"Substantial progress has been made establishing minimum nutrient requirements of horses; however we are only now beginning to better understand the metabolic burden arising from excessive supplementation of individual nutrients."

Frank Gravlee, DVM, MS, CNS
Founder of Life Data Labs, Inc.

The Challenge

The challenge of the Life Data Labs Barn Bag^® is to create a superior equine diet which provides the correct amounts and ratios of nutrients for a group of horses doing the same kind of work while utilizing the local grain and hay for economics. The Barn Bag^® meets this challenge.

Research on Balancing Equine Diets

Research conducted by Frank Gravlee, DVM, MS, CNS utilizing blood analysis on hundreds of horses has provided the basis for balancing equine diets. These diets were originally designed to provide the building blocks for tissue, organ health, and optimal performance. The results of these studies led to the development of Farrier's Formula^® and have now been applied to the Barn Bag^®

Dr. Gravlee continues his research using a state of the art blood work laboratory, a Thoroughbred research farm, automated ISO 9001 manufacturing facility, and proprietary databases for dietary balancing.

The Balancing Problem...Created by Compounded Feeds

The Balancing Problem

Energy needs vary widely between individuals and must be addressed separately from other nutrient requirements. Nutrient requirements should not be fulfilled by a fixed percentage of the amount of feed the horse consumes. With compounded feeds the added nutrients (proteins, minerals, vitamins, salt, etc.) are force fed into the horse at indiscriminate amounts in order to meet the energy requirements and to maintain body weight.

... Created by Compounded Feeds

Increasing or decreasing a compounded feed based on weight maintenance of the horse cannot provide the required nutrients at the low feeding levels without over-supplementation of the nutrients at the higher feeding levels.

Excessive supplementation of any nutrient, even if the nutrient is not toxic, requires metabolic and organ functions in order to eliminate the nutrient from the body. This is a waste of valuable resources whether in the form of enzyme activity, energy, or organ usage such as the kidneys.

Inadequate Supplementation of Nutrients

 Inadequate supplementation of nutrients unrelated to energy often results from low consumption levels of compounded feed. This can occur with a voluntary decrease in feed intake due to illness, injury, etc.; or with the caretaker's feeding restriction for the control of obesity, metabolic syndrome, etc.

Probably, the most perplexing example of the problem of linking energy with the other nutrients is how to manage the diet of a highly conditioned horse on idle days or injury lay-up days. There is a risk of tying-up if complete feed is continued at high levels. If the feed is reduced, there is a risk of creating a nutrient deficiency. It is an advantage to have the capability to adjust caloric intake to meet the horse's energy needs without affecting the basic nutrients.

The Balancing Solution...the Barn Bag^® Ration Balancer Feed Concentrate

Barn Bag^® provides balanced nutrition when fed with pasture, hay, and whole oats

Grass hay or pasture should be considered the basic diet for the horse. The demands of additional work, along with less grazing time, require the addition of concentrated energy and other nutrients into the diet. Oats are the best solution for this purpose. Our research and experience substantiates the combination of grass hay and oats require the least amount of supplementation to balance the diet. Oats provide the best grain foundation to be added to the diet balancing pellets because of their energy content, palatability, amino acid content, starch digestibility, fatty acid ratio, calcium to phosphorus ratio, and lower phytate content. Oats are an exceptionally good source of energy because the nutrients contained in oats are efficiently utilized in the production and burning of calories.

Hay provides bulk, oats provide energy, and the Barn Bag^® provides nutrients

The demands of additional work, along with less grazing time, require the addition of concentrated energy and other nutrients into the diet. Oats are the best solution for this purpose. Our research and experience substantiates the combination of grass hay and oats require the least amount of supplementation to balance the diet. Oats provide the best grain foundation to be added to the diet balancing pellets because of their palatability, amino acid content, starch digestibility, fatty acid ratio, calcium to phosphorus ratio, and lower phytate content. Oats are a good source of energy because the nutrients contained in oats are efficiently utilized in the production and burning of calories.

Salt

Salt should be given separately, usually free choice. Giving a salt and mineral mixture such as a mineral block forces excessive mineral intake. Hay provides the bulk, oats provide the energy, and the Barn Bag^® pellets provide the nutrition.

BARN BAG^® RATION BALANCER ADVANTAGES

(1) Most Horses will Require Less Feed due to Increased Feed Efficiency

(2) Balanced nutrition translates to high digestibility and lower by-products in the fecal matter and urine

• Less fecal matter and urine output
• Reduces the labor required to maintain the stalls
• Reduces bedding expenses and the space that must be dedicated to disposal of the used bedding and feces
• Creates a cleaner facility thereby reducing insect annoyance and the ability of flies to propagate

(3) Balanced Nutrition Increases Bone and Connective Tissue Strength, Leading to:

• Healthier bones and joints
• Improved hoof quality
• Glossy hair coat

(4) Compounded feeds can contain ingredients that cake together thereby creating feed delivery problems from storage bins, messy residue in feed troughs, and insect or rodent attraction

(5) Whole grains such as oats are clean and easily administered in a feeding program, have excellent flow characteristics and therefore cleaner equipment. Due to the palatability and ease of consumption the horse rarely leaves residual oats in the feeding bucket

(6) Whole grain feeding requires the horse to use the teeth as a grinder which not only helps to maintain proper dental health and reduce dental spurs, but also improves feed digestibility by stimulating salivation and salivary mixing with the grain

(7) The Barn Bag^® pellets are fed based on nutrient requirements that are independent to energy requirements, thereby preventing nutrient deficiencies or nutrient excesses

(8) The caretaker has the tool to dramatically vary the caloric intake - reducing calories for obesity control, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, or increasing calories for work, hard keepers, cold weather, etc. while at the same time providing optimal nutrition with the Barn Bag^® Pelleted Feed Concentrate