LabDiet Rabbit Diet HF

[MyBabyBunnies]

I was doing reasearch for an alternative pellet to Oxbow Bunny Basics/T because it is very expensive to get here. The pellets themself are relatively reasonably priced but the shipping is more then the product itself which makes it a very costly pellet. The cheapest I can get it is ordering it directly from Nebraska and even then it costs nearly $100 a bag with shipping charges and the exchange rate.

Well I stumbled across a diet called LabDiet Rabbit Diet HF (high fiber)on a suggested rabbit diet page. I was wondering if anyone uses it? Or if you could tell me if you see anything wrong with this stuff. By the way, it is the same as Certified Hi-Fiber Rabbit Diet.

Thanks,
Laura

Taken from: [url]http://www.labdiet.com/indexlabdiethome.htm[/url]

G U A R A N T E E D A N A L Y S I S

Crude protein not less than

[align=right]14.0% [/align]

Crude fat not less than

[align=right]1.5% [/align]

Crude fiber not more than

[align=right]25.0% [/align]

Ash not more than

[align=right]10.0% [/align]

Added minerals not more than

[align=right]1.5% [/align]

I N G R E D I E N T S
Dehydrated alfalfa meal, ground soybean hulls, wheat middlings, cane molasses, ground corn, dehulled soybean meal, salt, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, animal fat preserved with BHA, vitamin A acetate, cyanocobalamin, choline chloride, calcium pantothenate, folic acid, nicotinic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, DL-methionine, dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate, cholecalciferol, cobalt carbonate, riboflavin, copper sulfate, ferrous carbonate, magnesium oxide, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, zinc sulfate, zinc oxide, sodium selenite.





C H E M I C A L C O M P O S I T I O N[suP] 1[/suP]



Nutrients [suP]2[/suP]


Protein, %

[align=right]14.5[/align]

Arginine, %
0.68

Cystine, %
0.20

Glycine, %
0.70

Histidine, %
0.32

Isoleucine, %
0.90

Leucine, %
1.06

Lysine, %
0.66

Methionine, %
0.30

Phenylalanine, %
0.70

Tyrosine, %
0.42

Threonine, %
0.56

Tryptophan, %
0.19

Valine, %
0.74

Serine, %
0.70

Aspartic Acid, %
1.60

Glutamic Acid, %
2.56

Alanine, %
0.65

Prolline, %
1.12

Taurine, %
<0.01

Fat (ether extract), %
2.2

Fat (acid hydrolysis), %
3.3

Cholesterol, ppm
<10

Linoleic Acid, %
0.91

Linolenic Acid, %
0.06

Arachidonic Acid, %
<0.01

Omega-3 Fatty Acids, %
0.06

Total Saturated Fatty Acids, %
0.57

Total Monounsaturated Fatty Acids, %
0.66

Fiber (Crude), %
21.1

Neutral Detergent Fiber[suP]3[/suP], %
38.8

Acid Detergent Fiber[suP]4[/suP], %
26.0

Nitrogen-Free Extract (by difference), %

[align=right]43.3[/align]

Starch, %
3.0

Glucose, %
0.32

Fructose, %
1.11

Sucrose, %
3.11

Lactose, %
0

Total Digestible Nutrients, %

[align=right]62.1[/align]

Gross Energy, kcal/gm

[align=right]3.70[/align]

Physiological Fuel Value[suP]5[/suP], kcal/gm

[align=right]2.51[/align]

Metabolizable Energy, kcal/gm

[align=right]2.03[/align]






Minerals


Ash, %

[align=right]8.9[/align]

Calcium, %

[align=right]1.2[/align]

Phosphorus, %

[align=right]0.50[/align]

Phosphorus (non-phytate), %

[align=right]0.32[/align]

Potassium, %

[align=right]1.67[/align]

Magnesium, %

[align=right]0.30[/align]

Sulfur, %

[align=right]0.23[/align]

Sodium, %

[align=right]0.25[/align]

Chlorine, %

[align=right]0.64[/align]

Fluorine, ppm

[align=right]15[/align]

Iron, ppm

[align=right]400[/align]

Zinc, ppm

[align=right]122[/align]

Manganese, ppm

[align=right]128[/align]

Copper, ppm

[align=right]19[/align]

Cobalt, ppm

[align=right]0.55[/align]

Iodine, ppm

[align=right]1.1[/align]

Chromium, ppm

[align=right]1.1[/align]

Selenium, ppm

[align=right]0.24[/align]






Vitamins


Carotene, ppm

[align=right]31[/align]

Vitamin K (as menadione), ppm

[align=right]4.0[/align]

Thiamin Hydrochloride, ppm

[align=right]5.2[/align]

Riboflavin, ppm

[align=right]8.6[/align]

Niacin, ppm

[align=right]53[/align]

Pantothenic Acid, ppm

[align=right]19[/align]

Choline Chloride, ppm

[align=right]1600[/align]

Folic Acid, ppm

[align=right]7.0[/align]

Pyridoxine, ppm

[align=right]4.5[/align]

Biotin, ppm

[align=right]0.3[/align]

B[suB]12[/suB], mcg/kg

[align=right]6.6[/align]

Vitamin A, IU/gm

[align=right]20[/align]

Vitamin D[suB]3[/suB] (added), IU/gm

[align=right]1.1[/align]

Vitamin E, IU/kg

[align=right]55[/align]

Ascorbic Acid, mg/gm

[align=right]--[/align]




Calories provided by:


Protein, %
23.108

Fat (ether extract), %
7.888

Carbohydrates, %
69.004

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

I just did a bit more research, it's made by Purina. It's commonly called Purina Hi-Fiber Rabbit Diet.

 

[naturestee]

Slightly high in calcium compared to Oxbow BBT, but other than that it looks really good. I think this would definately be a good alternative as long as they aren't sensitive to high-calcium foods. What was the reason your vet wanted you to switch?

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

There was no medical reason, she just suggested I switch from Alfalfa. Perhaps because Mocha is chubby.:bunnyangel:

 

[pamnock]

It's excellent for a maintenance diet, especially for an older rabbit. Not appropriate for a production, angoraor growing rabbit.



Pam

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Thanks Pam, that's what I wanted/needed to hear! All of mine are fixed so no reproducing and they all have roughly Holland length hair so no Angora either. Mocha and Spice are almost 3 and a half and Zoey is almost 1, so is it still ok? Is the fat content ok? And I'm assuming all the ingredients are safe as well.

This will be so great, I can pick up a big bag about 45 minutes away and it's so much cheaper than Oxbow, which was about to break the bank to be honest.

 

[pamnock]

I really sounds like a great feed that will meet the nutritional needs of your rabbits.

Pam

 

[rubysmom]

The first ingredient listed is alfalfa so you might want to check with your vet? I only point this out because you said your vet wanted to switch your buns from alfalfa. I know that in the states there has been an increase in brands offering timothy hay based pellets at places like Petsmart, etc. You might want to check there if it's near you...Good luck!

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Yes, that's what the vet said but even though it's alfalfa, it's low in protein and high in fiber. It's actually very comparable to Oxbow in nutrient levels so it doesn't matter if it's alfalfa or not.

As for the brands that places like Petsmart carry, I've only ever seen Kaytee Timothy complete and someone brought it to my attention that it contains a proven carcinogen.

I can get Oxbow through my vetbut I can't afford a minimum of $240 a year just on Oxbow pellets. I'd really like to give them the best money can buy but I'm going to University in the fall and money will be tight. It's so expensive to have it shipped here and it's no cheaper ordering it through a business.

My other option is just staying with what I'm on now, my rabbits are fine on it condition wise and it's very affordable plus it has nothing really unhealthy or dangerous in it.

Looking at the brand above, it worries me that it has animal fat in it as well as BHA. I don't feel comfortable feeding my animal other things that came from animals.

 

[rubysmom]

From one poor college student to another, I feel your pain Oxbow was costing me a fortune until we got a local distributor in our area. When I am at Petsmart next, I will check for the other brand...I think it was something like Brown's but I am not sure. I totally agree with not using Kaytee if you can avoid it. I remember I was hamster sitting for a friend and I happened to read the ingredients on her bag of Kaytee hamster food...BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, PORK fat and PORK protein...last I time I heard there has never been an incident where a swine was taken down by a pack of desert rodents/images/emoticons/big_grin.gifNicole

 

[Bassetluv]

Yes, LabDiet HF is the feed I've been giving to both my rabbits, and they seem to do very well with it. I also give hay, a bit of oats and some greens to them along with the pelleted feed. Aside from Anna gaining more than I wanted her to (she had to be cut back from the oats because of it), they are both thriving.