The primary difference is the quality of grain, i.e., nutrient content of the specific load of grain used in the formulation, the processing of the mix, and the addition of supplemental vitamin, minerals, and additives. Processing of certain grains (rolling, flaking, extruding, etc.) adds 5 to 15% to the digestibility of the feed. Additionally, the feed tag on the more expensive feed will indicate that calcium and phosphorous have been added at appropriate levels (0.4 to 0.6 calcium and 0.25 to 0.35 phosphorus) and that minor minerals and vitamins have also been added. When you look at the feed tag on the cheaper all-grain feeds, most do not include vitamins, minerals, etc. If you choose the lower-cost feed, you will need to supplement with vitamins and minerals. The quality of the feed is more critical for young growing horses than for mature horse. It is important to have a balanced feed for all classes of horses. For more information, you may want to go through the self-learning unit on equine nutrition.

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