Oxbow Natural Science vs Science Selective

[Standard_Procedure]

Soon I’ll be ditching the Excel junior rabbit pellets which has 36% beneficial fibre and 19% crude fibre, for something more suitable for an adult rabbit.

Supreme Science Selective rabbit food and Oxbow Natural Science Adult rabbit food seems like my top pick so far. I know the Cane Molasses ingredient in Oxbow NS is a concentrated sugar. Trying to compare its other ingredients to SS. Which product has the overall superior list of ingredients?

SS ingredients: Alfalfa meal, soybean hulls, wheat, wheatfeed, flaked peas, linseed, beet pulp, soybeanmeal, soya oil, monocalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate.

Analysis: Crude protein 14.0%, Crude fibre 25.0%, Crude oils and fats 4.0%, Crude ash 8.0%, Calcium 0.6%, Sodium 0.3%, Phosphorus 0.4%.  Also has aniseed a natural source of omega 3.

NS ingredients: Timothy Grass, Orchard Grass, Oat Grass, Oat Hulls, Canola Meal, Whole Yellow Pea, Whole Barley, Tomato Pomace (dehydrated), Cane Molasses, Flax Seed, Yeast Culture (dehydrated), Sodium Bentonite, Salt, Lignin Sulfonate, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Rosemary, Dried Thyme, L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate (Vitamin C), Inulin, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, Selenium Yeast, Vitamin A Supplement, Folic Acid, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Biotin, Manganous Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Magnesium Sulfate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate.

Analysis:  Crude Protein (min) 12.00%, Crude Fat (min) 3.00%, Crude Fiber (min) 22.00%, Crude Fiber (max) 26.00%, Moisture (max) 10.00%, Calcium (min) 0.40%, Calcium (max) 0.80%, Phosphorus (min) 0.35%, Copper (min) 35 mg/kg, Vitamin A (min) 19,000 IU/kg (min), Vitamin D (min) 900 IU/kg (min), Vitamin E (min) 190 IU/kg (min), Omega 3 Fatty Acid (min) 0.45%, Omega 6 Fatty Acid (min) 0.90%

[Mocha]

I’d have to go with Oxbow. I feed my bunnies the Oxbow Adult T ones.

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Well the science selective is alfalfa based soooo I’d probably go with the Timothy based one. I feed oxbow. It seems to be a highly recommended food

[LongEaredLions]

I would go with oxbow too. Alfalfa isn’t really good for adult buns.

[MoveDiagonally]

Alfalfa based pellets aren’t automatically bad. They usually end up being higher in calories/calcium which is why they’re usually warned against. There are some ingredients to stay away from, like corn, but generally you can judge a food by it’s guaranteed analysis. 

Do you have a link to where you found the SS info? When I pull up the guaranteed analysis on from their website for their basic Rabbit Science Selective I get a different list/analysis than you posted. 

From what I looked up both foods are within the general pellet recommendations. The differences are pretty minimal and either pellet would probably be fine.  

[Standard_Procedure]

Posted By MoveDiagonally on 5/27/2014 10:26 PM

Alfalfa based pellets aren’t automatically bad. They usually end up being higher in calories/calcium which is why they’re usually warned against. There are some ingredients to stay away from, like corn, but generally you can judge a food by it’s guaranteed analysis. 

Do you have a link to where you found the SS info? When I pull up the guaranteed analysis on from their website for their basic Rabbit Science Selective I get a different list/analysis than you posted. 

From what I looked up both foods are within the general pellet recommendations. The differences are pretty minimal and either pellet would probably be fine.  

http://www.thehayexperts.co.uk/selective-rabbit.html
http://www.thehayexperts.co.uk/natural-science-adult-rabbit-food.html

This is a popular website people buy hay and rabbit food from in UK. I’m guessing it’s reliable info because of their reputation. Just checked the SS home site and the analysis is the same: http://www.supremepetfoods.com/products/science-selective-rabbit/

[MoveDiagonally]

Oh! I think I was probably looking at a different variety of the SS (they have so many of them!)

I still think either pellet should be fine. SS is a bit higher in fat so if weight has been an issue or becomes an issue than I would suggest the Oxbow.

[Standard_Procedure]

Just found out an issue with the NS. Canola Meal is made from canola oil, and that’s GM modified version of grapeseed. In some countries it’s banned for feeding to cattle. Can anyone confirm if this ingredient is safe for rabbits?

[MoveDiagonally]

Canola is actually a version of rapeseed not grapeseed. Rapeseed is high in glucosinolates. High enough doses of glucosinolates can affect the thyroid and increase the possibility of goiters occurring.

Canola is a low glucosinolates version of rapeseed and is considered/used as a substitute for soy in animal feeds.

[Author]

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