Hi-Fi Good Doer contains a higher proportion of straw than Hi-Fi Lite which helps to reduce the energy value slightly. It also contains added spearmint oil and some added nutrients that tend to be missing from the diet when access to fresh pasture is restricted such as selenium and copper. Hi-Fi Good Doer can be particularly useful for those who can be fussy or if you are trying to hide medication. If you aren’t feeding a balancer or supplement then Hi-Fi Good Doer would also be the best feed to use.
Levels of B vitamins vary because there are few recognised or published levels for horses – biotin is the exception to this in that it is generally accepted that 15-20mg improves the rate of hoof growth and possibly quality of hoof horn too. Some feeds contain what might be referred to as a maintenance level of biotin which could be around 2mg to 3mg per day. The levels of other B vitamins included is really down to the individual nutritionist to decide on.
Straw can be a really useful feed material for good doers as it provides “chew-time” without too many calories. In the study by Luthersson and colleagues, they also found that when straw was the sole source of forage it increased the incidence of ulcers. However, the important part of this finding was that straw was the only type of forage fed. There is no reason why straw can’t be used alongside other forages such as alfalfa and grass hay to increase fibre intake for good doers. Feeds such as Hi-Fi Lite or Hi-Fi Molasses Free would therefore be suitable options for your horse.
With regard to protein intake, it’s most definitely a case of low protein but not no protein as protein is needed as part of the immune system, hormones and building tissues such as muscle. Although the level of protein in pure alfalfa horse feeds often looks high and deters people from using it, it is important to consider that a large Stubbs scoop only holds 400grams of Alfa-A Oil so the actual amount of protein supplied is not excessive by any means. Given that alfalfa is so low in sugar and starch naturally, it is a really useful way to help horses maintain their weight, particularly those with a history of laminitis. Therefore, feeds such as Alfa-A Oil are suitable when used in moderation for your horse.