food to supply every body at prices people could afford and gas prices that were back under a dollar a gallon, real estate prices where people could afford to buy, there might just be less homeless, less cruelity and neglect, less debt(yes people do use their credit cards just to buy food and gas because the prices are to high), maybe the nation we call the united states could actually look at what is happening here and see we are becoming a third world country. Illnesses are up cause insurance so many can’t afford to go to a doctor, poverty, crime is up. duh i am only one person but i see the whole picture
sorry if i offend any one.