Dengie donated a pallet of feed to Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary in Essex with the help of wholesaler Essex Animal Feeds. Dengie have been working with Remus for over 15 years, offering nutrition advice and evaluating the horse’s diets where needed.
“It means so much that Dengie have helped Remus in this way; with rising costs and concerns about finances through the winter we are so grateful for this additional support from Dengie” says Sue Burton, Founder and Manager of Remus Horse Sanctuary. “We have had a lot of guidance about nutrition from Dengie over the years, working alongside our team and other professionals to plan diets for our horses; it’s been invaluable, especially for those who have come to us in a poor state with some serious dietary concerns”.
Dengie Hi-Fi Molasses Free and Alfa-Beet are fed to the range of different horses, ponies and donkeys that live at Remus, many of which have dietary related issues such as PPID, EMS or poor dentition. This combination of high fibre feeds provides the horses and ponies with a low sugar and starch ration and can easily be eaten by those that struggle to chew. They are all fed a vitamin and mineral supplement alongside to provide them with a balanced diet.
“I have worked with the team at Remus for many years, in fact they were one of the first places I visited when I joined the Dengie Nutrition team” says Tracey Hammond, Nutritionist at Dengie. “For me, beyond helping the horses, one other rewarding factor has been supplying Sue and her team with the tools to make decisions on what and how much to feed, which means it’s only the really tricky cases they need to consult me on now”.
When Dengie first started working with Remus, they had a very elderly population including many animals with dental problems. Finding an appropriate alternative to hay that these horses could chew was key to helping with weight gain and maintaining digestive health. Some of the horses were later involved in a Dengie funded study by a Writtle College student to assess the impact of poor dentition on forage consumption. It was found that those with poor teeth consumed 2/3 less than normal horses. When the fibre format was changed to a completely soaked fibre source, Dengie Alfa-Beet, there were no feed refusals at all showing that for the older horse, supplying fibre in a format they can easily chew is vital.
Over the years the population of horses at Remus has changed and the number of younger horses that are laminitis prone due to Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) has increased. The facilities at Remus have changed to reflect this and they now have some superb woodchip areas to manage those that have to have restricted or no grass access. With the cost of living crisis the demands on Remus have significantly increased. Not only are their own costs to run the charity increasing, but the requests to help horses has multiplied as well. It is wonderful that Dengie have been able to make a contribution of Hi-Fi Molasses Free and Alfa-Beet that the majority of the horses eat to help lighten the load.
For more information about Dengie’s feeds or for help and advice on all aspects of feeding call the Dengie Feedline: 01621 841188 or complete our Feed Advice Form.
Paradise Wildlife Park in Hertfordshire have been feeding Dengie Alfa-A Original to their various zoo animals for over 15 years. The animals fed on Alfa-A Original include Lowland Tapir, Plain Zebra, Bactrian Camels and Red Deer.
“At Paradise Wildlife Park we have used Dengie’s Alfa-A Original for many years now across various species” explains James Cork, Head Keeper. “We mix the Alfa-A Original alongside their concentrate feeds and have found this to be a great product for increasing the animals’ roughage. It’s clear to see that all the animals enjoy their Alfa-A, particularly our Bactrian Camels who love grabbing mouthfuls out of their feed buckets before we have even placed the food in their troughs!”
The animals at Paradise Wildlife Park are fed hay and straw alongside their Alfa-A Original as well as a specialist browser pellet to provide them with the vitamins and minerals they need. The tapir have various fruits and vegetables in with their 400g Alfa-A Original, their favourite being peppers and pumpkin, which is split over their three feeds per day. The camels also enjoy carrots as treats and are fed 1.6kg of Alfa-A Original split over two meals.
The animals at Paradise Wildlife Park also have various forms of enrichment including treat balls, branches and forage at varying levels including hay racks and feed troughs.
For further information on zoo animal nutrition and providing the right diet in zoos click here. We also recently organised a webinar on saving and caring for exotic species with guest speakers Tullis Matson, founder of Nature’s Safe and Andy Beer zoo animal nutritionist of Zoocraft Limited. The recording of the webinar can be found on the our YouTube channel.
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If you would like further information on any of the Dengie products or a personalized diet plan for your horse please call our feedline on 01621 841188 or click here to fill in our feed advice form.
Terms & Conditions: This competition will close at 11.59pm on 31st December 2022. One entry per person. One lucky winner will be selected from the correct entries and be notified via email within 7 days of the competition closing. Prize consists of: £50 of Dengie Feed Vouchers, Dengie branded saddlecloth, NAF Blueberry & Banana Treats, WeatherBeeta Stocking Socks, Equi-Flector Wraps, Equi-Flector Hat Silk, Equi-Ping Safety Release, Slow Munch Hay Net, Hy Sport Active Brush, NAF Pro Feet Hoof Moist, Canter Coat Shine, NAF Cooling Wash, NAF Silky Mane & Tail D-Tangler, NAF Skin Wash, Travel Cup Gift Set, Galaxy Hot Chocolate, Net-Tex Seven Day Mud Away, LeMieux Beanie Hat, LeMieux Fluffies, Aubrion Winter Work Gloves, Cadbury Selection Box, Shires Schooling Whip, Red Gorilla Tub. No cash alternative available. Entrants must be aged 18 or over. Open to UK mainland residents only. Click here for full Terms & conditions
JJ Equestrian, a competition and training yard based in North Lincolnshire, held their open day on Sunday 23rd October. JJ Equestrian is run by show jumper and BS coach Joanne Burns Firth who understands the importance of working with her team of professionals to keep her horses fit, healthy and performing well. The idea of the JJ Equestrian open day was to help Joanne’s clients to have similar access to help and support for themselves and their horses. It was also beneficial for the equine professionals in attendance to work simultaneously to benefit horse and rider.
Members of the Dengie Nutrition team, Claire Akers and Katie Evans, were on hand to weigh horses and offer nutrition advice for yard owner Joanne Burns Firth’s own horses as well as the liveries and visitors’ horses.
It was positive to see that those who had been on a weight loss program after their last weigh-in had lost weight including Spirit, who had been trialling the new Dengie Ulser Lite, who lost 20kg. Joanne’s yearling ‘Unique GB’ who is an exciting prospect for the future had gained 99kg and grown a hand since Claire last saw him in May. Monitoring youngstock is a good way to ensure their development and growth rates are on track. Jo uses a weigh tape between weigh-ins on the more accurate weigh bridge but calibrates her tape against the bridge.
Saddle fitter Liz Pears was available for trying and fitting new saddles as well as checking and adjusting existing saddles where needed. Riders could also take part in rider alignment sessions both on and off the horse with Topline Vet Physio, and Blitz training working on straightening riders. Riders were given homework exercises to help them improve over time. Foster Equestrian Ltd were also onsite with their trailer full of matchy set bargains.
The open day was a great success with different equestrian professionals working together to get the best out of both horse and rider.
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Win your horse’s Winter Feed Bill!
With winter just around the corner now is a good time to review your horse’s ration. This will then allow you time to make any gradual dietary changes required to keep them healthy, happy and in good condition during the colder months.
At Dengie we are devoted to creating the best and healthiest horse feeds because we love your horse as much as you do! Fibre is vital for the healthy function of your horse or pony’s digestive system and satisfies their need to chew – it’s what they’re meant to eat! With our full range of products, from the Alfa-A and Hi-Fi ranges through to our balancers and supplements, Dengie can help you formulate the right diet for your horse or pony whatever their age or work load.
This month one lucky winner will receive £250 of Dengie Feed vouchers to go towards their horse or pony’s feed bill this winter!
**COMPETITION CLOSED**
If you would like further information on any of the Dengie products or a personalized diet plan for your horse please call our feedline on 01621 841188 or click here to fill in our feed advice form.
Terms & Conditions: This competition will close at 11.59pm on 30th November 2022. One entry per person. One lucky winner will be selected from the correct entries and be notified via email within 7 days of the competition closing. Prize consists of £250 of Dengie Feed vouchers. No cash alternative available. Entrants must be aged 18 or over. Open to UK mainland residents only. Click here for full Terms & conditions
We are delighted to announce the launch of our NEW low calorie fibre feed for horses prone to gastric ulcers – Dengie Ulser Lite. Developed by Dengie’s team of nutritionists, Ulser Lite has been formulated to supply plenty of fibre for good-doers to maintain gastric health without promoting excessive weight gain.
“There has been an significant increase in the number of enquiries to the Dengie Feedline relating to good doers with ulcers” explains Katie Williams M.Sc.(Dist) R Nutr, Technical & Product Development Manager at Dengie. “Originally, gastric ulcers were thought to be an issue primarily affecting sports and performance horses and horses with ulcers tended to be underweight and in poor condition. Now more vets have gastroscopes, ulcers are being found in a wide range of horses and ponies including good doers. When we talk to owners of these horses, their biggest challenge is feeding enough forage to promote and maintain gastric health without promoting weight gain. Ulcer Lite has been developed with these individuals in mind”.
Dengie Ulser Lite provides a lower calorie alternative suitable for good doers, overweight and obese horses. It has been formulated as a straight feed with no added vitamins and minerals to maximize its flexibility. This means that any amount can be fed according to the horse’s requirements alongside a source of vitamins and minerals such as a balancer or powdered vitamin and mineral supplement to provide a balanced diet.
Dengie Ulser Lite is naturally high in fibre but low in calories (8MJ/kg), sugar (6.5%) and starch (2%). It is made from a soft, tasty blend of chopped grasses and high-quality oat straw to provide plenty of chew time in the diet without additional calories. This increases saliva production which is the way the horse regulates acidity in the digestive tract. “Feeding straw can be very beneficial particularly for good doers” adds Katie. “Recent studies have shown that using straw as part of the ration, up to 50%, does not increase the risk of gastric ulcers and provides a valuable source of low calorie fibre. The inclusion of grass and herbs alongside the straw in Ulcer Lite aids palatability and ensures the feed is soft and tasty”.
Alfalfa pellets are also included for natural buffering due to their high levels of naturally occurring and bioavailable calcium. Studies have shown that alfalfa is a safe and beneficial ingredient to use for horses with ulcers and this was reiterated at the recent European Workshop on Equine Nutrition conference held in the UK in August. Independent studies by researchers in France showed that feeding 1.5kg of alfalfa a day to horses in race training with reduced levels of cereals to reduce starch in the ration had no negative impacts on performance. Studies are really starting to bust the myth that high levels of starch are needed even for horses in hard work.
As always, new Dengie feeds are trialled extensively before launch. Joanne Burns-Firth is a big fan already having tested it for Dengie with her horse Freddie. Joanne was worried about gastric ulcers due to Freddie’s competition lifestyle. Even though he is in a lot of work, Freddie is such a good doer. After a visit from Dengie Performance Horse Nutritionist Claire Akers, Jo started Freddie on the Dengie Ulser Lite alongside a balancer. “Freddie has lost the excess weight he was carrying and is looking and performing the best he ever has!” explains Joanne. “Freddie can be crabby and argumentative, but we have seen real improvement in his behaviour since changing his diet. He has more energy, is more forward going off the leg, and appears less grumpy”.
Protexin In-Feed Formula is included in Ulser Lite which provides prebiotics and yeast to promote gastric health. FOS prebiotics have been shown to stimulate lactic-acid utilizing bacteria in the horse’s stomach which helps to regulate acidity. The unique blend of herbs including oregano, cinnamon, ginger, rosemary and thyme that are successfully used in Healthy Tummy is also included in Ulser Lite to enhance palatability.
Dengie Ulser Lite is free from molasses, artificial flavours, preservatives and binders. It is made from UK grown, non GM fibres and rapeseed oil, keeping feed miles as low as possible and meaning every bag can be traced back to the field it was grown in. Dengie Ulser Lite joins Dengie’s Healthy Tummy, Alfa-A Oil and Performance Fibre as products which are independently approved by BETA for horses and ponies prone to Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome.
Look out for the new Dengie Ulser Lite which will start appearing in stores from October!
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Win 30 bags of Sun-e-bed plus £50 of Dengie Feed Vouchers!
Sun-e-bed makes mucking-out, easy! This highly absorbent pelleted horse bedding speeds up mucking-out without compromising on bed quality or comfort.
Made from 100% British straw, Sun-e-bed is a soft pellet that easily breaks down in the stable to form a fluffy, comfortable bed. You don’t even need to water it!
The bedding is highly absorbent, and easy to manage. Wet patches clump together for easy removal and lock away the ammonia smell. You won’t need to remove much bedding each day, which will keep your muck-heap small.
Just six to eight bags of Sun-e-bed are required to start a stable from scratch, followed by one or two bags a week to top the bed up. So, 30 bags could last you six months, enough to get you through the worst of this winter.
The lucky winner will also receive £50 of Dengie Feed vouchers to go towards their horse or pony’s feed bill this winter!
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If you would like further information on any of the Dengie products or a personalized diet plan for your horse please call our feedline on 01621 841188 or click here to fill in our feed advice form.
Terms & Conditions: This competition will close at 11.59pm on 31st October 2022. One entry per person. One lucky winner will be selected from the correct entries and be notified via email within 7 days of the competition closing. Prize consists of 30 bags of Sun-e-bed plus £50 of Dengie Feed vouchers. The 30 bags of Sun-e-bed will be delivered on a pallet to a UK mainland address. No cash alternative available. Entrants must be aged 18 or over. Open to UK mainland residents only. Click here for full Terms & conditions
We are delighted to announce our highly popular Healthy Tummy fibre feed is the latest product in the range to have a packaging makeover. Healthy Tummy will still be easily recognisable in its distinctive green packaging, but will now be in a larger 20kg bag featuring FJK Over & Out aka ‘Rambo’.
Rambo is a 5-year-old, 16.2hh, Irish Sports Horse bred by Kilcarroll Stud and owned by Sue Helliwell and produced and ridden by CCI 4* event rider Alicia Wilkinson. He and Alicia have qualified for the NexGen Eventing Series and Burghley Young Event Horse finals. They also enjoy hacking and beach rides, all of which he does on an entirely fibre-based diet! Alicia was worried about gastric ulcers due to his competitive lifestyle so the Healthy Tummy is a great option to help keep him performing at his best while keeping his digestive system healthy.
Dengie Healthy Tummy is a nutritionally balanced, pure alfalfa, high fibre feed containing high specification ingredients to promote digestive health. The blend of chopped and pelleted alfalfa with a rapeseed oil coating helps to build and maintain condition, provides slow-release energy and also helps to promote healthy skin and coat shine. Alfalfa is a widely recognised ingredient for promoting digestive health due to its natural buffering properties. The added ADM Protexin In-Feed Formula supplies prebiotics to promote a healthy microbial population that is vital for fibre digestion and gut health. Healthy Tummy is approved by BETA for horses and ponies prone to Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome.
Dengie Healthy Tummy contains a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals to provide a nutritionally balanced diet for a horse or pony when fed at the recommended quantity of 500g per 100kg bodyweight per day.
Look out for the great value 20kg revitalised Healthy Tummy packaging which will start appearing in stores from September 2022.
For more information about Dengie’s Healthy Tummy or for help and advice on all aspects of feeding call the Dengie Feedline: 01621 841188 or complete our Feed Advice Form.
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We’re searching for the new face of Dengie Healthy Hooves Molasses Free with MSM! Does your horse or pony love Healthy Hooves Molasses Free 100% – then we want to hear from you!
One lucky owner and their horse or pony will WIN a photoshoot where one photo will be chosen to feature on the new pack design of Healthy Hooves Molasses Free, plus they will receive £100 of Dengie Feed Vouchers!
How to enter your horse or pony
Simply create an Instagram Reel sharing with us the reasons why you and your horse or pony love Dengie Healthy Hooves Molasses Free with MSM and how it has helped them! Make sure you feature your horse or pony in the reel enjoying their dinner of Healthy Hooves Molasses Free!
Don’t forget to tag us in the Instagram reel using @dengiehorsefeeds PLUS use the hashtag #DengiePonyonPack so that your entry is counted!
So, ask your horses and ponies to put their best hoof forward and get creative!
Entries close at midnight on the 02.10.22.
Terms & Conditions: Entries close at midnight on 2nd October 2022. One entry per person. One lucky winner will be selected from the entries that use the hashtag #DengiePonyonPack and be notified via Instagram within 7 days of the competition closing. Prize consists of a professional photoshoot in an agreed location in the UK (mainland only) during October 2022 plus £100 of Dengie Feed vouchers. One photo from the shoot will be chosen to feature on the new pack design of Healthy Hooves Molasses Free with MSM. No cash alternative available. By way of entering our competition you agree to allow us to use you and your horse or pony in Dengie’s advertising, print, online, PR, POS and other marketing materials, as well as other Company publications. Entrants must be aged 18 or over, or seek parent/guardian permission prior to entering. Open to UK mainland residents only. Click here for full Terms & conditions
Dengie Healthy Hooves Molasses Free now includes MSM to further enhance the benefits of the feed for the health of horse’s hooves and joints. The addition of Methyl Sulphonyl Methane, commonly known as MSM, provides a source of bio-available sulphur. Sulphur is found in all body tissues but is particularly important for hooves because it is needed to bond keratin fibres together in the unique way that gives hoof horn its hardness and flexibility. Levels consumed naturally by horses on restricted rations are lower than those out on lush green pastures meaning good doers on restricted rations can be lacking. The addition of MSM is another way in which this low-calorie feed can support the health of good doers.
Dengie Healthy Hooves Molasses Free is a nutritionally balanced, low-calorie, high-fibre feed containing just 2.5% sugar, which is found naturally in the ingredients used. Starch levels are also extremely low, at just 1.5%, because the feed is completely free from cereals or grains.
The inclusion of alfalfa provides a natural source of calcium and other important minerals known to help improve the structural integrity of hoof horn. A comprehensive range of vitamins and minerals are also included, complementing those naturally occurring in the alfalfa. A full spectrum of B vitamins is included to allow for the fact that good doers are often fed restricted forage rations and so may be producing fewer B vitamins naturally. This helps to provide a balanced diet for the horse keeping them looking and feeling fabulous, and their feet in great condition.
When fed at the recommended rate of 500g per 100kg bodyweight, Healthy Hooves Molasses Free will provide the horse with all the vitamins and minerals they need, including the recommended amount of biotin and good levels of MSM.
Look out for the new Healthy Hooves Molasses Free which will start appearing in stores from September 2022.
For more information about Dengie’s Healthy Hooves Molasses Free or for help and advice on all aspects of feeding call the Dengie Feedline: 01621 841188 or complete our Feed Advice Form.