Question
Can feed tags be used to compare different horse feeds? Do feed manufacturers purposely write them to be confusing to horse owners?
Answer
Yes, feed tags can be used to compare different feed products, and yes, they can be confusing. Government regulations mandate that feed tags are attached to all feed bags to reduce the incidence of fraud. Each state is responsible for monitoring tagging systems for all products sold in the state.
Over the last several years, feed tag regulations have been redefined and therefore have become more useful to consumers. Feed tags must contain the name of the product and a purpose statement, two pieces of information which should give the purchaser a clear understanding of the type of animal for which the feed is intended. All tags must list a guaranteed analysis for the following nutrients: crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, selenium and vitamin A. Not long ago, feed tags were only required to list values for protein, fat and fiber. Feed tags must also include an ingredient list.
Ingredients should be listed in order of highest concentration to lowest concentration. Ingredient lists can be written in one of two ways, depending upon the state in which the feed is manufactured. First, individual terms can be used. If oats, barley and corn are ingredients in a feed, for example, each would be listed separately. Alternatively, collective terms can be used. In this instance, oats, barley and corn could be collectively referred to as “grain products” with no mention of them individually. Finally, a feed tag is required to list feeding instructions.
From a practical standpoint, a feed tag will generally explain what class of horse the feed is intended. For example, a tag may state a feed is “for maintenance of mature horses.” The guaranteed analysis tells the nutrient profile of the feed but does not indicate the quality of those nutrients.
The ingredient list does tell the different feedstuff components used in the formulation but will not tell the absolute amounts of those ingredients. Further, if a state requires only collective terms, a consumer may never determine the exact ingredients. More often than not, simple feeding recommendations are given with very little explanation or detail. If a horse is not being fed the amount recommended by the manufacturer, the feed may not be appropriate for that horse.
