Topic:Minerals
Minerals are inorganic elements that are essential for various physiological functions in horses. They are involved in numerous biological processes, including bone formation, nerve function, and enzyme activity. Key minerals required by horses include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and trace elements such as zinc, copper, and selenium. The balance and bioavailability of these minerals are important for maintaining optimal health and performance in horses. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the roles, dietary requirements, and effects of mineral imbalances on equine health and performance.
Generalized steatitis associated with selenium deficiency and normal vitamin E status in a foal. A 7-month-old male Quarter Horse was examined because of severe cachexia, which had begun 2 months earlier. The foal was emaciated and weak despite an excellent appetite. Percutaneous biopsy revealed multiple areas of subcutaneous steatitis with mineralization. Radiography demonstrated calcification of the nuchal ligament. The foal died 9 days after admission. Necropsy revealed mineralized lesions throughout the fascial planes and adipose tissues of the thorax, abdomen, and skeletal muscles, with little to no involvement of muscular tissue. Serum magnesium, copper, and thyroxine concentrations...
Copper, zinc and manganese concentrations in equine liver, kidney and plasma. Five groups of horses were fed different diets of known trace mineral concentration for a minimum of six months. Copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) concentrations were measured in livers of 125 yearling horses and kidneys of 81 yearling horses as an assessment of trace mineral status. Plasma Cu and Zn determinations were made for all horses.Mean hepatic Cu concentrations of horses fed diets containing 6.9 to 15.2 mg Cu/kg dry matter (DM) feed were 0.27 to 0.33 mumol/g DM tissue. Plasma Cu concentrations ranged between 22.8 to 28.3 mumol/L. There was no simple mathematical relationship b...
A comparison of the mineral composition of milk of domestic and captive wild equids (Equus przewalski, E. zebra, E. burchelli, E. caballus, E. assinus). Milk samples were obtained in early and/or late lactation from Przewalski horses, Hartmann's zebras, Grant's zebras, domestic horses, ponies and a mule mare made pregnant by embryo transfer. Samples were compared for their content of total solids, ash, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc and iron. Milk from the Przewalski horses, Hartmann's zebra and the domestic horse had similar mineral composition and the content of minerals was higher in early than in late lactation. Milk from the domestic mule contained the lowest concentration of calcium, phosphorus and zinc b...
Three-year study on trace mineral concentration in the blood plasma of Shetland pony mares. Changes in some trace minerals concentrations (calcium, inorganic phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, sodium and potassium) in blood plasma were investigated during a three-year period in Shetland pony mares. Blood plasma mineral concentrations were determined by the atomic absorption method and colorimetric method. The three-year averages were in micrograms/ml; Na 4630 +/- 168; K 277 +/- 3.8; Ca 171 +/- 3.8; P 31.5 +/- 0.74; Fe 1.92 +/- 0.14; Zn 1.07 +/- 0.04 and Cu 1.06 +/- 0.02. Two trace minerals (magnesium in inorganic phosphorus) showed only long-term tendency changes--upward or d...
Skeletal abnormalities in young horses associated with zinc toxicity and hypocuprosis. Four young horses grazing pastures near industrial plants developed illthrift, lameness and skeletal abnormalities characterised by periarticular enlargement of the long bones. The clinical signs and lesions were attributed to hypocuprosis induced by an excessive intake of zinc from pasture. High pasture intakes of iron may have further compounded the problem.
Mineral metabolism and immobilization osteopenia in ponies treated with 25-hydroxycholecalciferol. The left thoracic limb was immobilized in a plaster cast in 6 grade weanling ponies for 6 weeks. Two ponies were injected intramuscularly each day with 2.4 micrograms of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25(OH)D3] per kg bodyweight, two with 1.2 micrograms and two received no injections. Immobilization of 25(OH)D3 treatment had no significant effect on mineral metabolism. Immobilization resulted in significantly decreased weight and specific gravity of metacarpus III (MCIII). Histologic examination and triple fluorochrome incorporation showed that the osteopenia was caused by atrophy of osteoblasts w...
Assessment of the calcium and phosphorus nutrition in horses by analysis of urine. Studied were made to determine if a practical assessment of the calcium and phosphorus nutrition of horses could be obtained from an analysis of urine samples. The concentrations of Ca and P in urine samples changed markedly when groups of 4 mares were fed diets containing from 1.0 to 3.9 g Ca/kg and from 1.5 to 6.1 g P/kg, but serum concentrations of Ca and P remained relatively constant. The concentrations in single urine samples were considered unreliable indicators of excretion of the minerals because of variations in water excretion, and two methods to overcome this problem were examined....
Renal cadmium and zinc concentrations in horses in Norway. Much of the recent interest in cadmium has been inspired by concern about the increasing levels of this element in the environment. Exposure to low levels of cadmium may cause chronic effects. The intake of cadmium takes place mostly via foods. Therefore it is of interest to determine the cadmium levels in domestic animals in order to evaluate possible hazards both to animals and man.
Some nutritional problems of horses. The effects of overfeeding, calcium-phosphorus imbalance, misuse of supplements and false advertising on equine nutrition are discussed. Overfeeding is known to cause disorders in several species but, although a similar relationship has been suggested on clinical evidence, no controlled trials on horses have been reported. It has also been suggested that overfeeding is a problem only for those horses with a genetic predisposition to skeletal problems. The importance of adequate calcium and phosphorus levels has been known for many years but severe cases of calcium deficiency still occur. Clien...
[Circadian variations in the content of plasma constituants in the brood mare]. Twenty-one circadian blood sample profiles were made in heavy brood mares during pregnancy, lactation or the dry, non-pregnant period. The mares were fed forage-rich diets containing different levels of energy and nitrogen (table 1). Each profile consisted of 7 samples taken at 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m., 11 p.m., 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. The animals were fed at 8:30 a.m. The eleven plasma components evaluated were glucose, non-esterified fatty acids, beta-hydroxybutyrate, acetate, alanine, insulin (energy metabolites), urea, total protein (nitrogen metabolites), calcium, inorganic phosphorus an...
[Preliminary study of the effect of supplementation of iron, copper, cobalt and zinc on cellulolytic activity in the cecum of the pony]. We studied a caecum-cannulated pony fed hay libitum in order to determine the mineral elements likely to cause deficiencies which decrease microbial activity in the caecum. During four successive 1-month periods, we observed the effects of adding 50 mg of iron, 1 mg of cobalt, 40 mg of copper and 200 mg of zinc, respectively. Except for the introduction of zinc, which greatly diminishes cellulolytic activity measured with the nylon bag technique, there was no significant modification in that activity as shown by pH, NH3-nitrogen, total nitrogen and volatile fatty acid production (table 1). It ...
Calcium metabolism, body composition, and sweat losses of exercised horses. The effect of exercise on the pathways of metabolism of 40Ca and 47Ca was studied in 4 yearling Standardbred horses in 4 consecutive treatment periods: (1) no exercise, (2) trotting 16 km/day, (3) trotting 10 km/day, and (4) no exercise. Metabolic balance studies and studies of 47Ca kinetics were conducted during the final week of each month-long treatment period. The urinary excretion of 40Ca and 47Ca decreased 50% to 75% during the exercise periods. Retention of 47Ca increased during the exercise periods, but the retention of dietary Ca (40Ca) did not change. The efficiency of Ca absorption ...
[Influenza vaccination: which vaccine (author’s transl)]. A comparative study of the literature of the past ten years showed that vaccination of horses and ponies against influenza is best done using adjuvant-containing vaccines. Comparable results may probably be obtained by twice inoculating an aquenous vaccine. There are no drawbacks to the use of aluminium-hydroxide as an adjuvant when mineral oil is used as an adjuvant, the first and second vaccinations do not present any problems.
A study of the morphology of stallion semen during the breeding and non-breeding seasons. Season was shown to markedly influence semen characteristics of stallions in Holland, including ejaculate volume, sperm motility, total number of spermatozoa/ejaculate and the percentage of spermatozoa showing morphological abnormalities. Maintenance of normal stallions in continuous light during the winter months and administration of a vitamin and mineral supplement to sub-fertile stallions before the start of the breeding season appeared to improve spermatogenesis significantly.
Intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphorus by horses. Recent knowledge regarding the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the intestine of the horse has been reviewed. Consideration has been given to sites, mechanisms and factors affecting absorption as well as to the availability of calcium and phosphorus from feedstuffs commonly used in Eastern North America. Although the anatomy of the digestive tract might appear to impose restrictions on the ability of the horse to assimilate minerals, studies of absorption show that the horse utilizes the calcium and phosphorus of many feeds very efficiently.