General

Frequently asked Purina questions.

• How can I tell how fresh my feed is?

  Purina feed bags are marked on the tag with a code that indicates what day that bag of feed was produced on.

  On the tag, look for “Lot:” followed by a series of numbers and/or letters. The first two digits (may be letters or numbers) indicate which plant made that product, and then there are 4 digits strung together – the first digit indicates the year, so anything made in 2024 would have a 4, anything after the 1st of 2025 has a 5. Then the next three numbers are called the “Julian Date Code” – these number the days of the year. So, Jan 1 is 001, Jan 2 is 002, and so on until December 31 is 365.

  Example: WB4032 or 594032. These Lot codes would indicate product made in 2024, on the 32nd day of the year, or February 1st.

  The first day of each month corresponds with the following Julian Date code:

  001 = Jan 1st
  032 = Feb 1st
  060 = March 1st
  091 = April 1st
  121 = May 1st
  152 = June 1st
  182 = July 1st
  213 = Aug 1st
  244 = Sept 1st
  274 = Oct 1st
  305 = Nov 1st
  335 = Dec 1st

• What is the typical shelf life for feed?

  The shelf life of feeds can vary greatly, based on the type of feed and the conditions it is stored in.

  Textured (or “sweet”) feeds typically have the shortest shelf life, as the higher moisture content makes them more prone to mold issues. Pelleted feeds have a longer shelf life, and extruded feeds have the longest shelf life.

  The biggest factor, though, is storage conditions. When stored in dry, cool conditions, from the date of manufacture through storage at a dealership and at farm, all the way to feeding, nutrient levels in animal feeds can be good for up to 6 months, although palatability may fall off some during that time.

  However, changes in heat or humidity can take shelf life down to just a few weeks. It is generally recommended to keep purchases of feed smaller and more frequent to help ensure optimal freshness:

  Use pelleted feeds within 60 days during summer months and 90 days during winter months.
  Use textured feeds within 45 days during summer months and 60 days during winter months.
  It is also important to always inspect feed prior to use for bugs, mold, or other evidence of damage.

• What should I do if my feed is moldy?

  Never offer moldy hay or feed to animals. Store feed properly to prevent exposure to moisture or contamination by insects or other pests.

• Does Purina offer any organic feeds?

  The Nature Smart line of poultry products is USDA Certified Organic. At this time, those are our only organic products.

• Does Purina offer coupons or samples of products?

  We do periodically provide special offers to consumers via e-mail. To join our list, sign up here. Offers may include national promotion offers, or regional offers on behalf of local retailers. We will not share your names with anyone else.

  Samples are not available, however you can work with your local retailer to try a bag of the product you are interested in.

• Does your feed contain Genetically Modified Grains?

  Yes. Some of our products may contain genetically modified ingredients. It’s important to remember that all grain is technically genetically-modified, as simple plant breeding is a form of genetic modification.

  Agricultural biotechnology (including genetically engineering grain in a laboratory to enhance desired traits) is thoroughly researched, regulated, and safe to feed your animal. GMO ingredients are prevalent in the feed supply chain. Because grain for feed is purchased in bulk from large storage facilities, it is not possible to tell which corn has been genetically engineered. It is possible to specifically purchase “non-GMO” grains, but this comes at a premium price. Producing feed with non-GMO grains would be cost prohibitive.

  The US Department of Agriculture has facts about Agriculture Biotechnology on their website.

• Do your feeds contain any ingredients from other countries?

  Cargill, the maker of Purina poultry feeds in Canada, manufactures its feeds entirely in Canada but those products do, in some instances, contain ingredients imported from outside Canada. In those instances, we work closely with our suppliers on controls for promoting high levels of quality and safety in the sourcing of ingredients.

  At Cargill, food safety is a top priority. As there continue to be news reports related to contaminated ingredients we want to assure you that we are evaluating and assessing each new concern. Our approach to these concerns has been to recognize that issues related to intentional and unintentional product contamination are not exclusively unique to any single country or any single product type. We emphasize the use of a rigorous qualification process for all of our suppliers in all countries where we source raw materials to ensure the proper controls and quality and food safety procedures are in place for any of the materials that come in contact with our product. We assure you that Cargill meets all regulatory requirements for its production of animal feed in Canada.
  Accordingly, we do not expect any of the raw materials that we use in our animal feed products to be of concern.

• I am concerned about your feed bags and the fact that they are made out of plastic. Why are they plastic, and what can I do with them?

  Poly bags are more durable and water resistant than paper bags, which reduces damage to feed and wasted product through broken bags. Poly bags also keep feed fresh for longer periods of time.

  Numerous animal owners have found creative uses for the bags after the feed is gone, including creating tarps, ATV seat covers, re-usable tote bags, and various other storage containers. Re-using the bags can be a very effective method of recycling!

  The plastic used in Purina feed bags is polypropylene (PP), which is a class 5 resin. Polypropylene bags are very occasionally accepted at recycling facilities. However, since we are unable to guarantee their acceptance, we do not print the symbol on the packaging, so as not to mislead anyone.

Equine FAQs

Frequently asked questions about equine products.

View All Equine FAQs

• Which products have the lowest levels of starch and sugar?

  SuperFibra Integri T, SuperFibra Fibra Classic, hybrid product Equilibrium Equilizer and hybrid product Equilibrium Optimal. Any of these products support the nutritional needs of horses that have problems such as Cushing’s syndrome, Equine Metabolic Syndrome or insulin issues. Equilibrium Trimax, Evolution Sport Elite and SuperFibra Plus are also options for horses who need controlled starch levels in the diet due to potential health conditions, but still need enough starch in the diet to maintain higher performance levels. Evolution Maternity, Evolution Juvenile and Evolution Senior also have reduced levels of starch and sugar.

• What are your highest and lowest calorie products for horses?

  Equilibrium Trimax and Equilibrium Legend XT are our highest calorie horse feeds. Pur-Athlete is also available as a high-calorie supplement, designed to be fed along with a complete horse feed. SuperFibra Classic, SuperFibra Nature Complement, hybrid product Equilibrium Equilizer & Equilibrium Optimal are Purina’s lowest calorie products.

• Do you offer a soy free feed?

  All Purina horse feeds contain soy in varying amounts.

• Do you offer a beet pulp-based feed?

  The Evolution line, Equilibrium Trimax, Omolene Sport Plus and Velocit-T Force are Purina’s beet pulp-based product.

Beef Cattle FAQs

Frequently asked questions about beef products.

View All Beef FAQs

• Are minerals all the same, and should I buy the cheapest I can find?

  While the price of mineral is not a definitive indicator of quality, products that are “dirt-cheap” may not be worth much more than dirt itself! Quality ingredients that cattle can utilize efficiently have greater demand and higher value, thus often a higher price. By definition, quality ingredients have a knowledge base behind them that is supported by extraction and refinement processes, as well as research that measures their biological value. A mineral element can be supplied by a variety of forms.

  For example, zinc may be provided by zinc sulfate, zinc carbonate, zinc oxide, zinc chloride or one of many organic forms. Some forms are effective for supplementation, while others are less available and provide little or no biological value. However, all of them can be used in a product to meet the tagged specifications for mineral.

• What kind of feeders should I put the mineral in?

  Right Now® Mineral is weatherized and resists wind losses very well, so it does not need to be placed in weatherproof feeders. Most producers use inverted pick-up tires that are fastened to a wooden base or empty protein supplement tubs. In addition to keeping the mineral from being scattered or wasted by cattle, a prime concern in feeder selection is to use a vessel that allows calves unrestricted access to the mineral. Very often we find that wind-vane feeders and devices that use flaps that cattle have to learn to lift preclude many calves from consuming mineral.

• Where should mineral feeders be placed?

  Feeders should be placed in locations where cattle will find them frequently. Placing them along trails between the feed ground and water supplies is generally very successful. Adjusting the distance that mineral is located from water sources is a key tool used to control mineral consumption; moving the mineral closer to water sources generally increases mineral intake, while moving feeders farther from water will often decrease intake. Over the course of the grazing season, mineral locations should change to keep in synch with the cattle. In fact, many ranchers use mineral as a tool to draw cattle to areas they want the cattle to graze.

• How many mineral feeders do I need to put out?

  A good rule of thumb is to provide one mineral feeder for every 20 to 30 cows. Depending upon the geography of a particular grazing area, adjustments may need to be made. Evaluate the range and determine mineral feeding areas that will provide an opportunity for every cow to find a feeder at least every other day. Your Cargill consultant can assist you in this endeavor.