STORIES FROM
THE PRESS
Central
Horse News - Dec/Jan 2008
Reduce
your Carbon Hoof Print with Megazorb
With the
focus on global warming and the environment right now, horse owners
can do their bit to help by using Megazorb bedding from Northern Crop
Driers.
Megazorb is a highly absorbent bedding produced from a by-product of
the paper making industry that would otherwise go to landfill or be
spread on land.
With carbon footprint hitting the headlines why not help the environment
by using recyclable products.
Highly biodegradable, Megazorb breaks down more easily than shavings
and is also classed as a soil enhancer when spread on arable or even
grassland.
Made from virgin wood pulp it provides an unrivalled level of softness
and comfort for horses.
Only small amounts of Megazorb are required especially if used with
rubber matting. Megazorb captures liquids and smells so keeping stables
fresh and clean.
The absorption capacity of Megazorb means that there is minimal waste
and mucking out time is kept to a minimum.
Megazorb is dust extracted twice to provide a clean, and dust free bedding,
ideal for helping to maintain a healthy respiratory system in horses
and ponies.
Ideal for horse boxes and trailers, Megazorb is easy to use when travelling
to shows or for around the yard.
Available in handy size 85 litre bags, Megazorb is available from leading
animal feed suppliers.
Horse
Scene: Sept 2007
After the
disastrous floods, hay and straw is in shorter supply than most years.
Some shrewd farmers managed to take good early hay in May and June before
the rains set in but for many, crops have been ruined after 10 inches
of rain fell in July the main haymaking month.
This winter hay will be in short supply of low nutritional value and
variable quality. Horse owners need to be wary of feeding hay and haylage
of poor fermentation and high moisture content which causes moulds and
spores.
Pam Rowbottom from Yorkshire-based Northern Crop Driers can offer a
number of alternative products to help horses this winter.
Feeding
Fibre - The Alternative Way
Says Pam:
"Our products Graze-On and Gold Blend are completely natural and
provide high quality fibre.
"This winter will see increased costs for drying the feeds but
they will be produced as normal and are available all year round."
A vision for the future and a need to diversify led York-based Northern
Crop Driers to enter the horse feed market five years ago with the launch
of Graze-On.
With 750 acres of grass to farm every year and a downturn in the demand
for grass pellets, the Rowbottom family identified a growing need for
forage based products.
The drying facilities on their farm at Melbourne, near York provided
the ideal technology to manufacture Graze-On and the product hit the
market.
With the installation of new packaging machinery, Graze-On, the highly
nutritious dried grass could be packed ready for distribution.
Pam, when
was Northern Crop Driers founded?
Founded in 1975 by my father John Rowbottom, Northern Crop Driers originally
harvested grass to be dried and turned into grass pellets for sheep,
cattle and horses.
Since those early days, the business has expanded and the potential
to dry many other products became evident.
I joined the company after completing my degree in Mechanical Engineering
to launch Graze-On, the first of a range of grass based products in
the pipeline. My brother is also heavily involved.
Tell us more
about Graze-On
Instead of pelleting the grass, it is left in loose form, 2 to 3 inches
in length, and then compressed into a 15kg bale.
The potential for this high quality grass feed harvested at a highly
nutritious stage of growth is endless, with many top racehorse trainers
in the north turning to the product.
The grass is 'flash' dried at temperatures of up to 800°C, meaning
that all the goodness is sealed into the end product and the feed value
is virtually identical to that of fresh grass.
During winter most horses have little if any access to grazing, and
this is where Graze-On comes into its own, helping to bring the field
to the stable.
The horses' natural diet is grass and by growing superior blends of
grasses and cutting at the optimum time, typically five times a year,
we have produced a superior forage product, rich in digestible fibre
to benefit all horses throughout the year.
It is well known that of the three main energy sources used by horses
and ponies, fibre is the most important, but often overlooked.
Dried Grass is a natural feed supplying energy from digestible fibre
in slow release form.
Graze-On is a nutritious blend of grasses including, Perennial ryegrasses,
Tall Fescue and Timothy grasses. It is completely natural and highly
nutritious.
Graze-On also contains other important minerals and vitamins, including
Vitamin E, Beta-Carotene and is also an excellent source of quality
protein, supplying essential amino acids for growth and repair of body
tissue.
The high temperature drying process and comprehensive dust extraction
programme kills any moulds and fungal spores and assists in the maintenance
of a healthy respiratory system.
Natural anti-oxidants found in Graze-On help to maintain and enhance
the immune system. These same anti-oxidants that we have helped to concentrate
in the product by our method of production and conservation do not occur
in grains and have largely been lost in hay and haylage.
We have found that Graze-On is very popular because of its level of
quality and consistency, and because it is dust free.
The recent shift in the market, with increasing numbers of horse owners
returning to feeding straights has been a huge boost for the company
as distribution continues to grow throughout the country.
We are always looking to gain more distributors and can offer an excellent
package to work with retailers and merchants.
We are very excited about the future for Graze-On and as more horse
owners recognise the benefits of feeding fibre the demand looks set
to continue to grow.
Do you still
manufacture grass pellets?
Yes they are still extremely popular particularly with veterans or convalescing
horses as many owners soak them thus making them extremely soft to eat.
What are
the benefits of Graze-On Gold Blend?
Gold-Blend is a unique combination of pure natural dried grass blended
with specially prepared and conditioned quality soft straw.
It contains naturally occurring vitamins and minerals, and a light coating
of soya oil to help provide a glossy coat and healthy skin.
Gold Blend is also dressed with a touch of low sugar molasses to produce
a nutritious, palatable and free flowing forage.
All our feeds provide an excellent source of fibre and are suitable
for all horses in all disciplines.
Sitting
Pretty with Alex Postolowsky
Lucky competition
winner Georgina Wood and her horse Sitting Pretty enjoyed a lesson with
young event rider Alex Postolowsky sponsored by Graze-On.
Georgina
(13) from Old Buckenham in Norfolk travelled to Eagle Moor near Lincoln
for the lesson with the 7-year-old bay mare nicknamed Bambi.
A member
of the Thetford Chase Pony Club, Georgina has been competing BSJA on
her 14hh pony Galway Harvest Noon (Hattie) at Intermediate level and
recently came 6th at the Blue Chip Championships and 8th in the Dengie
finals.
Trained
by Ruth McMullen, she also rides for show producer Wendy King amongst
others and at just 13 acquired Sitting Pretty, her first horse just
nine months ago. Georgina has now set her sights on eventing and the
pair have an ultimate aim to compete at Burghley.
The
first half of the lesson concentrated on basic schooling, suppling exercises
and balance particularly in the lower back. Then they moved on to the
jumping, which culminated in jumping a small course at 3' 6".
Said
Georgina: "We had a brilliant lesson with Alex and I learnt a lot.
Bambi loves jumping so the second part of the lesson was great fun,
but as we really needed to concentrate on the dressage element, the
flatwork proved to be really beneficial."
Alex
Postolowsky has had a very successful career so far. 22-years-old, Alex
based near Market Rasen in Lincolnhire has a team of six horses and
famous rides includes Diplomatic Jack and Spirit of Osiris.
In
2004 she was a member of the Silver Medal Young Rider Team in Portugal
and in 2005 won the Young Event Rider Show Jumping competition at Windsor.
As
part of her prize, Georgina also won 10 bales of Graze-On from Northern
Crop Driers.
Graze-On
is a highly nutritious dried cut grass feed for horses, extremely palatable
it provides an excellent source of digestible fibre and is dust free
with a feed value virtually identical to fresh grass.
Suitable
for all horses it comes in easy to handle 15kg bales making it ideal
for using around the yard or when travelling to shows.
