BAR Ale Feed

[momenteller]

Hi all. I wondered if you could tell me what you think of this feed? This is from my local feed store, and is what my chin was on when we first got her. I slowly switched her to Oxbow months ago, but her droppings have never been as large as they were when on BAR Ale. Here is the ingredient list and analysis:

N.A.F. Chinchilla Pellets
with Yeast and MTB-100 Yeast
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein: 18% minimum
Crude Fat: 2.5% minimum
Crude Fiber: 14.20% maximum
Ash: 8.7% maximum
Calcium: 1.00% maximum
Phosphorus: 0.70% minimum
Copper: 11% MG minimum
Salt: 0.50% minimum
Vitamin A: 36,000 IUS/LB minimum
Vitamin D: 6,000 IUS/LB minimum
Vitamin E: 21 IUS/LB minimum

Ingredients: Alfalfa Meal, Wheat Mill Run, Soybean Meal, Ground Grain, Distillers Dried Grains, Rice Bran, Dried Molasses, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Limestone, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lignin Sulfonate, Brewers Dried Yeast, Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate, Silicon Dioxide, Flavor, Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Magnesium Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Niacin, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Riboflavin, Menadionine Sodium Bisulfate, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Cobalt Sulfate.

 

[momenteller]

Still hoping to find out what you think of the nutritional data on this feed. Thanks!

:bump1:

 

[vickvela1414]

I've never heard of it. Not sure if it will help with your question, but here's the analysis on Mazuri for comparison, which I know alot of people use.

Guaranteed Nutritional Analysis Ingredients
Crude Protein (min) ...................................20.00%
Crude Fat (min) .........................................3.0%
Crude Fiber (max) .....................................18.00%
Moisture (max) ..........................................12.00%
Ash (max) ..................................................9.0%
Vitamin E (min) ...........................................242 IU/kg
Ingredients:
Alfalfa meal, soybean meal, wheat middlings, ground oats, ground soybean hulls, wheat germ meal, ground beet pulp, cane molasses, soybean oil, dicalcium phosphate, ground yellow corn, dried whey, salt, calcium carbonate, cyanocobalamin (source of vitamin B-12), riboflavin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, DL-methionine, folic acid, vitamin A acetate, nicotinic acid, cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D-3), dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate (source of vitamin E), choline chloride, sodium selenite, magnesium oxide, manganous oxide, ferrous carbonate, calcium iodate, copper sulfate, cobalt carbonate, zinc sulfate, zinc oxide.

 

[Dolyphinm]

* Crude Protein, min 16.00%
* Crude Fat, min 2.50%
* Crude Fiber, min 18.00%, max 23.00%
* Moisture, max 10.00%
* Calcium, min 0.75%, max 1.25%
* Phosphorus, min 0.25%
* Salt, min 0.50%, max 1.00%
* Vitamin A, IU/KG 20,000
* Vitamin D, IU/KG 880
* Vitamin E, IU/KG 140
* Copper, mg/kg 10

Alfalfa Meal, Soybean Hulls, Wheat Middlings, Soybean Meal, Limestone, Salt, L-ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Vitamin C), Cane Molasses, Yeast Culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement (tocopherol), Ascorbic Acid, Colloidal Silica, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Riboflavin, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, Thiamine, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Pyrodoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Magnesium Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Cobalt Carbonate, Manganese Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Mineral Oil, Calcium Iodate, Potassium Chloride


This is Oxbow's list. My concern with the BAR Ale is that there isn't enough fiber. Which could result in loose poops.

I wish one of the breeders would answer you since I am just a simple pet owner. But that's my 2 cents.

 

[musherbob]

You want a feed with fiber % of 16-18%.Manna pro sho or gro,or Tradition are also excellent feeds.All of these feeds are proven formulas for chins.
Bob

 

[Tillygizmo]

Yeah I think the only thing I see is low on fiber. Fiber is probably top importance in the diet so I wouldnt used it if it were me

 

[aznmexaggie]

Most chinchilla-acceptable feeds have a min crude protein percentage of 16 - 18% and are at around 18% fiber or higher. A feed too low in fiber and not given in conjunction with enough hay can potentially cause gastrointestinal issues.

I use Manna Pro Sho which has a min protein of 16%. Fiber is between 18% - 23%.

Oxbow also has 16% protein (although the Oxbow company is currently saying that it is 18% and the labels were incorrect...) and fiber between 18% - 23%

Mazuri has a min of 20% protein (which is on the higher end) and a maximum of 18% fiber. Personally, I am not a fan of Mazuri and I think the higher protein content is why some chinchillas don't do well on Mazuri and get soft poo.

IMO, the BAR Ale feed is a bit too low in fiber.

 

[momenteller]

thanks all for the help and advice. i really appreciate it. i will stick with oxbow for now and consider something else in the future. even though oxbow is an acceptable food, is it possible she just doesn't do as well on it as other chins? because her poos are consistent but small. perhaps i should try the manna pro sho...

 

[Dolyphinm]

Does she eat a lot of hay? Or she could have something else going on. Consistent small poos could mean other things. My girl started getting those and it turned out she needed her teeth to be filed cuz she couldn't eat right.

 

[momenteller]

she doesn't eat a huge amount of hay. i thought she ate a normal amount but my new girl just devours it, so now i'm wondering... she shows no other signs of problems. and she chews her nightly sticks without a problem. do i need to get her checked out? or could it be that her system just doesn't respond that great to the oxbow?