What goes into a bag of Baileys?

 

 

These include maize, wheat and barley and are included mainly for their soluble carbohydrate (starch) content which provides quick release energy. All except oats, which only need light bruising, are micronised to ensure their starch content is as digestible as possible. Our ability to ensure the digestibility of the cereal content of our feeds, maximises the chances of the starch content being digested in the foregut, where it should be and minimises the risk of undigested starch passing to the hindgut and causing problems like fractious behaviour and digestive upsets.

 

Micronising is a cooking method which involves soaking the grain to swell the starch granules and then passing it under an infra-red heat source to swell and fracture the starch granules – a process known as “gelatinisation”. To achieve maximum gelatinisation of the starch, and thus maximum digestibility, the temperature and length of time for which the grain is exposed to the heat are crucial. Baileys are meticulous in achieving this balance with every tonne of grain that passes through, so are confident about the digestibility of the starch content of all their products.  (Photo above shows one of Baileys' 3 micronisers)

 

 

 

A non-heating feed is one that is less likely to produce excitable behaviour in some horses and ponies when fed at the recommended rate.

 

 

 

Many of Baileys products are free from whole oats but may contain oatfeed as a source of digestible fibre. This byproduct from the processing of whole oats has a minimal starch content so will not have the “heating” effect traditionally associated with the whole grain.

 

 

 

Ingredients like grass meal, alfalfa, oatfeed, wheatfeed and cereal fibre meal are incorporated into pellets to provide digestible fibre for a healthy gut and slow release energy. Oatfeed, wheatfeed and cereal fibre meal are by products of the harvesting and milling processes and have a minimal starch content. Sugar beet pulp and soya hulls may also be included in pellet form and are particularly rich in highly digestible “super fibres”. Some Baileys products contain Alfalfa Blend, a unique combination of alfalfa, soft green oat straw and clover with a light oil and molasses coating.

 

 

The most obvious examples are peas and soya beans, which are both of the “legume” family, micronised to improve digestibility and used to provide good quality protein and some calories/energy. It is not necessarily the total quantity of protein that matters but rather the quality, which is determined by the levels of essential amino acids, like lysine and methionine, it contains. Amino acids are the building block components of protein some of which can be manufactured by the horse’s body and some which need to be provided in the diet and are termed “essential”. Protein is needed to build body cells and tissues including muscle, so is particularly important in the diets of performance and breeding horses. Baileys feeds are renowned for the quality of the protein they contain and the outstanding muscle tone they can promote in all types of horses and ponies. Contrary to popular myth it is not responsible for conditions like laminitis or for causing excitable behaviour. 

Other sources of protein are generally incorporated into pellets and include grass meal, alfalfa and distillers’ grains, which are a by-product of the brewing process with a minimal starch content. Milk proteins, like whey, are included in products for foals up to three months of age; once the digestive tract has matured they cannot be absorbed as efficiently by the adult horse so alternative protein sources are preferable.

 

 

 

Oil provides 2¼ times as many calories/energy as carbohydrate from cereals but the energy is slow release and non-heating and helps promote stamina when fed in sufficient quantities. Smaller amounts promote a healthy coat and skin. Soya oil is included in many Baileys feeds whilst a combination of soya and linseed oils is present in most premium formulations.

 

 

 

The balance of these is carefully formulated to ensure that a horse receives all he needs when a feed is fed at recommended levels. Vitamins and minerals are included in pellets with other ingredients to ensure their palatability, with chelated minerals included in premium formulations to support horses’ increased nutritional demands. “Chelating” is a process whereby minerals are attached to other molecules, like proteins or simple sugars, and helps the body absorb and utilise them more easily. Bioplex® is the brand of chelated minerals used by Baileys. 

 

Many vitamins and minerals act as antioxidants, protecting body cells from free radicals produced through metabolism and natural body processes. Baileys feeds contain these antioxidant vitamins and minerals at levels to support health and well-being as well as performance. Selenium is a particularly important antioxidant which supports immunity, fertility and muscle function.  Our performance and stud feeds contain Alltech's Sel-Plex organic selenium which is a "seleno-yeast" and more bioavailable than more frequently used "inorganic" sources of selenium.

 

This collective term refers to ingredients, like Yea-Sacc¹⁰²⁶ and Digest Plus prebiotic, which are included to help promote gut efficiency.   Yea-Sacc1026 is the only yeast culture strain approved by the EU for use in animal feeds and is included for its benefits in stimulating fibre digesting bacteria in the horse’s hind gut. Maximum benefit is gained when it is included in the diet on a daily basis.