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FEEDING SEparatING thE ChaFF From thE ChaFF!Q I know that there are many specialist forage replacers on the market but, broadly

speaking, is basic chaff the same, regardless of manufacturer, or are there good reasons as to why the prices seem to vary so dramatically from brand to brand?

Clare MacLeodMSc RNutr is an independent equine

nutritionist, visit www.equinenutritionist.co.ukAll chaffs are definitely not the same – and they can vary widely in nutrient content. Firstly, molassed straw chaffs shouldn’t be used as forage replacers because they’re too high in sugar and low in other nutrients for this. Such chaffs, in my opinion, are only useful for masking unpalatable supplements and drugs.

Forage replacers such as Dengie Hi-Fi Lite, Dodson & Horrell Fibergy and TopSpec TopChop Lite are formulated using quick-dried alfalfa or grass as well as straw, so these more closely resemble hay than molassed chaff, and can be fed instead of hay, grass or haylage. They need to be balanced with vitamins and minerals from a compound feed or supplement.

Other chaffs – not necessarily more expensive – are really low energy compound feeds, similar in nutrient supply to pony nuts,

because they’re balanced with a vitamin and mineral pellet that may also contain some good quality protein. Examples are Spillers Happy Hoof and Dengie Good Doer. Some of these compound chaffs are true ‘complete feeds’ and can be fed instead of forage. As for all compound feeds, if you give less than the recommended amount, you need to add a vitamin and mineral supplement to balance the diet.

Plain grass and alfalfa chaffs such as Readigrass, Dengie Unmolassed Alfalfa

and TopSpec TopChop Alfalfa are useful natural products that can be fed in small quantities to good doers to mix supplements and in larger quantities to working horses or poor doers as a source of energy and other nutrients.

Ensure your chaff manufacturer takes care with the straw they select because poor quality straw can be masked with plenty of molasses and mould inhibitors in molassed chaffs. Call them up and ask if in any doubt.

All chaffs are definitely not

the same