Pellet Brands

[PulpFaction]

What do you all like as far as pellets?

Our options up here so far are Nutrena, Purina and Manna Pro, or an absolutely HORRIBLE local blend.

We may be able to get enough folks together to utilize a pallet shipment if we can agree on a brand. What do you all like and recommend?

 

[rabbitgeek]

I like Purina.
See my standard blurb on feed
post1981.html?hilit=purina#p1981

Have a good day!

 

[DevonW]

I use Floradale 17% which is absolutely wonderful the pellets specially formulated providing optimum nutrient absorption and utilization. The feed also contain natural ingredients for drug-free mycotoxin control. Although I'm pretty sure it's only available in Ontario.

I've had the worst experience with Purina (although ours is waay different then yours). Pretty much anything milled by Master Feeds has been a no go with my rabbits (they're picky about what they eat). And every time I've used a brand milled by them I've had a problem.

I did use PenPals at Mini Rex Nationals and holy moley my rabbits LOVED it. I also used Tiz Whiz before TSC stopped bringing it up my rabbits just glowed on that (and I didn't mind paying the $17.00 a bag for it, especially when my rabbits were glowing with condition.)

 

[billylilwigeon]

I'm using Manna Pro Sho formula with all my rabbits right now, and they seem to be putting on weight and balance nicely. They're eating it consistently, too.

If I ever switch to another brand, it will be my second choice, Purina AdvantEdge Professional formula.

As for being in Alaska, I feel for you on that one after having lived there for 6 years, but I'd honestly go with the best brand which I could get readily and consistently, otherwise you'll find yourself going thru switchovers on a routine basis and even having to make do with brands which you know your rabbits don't tend to do as well with. And if you routinely go thru 2 50-lb bags in a month, get an extra bag each trip to the store during winter. At that point, I'm sure I'm telling you something you already know, right?

 

[pastelsummer]

i use purina professional in the black bag mine are doing awesome on it they have gone from coarse hair and OK weight to awesome everything. And they are sooooo soft now

 

[randtrabbitry]

Right know i use heath and sons 17%. I really wanted to switch but my friend talked me out of it. Ive never tried a different brand so i cant tell you how well it works against other brand. But its cheaper then Purina but not the cheapest on the market. Its got cheese and other milk produce in its mix so no need for calf mana. At least that what i think. And im not sure if its a local brand or not.

 

[avdpas77]

Right know i use heath and sons 17%. I really wanted to switch but my friend talked me out of it. Ive never tried a different brand so i cant tell you how well it works against other brand. But its cheaper then Purina but not the cheapest on the market. Its got cheese and other milk produce in its mix so no need for calf mana. At least that what i think. And im not sure if its a local brand or not.

Feeds with animal fats in them are sometimes dangerous. When problems arrive due to a bad pellet it is almost always due to rancid animal fat. Personally I will not feed a pellet that contains animal fat if I can help it. In the US, a feed must contain only what is on the tag. It is illegal to sell any feed that differs in ingredients from the tag. While Canadian regulations are often better than those in the US, that does not appear to apply with feed. From what I understand a tag on Canadian feeds, is only a "general recipe". Calf manna does not contain animal fat. (at least in the US)

Calf Manna ingredients;

Soybean meal, corn, hominy feed, feeding oatmeal, dried whey, dehydrated alfalfa meal, linseed meal, brewer’s dried yeast, vegetable oil, fenugreek seed, anise oil, calcium carbonate, monocalcium phosphate, Dicalcium phosphate, salt, sulfur, iron oxide, ferrous carbonate, ferrous sulfate, copper oxide, copper sulfate, Manganous oxide, zinc oxide, sodium selenite, cobalt carbonate, calcium iodate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, Choline chloride, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium pantothenate, pyridonxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, biotin, calcium propionate

I feed Purina, I have tested it against Calf Manna Pro rabbit feed, and did not notice a difference except that my rabbits preferred the Purina. I feed the "green" or "complete" which is a 16% feed. They make several others. I suspect there may be better feeds on the market if one was raising show rabbits or something "high tier". It is a good feed, but the main reason I like it is because it is available most any place in the US, and is the same formula from every manufacturing location. The Zils I go from Southern Arizonia were fed Purina, and when I fed them here there was no "slack off" with the product manufactured in St Louis (that we get here) I now buy my feed at TSC, and I know from the mill location (number) on the tag, that it does not always come from the same mill. My rabbits never have any problem. I have, on occasion, feed other feeds, and there was always an adjustment period when changing. I would feed a different feed, if I could find one that did as well. Purina is not the cheapest feed in the world, although there are more expensive. As I understand it, there is a private label feed in Southern Missouri that is a good feed and several dollars a bag cheaper. They don't sell it here or I would try it.

 

[truebroodgenetics]

i use purina professional in the black bag mine are doing awesome on it they have gone from coarse hair and OK weight to awesome everything. And they are sooooo soft now

I agree. I also use Purina Professional, and all of my rabbits have fabulous coats, and do great on it.

 

[billylilwigeon]

i use purina professional in the black bag mine are doing awesome on it they have gone from coarse hair and OK weight to awesome everything. And they are sooooo soft now

I agree. I also use Purina Professional, and all of my rabbits have fabulous coats, and do great on it.

It was a very tough decision, one which I mulled over for quite some time before finally squaring on one, but like I posted before, if I ever decide that Manna Pro Sho isn't cutting it for me, Purina Professional is what I will switch to.

Of course, all of that is out the window if/when a store down here ever begins to stock Farmer's Pellet Mills "Oren" Rabbit feed. It's the formula that Oren Reynolds developed and had the company mill for him when he was alive, and many of the breeders in IL began buying it along the way. I bought a bag from the guy I bought my rabbits from in IL while I was up there, and that stuff is fantastic. It took me less than a month to go thru that bag with 7 rabbits.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Dried whey is a product of cheese which is made with milk/cream, so technically Calf Manna does have milk product. The feed tag on our Canadian pellets is just the list of protein fat etc. percentage, you have to call the company for the actual list and yes the law here does state whats on the label must match whats in the bag. I also believe it is illegal now to add certain parts of rendered animals to vegetarian feed. In other words you can't put rendered cow brain in chicken feed for example.

 

[billylilwigeon]

It's not surprising, Devon. One of the culprits listed as the cause for the breakout of mad cow disease was the inclusion of animal by-products in feeds of farm animals IIRC.

 

[reetblak]

Feed of animal fats are sometimes dangerous. When problems arrive because of poor pellet is almost always due to the rancid animal fat. Personally I do not want to feed the pellet, which contains animal fat, if I can help it.

 

[akane]

I'm still tweaking my feed to get what I want for each rabbit. The rabbits did alright on nutrena but now we are feeding kent top show family. Lower fat and higher protein which I'm hoping works out well for kits and pregnant does without making the bucks and nonbreeding does fat.
protien: 17.0%
Fat: 2.5%
fiber: min-16.0% max-18.0%
http://www.somethinjumpinrabbits.com/ra ... arison.htm

With unlimited grass hay for bucks and some clover mix hay for kits and pregnant/lactating does. Then we give a small amount of black oil sunflower seeds to help with coat condition and some straight steel cut barley-amount adjusted for each individual rabbit.

 

[ottersatin]

I like/use an 18% pellet,
whichever feed you choose you will eventually be culling
your rabbits to your feed. A higher protein level feed gives you
more room for feed adjustment. A rabbits belly is only so big,
so this may limit the feed intake level. Your rabbits require
a bit more energy in the colder months to maintain body heat
and condition. You can adjust by feeding a little less feed
to those who have a tendency to over indulge and become pudgy.
Combat this by feeding more grass-hay and a little less feed.
Each rabbit should be fed as an individual, some will require
more or less feed to maintain health and condition.
I do add BOSS and Sweet-feed to their regimen.
All things added to any rabbits diet must be taken into account.
If your rabbits are doing well, eating, breeding and raising their kits
to weaning you must be doing something right.
Stick with whatever works for you. There is no right way or wrong way,
just different ways that work. Not all things work for everyone.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Hey great link! I agree with the 17-18% protein I think the rabbits do way better on it, and I guess its an individual thing for how much fat content is needed for each rabbit.