SANE FEEDING DURING CRAZY TIMES 

SANE FEEDING DURING CRAZY TIMES   We’re into the cold months now, and it looks like this winter will be tough. Hay is in short supply, the quality is questionable, and the supply chain for everything from soup to nuts to farm needs is breaking down. Prices are going up and some items aren’t on the shelves. Trucking is chaotic and ingredients aren’t available. Let’s stop for a moment and take a deep breath. My intent is not to send you to the feed store in a panic to stock up. There are several reasons why that is not a good idea. Instead, we’ll look at some of the factors that affect the supply chain, we’ll look at the local hay situation, and we’ll discuss alternatives to help you maintain your horses and keep them healthy without sacrificing your retirement. Let’s start with the availability of ingredients. It probably didn’t hit your radar that there is a shortage of flaxseed this year. You’re more likely to hear about sunflower, corn, or wheat. It’s easy to understand the effect of those shortages because we hear stories in the news. But what about lesser- known products such as flaxseed? Flax is an ingredient in many feeds, it produces a high fat oil, and is a stand-alone fat supplement as well. Because of the shortage, some products won’t be available this year. Feeds that contain flax will increase in price. You will see this in human products too. What causes a decrease in crops? It can be weather (too hot/cold/wet/dry, storms, wind) or a failure of the seed to germinate. Another component is the increased demand for consumption by humans and the increased difficulty of getting seed. Flaxseed is not the only ingredient that goes through this cycle. Corn can be devastated by a strong windstorm during a tender developmental stage; wheat and oat yields are severely affected by drought. Every crop has a season and a range of tolerance, and if conditions aren’t close to that, crops will suffer a degree of failure. Failed crops mean less product. What does this mean to your horse? If you’re relying on flax as an added source of calories, you’ll likely need to consider other sources. Start looking now so that you don’t have to make a sudden change when you can no longer get flax. If your feed contains flax, expect the price to increase. The feed companies are having unique challenges this year. Among these are the lack of employees due to COVID restrictions, illness, and worker loss. (Did you know that 4.3 million people quit their jobs in August?) Feed is a manufacturing business, and fewer people on the workroom floor means that less product gets made, no matter how automated the process. People are needed to test ingredients, do quality control, and input data to make sure that the proper product goes to the proper retail store. People are needed to forecast future production and to source the ingredients. Although we rely heavily on computers for number crunching, mixing ingredients, and many other manufacturing functions, it all starts with human input. People are needed to pick orders, run the forklifts that load trucks, and drive those trucks to your local feed store. More people unload trucks, stack bags, and load them into your vehicle. We all know that there is a shortage of truck drivers. We all know too that many businesses are short-handed. If your feedstore has people to assist you, give them a big thank-you. And if you know any farmers, give them a huge thank-you too! Let’s shift our focus and talk about hay. If you were able to get and store you need for the winter, you are very fortunate. Now take a sample to your feed store and get it analyzed, so that you know its nutrient value in case you need to make other changes in your horse’s diet. If you don’t have all that you need, you already know that it is going to be a tough year. First we had a drought, then too much rain. Production in southern parts of the state was way down, the quality isn’t that great, and it’s expensive. Farms in Canada that help to supply Maine feed stores are already falling short. Hopefully you will be able to get hay all winter, but it will likely come from several suppliers. In this case, having your hay analyzed won’t be helpful if it’s coming from different farms every week. Okay, enough doom and gloom. I’m not saying that we will run out of feed, suffer biblical floods or a zombie apocalypse. Whatever happens, we’ll get through. What can you do? First, be knowledgeable. Start in your feed room and know what your horse is eating, and how much (POUNDS, not coffee cans!) Save a bag tag or an empty bag so you have the nutritional information and ingredients and the proper feed name. This is a good time to evaluate why you use that product. Is it the protein level? The fat content? The fact that it is low NSC? What is the most important thing to you about this feed? Next, have a back-up plan. If you can’t get your feed, will you try to find a similar product? Will you switch your horse to a diet that is mostly forage and add a ration balancer? This is where your feed store can help you. Talk with them about products that are similar to what you feed. If you are looking for a high-fat feed, ask about additives such as oil. If low NSCs are your concern, ask them to help you compare products. Many feed stores carry more than one line of feed so they can help you find a substitute. Remember that you must know the name of what you are feeding now, and you must know how much in pounds (NOT coffee cans!) Do your research and find replacements before you need them. You