Lone Star vs Purina Show Chow...

Hello all. First post.

I am getting my first EA in about a week. She's a two year old doe who a friend of mine can no longer care for. I talked to the breeder of the doe and she said that she feeds Purina Show Chow. I went to the feed store and all they had were 50lb bags of the Purina, and I dont need that much feed for one indoor rabbit.

However they had something called Rabbit Star by Lone Star Feeds. It's also an 18% protein, 3% fat feed, but I'm concerned about the ingredients.

What do you all think of this ingredient list. Does it look like a lot of 'fillers'?

Welcome to RabbitTalk, ColtonRyan! :welcomewagon:

We generally say to look at the first five ingredients. Here are the first five of the Purina feed (http://www.rabbit.purinamills.com/produ ... 19046.aspx):

Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Wheat Middlings, Ground Soybean Hulls, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Wheat Flour

Click to expand...

And of the Lone Star:

Forage products, processed grain by-products, plant protein products, roughage products, cane molasses

Click to expand...

I'd go with the Purina, if possible. This is why:

1. The Lone Star has molasses in the top 5. True, it is ingredient #6 in the Purina feed, but there would seem to be more in the Lone Star.
2. All of these ingredients that say "products" are not saying what they really are. This allows the manufacturer to change the actual ingredients based on what is cheapest, without having to change the label. You could feed Lone Star for a few months, and then it could suddenly be almost a completely different feed, but you would never know. Rabbits often do not take feed changes well. The Purina allows for a lot less wiggle room in the ingredients.

(As an added bonus, the Purina includes yucca extract, which helps tone down the urine smell.)

The Purina Show is available only in 50 pound bags, as you saw. I have a lionhead that takes 18% protein feed, while all my other rabbits take 16%. I just divide the bag up among a bunch of gallon ziplocs and freeze it... but I do have a big chest freezer.

Hello, Colton!

:welcomewagon:

Welcome to RabbitTalk!

ColtonRyan":3c1rbpn6 said:

I dont need that much feed for one indoor rabbit.

Click to expand...

Simple solution... get more rabbits. :twisted:

Miss M":o2vl9ysc said:

Welcome to RabbitTalk, ColtonRyan! :welcomewagon:

I just divide the bag up among a bunch of gallon ziplocs and freeze it... but I do have a big chest freezer.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

Thats the problem. I dont have a large chest freezer, and no other place to store it. I could keep it inside the house, in a large tote like we do with our dog food, but even then it would take me a year to go through a 50lb bag with only one rabbit!

I'd love to have more than one, and I may end up with two, but since we live in humid, hot, and hell-like Houston they have to live inside year round. But I'm not going to jump off and get knee deep in rabbits that I cannot properly care for. I'll keep this one for a few months and see how things go - and then I'll think about adding another.

I may ask my sister in law to keep some frozen feed in her chest freezer though. Hmmmm......

MamaSheepdog":tf8mzp5m said:

ColtonRyan":tf8mzp5m said:

I dont need that much feed for one indoor rabbit.

Click to expand...

Simple solution... get more rabbits. :twisted:

Click to expand...

WOW! Poor new guy comes along asking a question and you start in with the spread of Rabbitosis Aquireosis already. (just a little fun with her Colton)

Miss M is right (so is MamaSheepdog but don't tell her) about Lone Start's labeling that allows them to change their formula on a whim and it really isn't good for your rabbit...and like was said already, Welcome to our rabbit hole.

Homer":i8oo9a7w said:

WOW! Poor new guy comes along asking a question and you start in with the spread of Rabbitosis Aquireosis already. (just a little fun with her Colton)

Miss M is right (so is MamaSheepdog but don't tell her) about Lone Start's labeling that allows them to change their formula on a whim and it really isn't good for your rabbit...and like was said already, Welcome to our rabbit hole.

Click to expand...

LOL! Trust me, she doesn't have to talk me into Rabbitosis Aquireosis - I've been infected with it already - along with cameraosis aquireosis, poultryosis aquireosis, canineosis aquireosis, yarnosis aquireosis, and probably a few other aquireosis's that I haven't admitted the problem of yet too!

ColtonRyan":2cqt5dbt said:

LOL! Trust me, she doesn't have to talk me into Rabbitosis Aquireosis - I've been infected with it already - along with cameraosis aquireosis, poultryosis aquireosis, canineosis aquireosis, yarnosis aquireosis, and probably a few other aquireosis's that I haven't admitted the problem of yet too!

Click to expand...

Oh my! This sounds serious, you better read this thread ASAP. http://rabbittalk.com/new-12-step-program-t8050.html

I'm also in the ant pile better known as Houston and raise Rex.

I've been feeding the 18% Lone Star for the last year and a half and had no issues with it. Prior to that I was feeding Mana Pro Select and the overall condition of my rabbits has improved with the switch .
The reason I made the switch is the mana pro was very inconsistent and often had large lumps in the feed that were mostly molasses & always had a very strong molasses odor.
I haven't had these issues with Lone Star and it seems to be a very consistent product.

There is also a significant cost difference , $14.50 for Lone Star and $19.99 for Mana Pro.


If you aren't wanting to buy 50lbs at a time .... You could always go with the stuff they sell at petmart/petco in 10lb bags but it is a lot more expensive.

Seeing "products" and "byproducts" it is usually best to avoid the feed. Not always though and lone star is known for quality livestock feed in other areas such as poultry. It's just that you have no idea what leftover junk has gone into those ingredients and they can change what makes up the ingredient at will. Some people have had rabbits do fine with that but most prefer a more stable ingredients list so things are named.

The purina isn't wonderful either though. Wheat middlings and ground soybean hulls aren't very digestible and mostly serve as fiber so while I don't mind seeing them I would rather they were below some ground, meal, or whole grains. The alfalfa meal, soybean meal, and wheat flour are where your top digestible ingredients are coming from.

Ramjet":4sjoic74 said:

There is also a significant cost difference , $14.50 for Lone Star and $19.99 for Mana Pro.


If you aren't wanting to buy 50lbs at a time .... You could always go with the stuff they sell at petmart/petco in 10lb bags but it is a lot more expensive.

Click to expand...

I ended up buying a 10lb bag of Lone Star for $5.39 I think.

I thought about the stuff from Petsmart, buy I'm always leery of that Kaytee or Hartz, or those other commercial lines.

I really just want a nice, well rounded, healthy feed that will be good for fiber production.

Ramjet":1xluk5lm said:

I've been feeding the 18% Lone Star for the last year and a half and had no issues with it. Prior to that I was feeding Mana Pro Select and the overall condition of my rabbits has improved with the switch .
The reason I made the switch is the mana pro was very inconsistent and often had large lumps in the feed that were mostly molasses & always had a very strong molasses odor.
I haven't had these issues with Lone Star and it seems to be a very consistent product.

Click to expand...

akane":1xluk5lm said:

Not always though and lone star is known for quality livestock feed in other areas such as poultry.

Click to expand...

Good to know!

ColtonRyan":1xluk5lm said:

I ended up buying a 10lb bag of Lone Star for $5.39 I think.

Click to expand...

Hopefully, it will work out just fine for your new bun! Remember to get some Purina from the current owner, and switch the rabbit over slowly, at least a week.

I had problems with inconsistency in manna pro (corn when it wasn't supposed to be there, and once or twice, even mold.)
My buns actually have done better on purina since last spring when I switched, I think, even though I was reluctant to try it because the ingredient list isn't as good.
I've had no kits with weaning enteritis (unless you count the v-lop, but I feel there is a genetic problem there and do not suspect the feed)

Whatever you decide long run, make to to make feed changes as gradual as you can, because a sudden feed change or new food introduced into the diet can be dangerous for some rabbits.