Feeding a horse, a flock of laying hens or a small hobby farm is a different job to feeding a cat or dog: forage and roughage come first, concentrated feed is there to fill specific gaps, and every species on a hobby farm has its own requirements. Here is a plain-language look at the basics for horses and the most common farm animals, matched to what we stock.
Horses: forage first, hard feed second
A horse's digestive system is built around near-constant forage intake, so pasture and hay should always form the bulk of the diet. Hard feed (pellets, mixes and grain-based concentrates) is there to top up energy, condition or specific nutrients for horses in harder work, growing, in poor condition, or with a particular need such as calming or joint support, not to replace forage. Our biggest horse feed range is Barastoc, covering everyday maintenance feeds through to performance and stud formulas. The Barastoc Breed-N-Grow suits broodmares and young growing horses, while Barastoc Command is a general-purpose everyday feed. We also stock Johnsons fibre-based balancers like Johnsons Fibre Safe, Equine Products Ireland, Horslyx vitamin and mineral licks, and Speedi-Beet, a soaked fibre feed useful for horses that need a lower-starch option. As with any feed change for a horse, introduce new feed gradually over 7 to 14 days to avoid digestive upset, and match hard feed quantity to the horse's actual workload rather than a fixed amount. Hay quality matters as much as the hard feed on top of it: look for hay that is clean, sweet-smelling and free of dust or mould, since poor quality hay undermines even a well chosen hard feed.
Poultry: matching feed to life stage
Chickens have different nutritional needs depending on age and purpose. Chicks need a higher-protein starter feed to support rapid early growth, growing pullets need a grower feed, and laying hens need a layer formula with added calcium to support eggshell production. Feeding an adult layer feed to chicks, or a starter feed long-term to layers, does not match either group's needs. We stock Barastoc's full life-stage range including Barastoc Chick Starter and Barastoc Champion Layer Premium Pellet, alongside Green Valley's Open Range mixes and pellets and Coprice's Lucky Layer. Grain and mash mixes let birds forage and peck through their feed, while pellets reduce selective eating and waste, so the right choice often comes down to how you want your flock to spend their time as much as the nutrition itself.
Cattle and sheep: paddock condition drives the plan
For cattle and sheep, feed decisions are usually driven by paddock and pasture condition, stage of production (growing, breeding, lactating) and season. Barastoc's Rumevite range covers cattle and sheep supplement blocks and cubes, and Barastoc's Calf Rearer and Heifer Developer support young stock through early growth. These are supplementary feeds designed to fill gaps in pasture-based nutrition, not to replace grazing.
Goats, alpacas, pigs and other hobby farm animals
Smaller-scale farm animals need their own species-matched feed rather than a generic all-purpose mix. We stock Barastoc's Goat Mix and Goat Pellets, Alpaca Pellets, Pig Grower and a general Hobby Farm Mix for mixed small holdings. If you keep a mix of species, check that each animal is getting a feed formulated for it. What suits a goat's mineral needs will not necessarily suit an alpaca or a pig, even though they might share a paddock. Access to clean water and a suitable mineral source is just as important for these animals as it is for horses and cattle, and is easy to overlook once the feed itself is sorted.
Buying in bulk sensibly
Most horse and farm feed comes in 20kg bags, which is economical but only if it is stored properly. Keep bags sealed, off the ground and away from damp, and work through older stock before opening a new bag, since feed quality degrades once a bag has been open for a while, particularly in humid weather. If you are trying a new feed for the first time, buying a single bag before committing to bulk is the safer way to confirm your animal takes to it.
General principles across all species
- Forage or pasture comes first for horses, cattle and sheep; concentrated feed fills specific gaps.
- Match feed to life stage, especially for poultry, where starter, grower and layer formulas are genuinely different products, not marketing variants of the same feed.
- Introduce any new feed gradually, particularly for horses, to avoid digestive upset.
- Don't assume one feed suits every species on a hobby farm. Check the bag is formulated for the specific animal you are feeding.
This guide covers general feeding basics only, with no dosing or supplement recommendations. For anything specific to your animal's health, condition or a veterinary-managed diet, consult your vet or a livestock nutritionist.
Browse our full horse feed range, poultry feed range and other farm animals category for goats, alpacas, pigs and more.