• What should be considered about the feed regime for Breeding Game Birds?
• What Marsdens diets are recommended for Day Old Pheasants to 4 Weeks of Age?
• What Marsdens Feed Follows the Starter Diets?
• My working dogs are in good condition, but very lazy what should I do?
• What guidance is given regarding disease prevention in the rearing field?
• What Feed Guidance is Given for Poults being Put to Wood?
• How can I avoid my dog having digestive upset?
• My dog has a dull coat, will the Prestige Dog Foods help this?
• When do I introduce puppy food?
• How Can Disease Problems be Avoided in "The Release" Pen?
• What Quantities of Feed are Required for 1,000 Poults?
• How Does Partridge Feeding Vary from that of Pheasants?
• Do Marsdens Produce Duck Diets?

What should be considered about the feed regime for Breeding Game Birds?

1. The quality of the diet when the quantity and hatchability of egg production is critical to economic performance.
2. A feed programme which has a strategy to control potential worm infection.
3. A veterinary consultation regarding potential disease problems (mycoplasma infections in particular).

What Marsdens diets are recommended for Day Old Pheasants to 4 Weeks of Age?

1. A 29% protein Pheasant Starter Crumb, which includes high levels of fish meal, and is small enough to get the chicks off to a great start.
2. A mini-pellet to follow the crumb. The nutrition make up is the same as the crumb, and so there is no reduction in protein  when moving to mini. The mini-pellet is so small in size, that a switch from crumb to mini is possible from 10 to 12 days onwards.

What Marsdens Feed Follows the Starter Diets?

The recommendation is to move from the 29% starter regime to a 24% protein early grower pellet. The change should take place at the beginning of week 5. The early grower diet is recommended in the rearing field (weeks 5 and 6); and continued on "to wood" for the first 2 weeks in the "release pens".

My working dogs are in good condition, but very lazy what should I do?

Protein is an excellent stimulant to encourage a lazy dog to be more active. The Prestige range contains excellent sources of high quality proteins (Fish and Chicken) which will promote activity. Try increasing the protein in your dogs diet. Prestige 25 has 25% Protein content and is designed for dogs carrying out extended periods of hard work.

What guidance is given regarding disease prevention in the rearing field?

The issue should be referred to a specialist poultry veterinary consultant. However, a strict bio-security regime is essential for the best results. Lower pen densities can also prevent disease breakdown. The Marsdens high density 2 stage (29% and 24%) protein regime will help in avoiding stress through change of diets as there is only one change.

What Feed Guidance is Given for Poults being Put to Wood?

If the poults are being moved from the rearing field to wood, then the recommendation is to remain on the rearing diet - Marsdens Early Grower Pellets. If the poults are being purchased from a game farm, then the recommendation is the 24% protein Early Grower Pellet. It is important to realise that the majority of game farms use a high protein regime, so the move to wood should not have any reduction in protein. The Marsdens Early Pellets should be fed for 1st, 2nd or 3rd weeks, and then the diet can be reduced  to an 18% Protein level as the poults will be starting to pick up additional nutrition from the natural habitat. Marsdens 18% Protein diet is called Pheasant Poult Pellets.

How can I avoid my dog having digestive upset?

The Prestige range, are highly palatable diets, which are formulated from only the very best ingredients. A well balanced diet with wholesome ingredients will maintain a good digestion. It is commonly thought that any dog food that is not balanced and contains high levels of Soya can cause digestive upsets, this type of food should be avoided at all costs.

My dog has a dull coat, will the Prestige Dog Foods help this?

The Prestige range contains essential levels of trace elements which are compatible for both dogs at resting and during hard work. The range also contains high levels of digestible oil which in conjunction with all the trace elements, will stimulate COAT SHINE AND EXCELLENT BODY CONDITION.

When do I introduce puppy food?

Prestige Puppy is a highly palatable diet which contains high levels of essential digestible fat, which in turn stimulates excellent growth and body  condition. Prestige Puppy should be introduced as soon as possible, ideally by week 3, and fed in conjunction with or soaked with milk.

How Can Disease Problems be Avoided in "The Release" Pen?

It is widely believed that a stressful environment for poults is a prerequisite to a disease breakdown. So first and foremost all aspects of management should be reviewed, so that stress levels are minimal. Specialist veterinary consultancy advice should be sought, as to what medication regime is to be used with the in-coming poults. This is vital if a supplying game farm is using an existing medication regime. If the poults are to be released into existing pens, it is worth assuming that they need a worm control programme.  This avoids lowering the birds health and secondary disease problems with the poults. Flubenvet, a licenced wormer is available in all Marsdens diets.

What Quantities of Feed are Required for 1,000 Poults?

20 Bags of Marsdens Early Grower Pellets

* Plus whatever medication "package" as recommended by a veterinary consultant.

20 Bags of Marsdens Early Grower Pellets and Flubenvet

* Plus whatever medication "package" as recommended by a veterinary consultant.

60 Bags of Marsdens Poult Pellets

Notes:  The above would relate to 6 to 7 weeks of pellet feeding. If the pellet feeding regime was to be reduced, then 40 bags of poult pellets should be a minimum.

How Does Partridge Feeding Vary from that of Pheasants?

The partridge is a smaller bird than a pheasant and therefore, broadly speaking, their feed has to be more nutritionally dense. In practical terms the partridge is fed using pheasant diets but the feeding period is extended by 2 weeks. An example would be; the Starter Mini-Pellet diet should be fed to the end of week 6 for partridges, where as only to 4 weeks for pheasants. The only exception to the general advice is; the Early Grower Pellet is followed by a 21% protein diet - Marsdens Grower Pellets.

Do Marsdens Produce Duck Diets?

Yes they do, a Duck Starter Crumb which is to be fed for the first 3 weeks, to be followed by a Duck Grower Pellet. 1,000 Ducks require 30 bags of Starter Crumb and 90 bags of Duck Grower before moving on to cereals.