Topic:Vitamins
Vitamins are organic compounds that are essential in small amounts for various physiological functions in horses. They are involved in processes such as metabolism, immune function, and tissue maintenance. Horses obtain vitamins through their diet, with some vitamins being synthesized by gut microbes. Common vitamins relevant to equine health include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and the B vitamins. These vitamins support functions ranging from vision and bone health to energy metabolism and blood cell formation. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the sources, roles, and effects of vitamins in equine nutrition and health.
Vitamins and other metabolites in various sera commonly used for cell culturing. Many cell culture media use different sera to enhance growth. We assayed vitamins and some related metabolites in different sera and identified the concentration of: thiamin, biotin, folates, riboflavin, pantothenates, nicotinates, vitamins B6, B12, A, E, C, and carotenes and some related metabolites: biopterins, free inositol, free and total choline, total carnitines in chicken, horse, rabbit, goat, pig, calf, newborn calf, fetal calf and human sera. Results indicate that vitamin and metabolite content of different sera vary. Such variations could produce fluctuant effects on cell culturings ...
Vitamin A, E and D nutrition in mares and foals during the winter season: effect of feeding two different vitamin-mineral concentrates. The effects of feeding two different vitamin-mineral concentrates on serum levels of vitamins A, E and D and some growth indicators were examined in 30 pregnant mares and 30 foals. One concentrate contained vitamins A and E and the other did not. Both contained vitamin D3. No differences (P greater than .05) in serum levels of retinol and alpha-tocopherol were observed between the feeding groups in the mares, whereas in the weanlings serum levels of dietary vitamins A and E increased (P less than .01) during late winter and early spring. However, the values did not increase to levels found in ...
Serum profiles of vitamins A, E and D in mares and foals during different seasons. Twenty mares and 15 foals of the Finnhorse breed were used to determine serum levels of vitamins A, E and D during different seasons. Monthly serum samples were analyzed from mares for 22 mo and from foals for 13 mo after birth. The horses were kept on pasture from early June until early October and in stables during the winter months. Seasonal differences (P less than .001) were found in serum retinol, retinol to protein ratio, alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopherol to cholesterol ratio. Values were lowest from February through May and highest from June through August. Serum levels of retinol ...
[Sublimation-dried mare’s milk and the possibility of its use in creating infant and dietary food products]. The main biological parameters were studied in sublimated mare's milk: protein fraction composition, amino-acid spectrum, fatty-acid composition of lipids and the content of vitamins and mineral substances. A high biological value of the sublimated mare's milk has been proved, as well as significant proximity of its composition to human milk. Preliminary data have evidenced expediency of mare's milk use for the development of adapted milk mixtures for baby foods. However, the fatty component of the mixtures needs certain correction by addition of vegetable oil. The sublimated mare's milk can b...
Serum retinol, 25-hydroxyvitamin D and alpha-tocopherol of racing trotters in Finland. Serum levels of retinol, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and alpha-tocopherol were determined by high performance liquid chromatography from 142 Standardbred and Finnish Coldblooded Trotters aged three to 15 years. Blood samples were collected during January and July. Serum levels of retinol and alpha-tocopherol were about a third of those in man, with summer values indicating an increase in most horses. The relatively low serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and alpha-tocopherol suggest that during the winter season a deficiency of these vitamins may occur in horses in north...
Blood vitamin and choline concentrations in healthy domestic cats, dogs, and horses. Blood concentrations of thiamin, biotin, nicotinates, pantothenates, folates, riboflavin, vitamins A, B6, B12, C, E, beta-carotene and choline were analyzed in healthy animals (23 horses, 25 dogs, and 29 cats). B-Complex vitamins and choline also were analyzed in the liver of the dogs and cats. Vitamin concentrations in the blood and livers of dogs were similar; however, blood vitamin A and beta-carotene concentrations were lower in the cat than in the dog. Horses had a higher B12 blood concentration than did the dogs and cats. These data can be useful for detecting overt and hidden vitamin de...
[The effect of vitamin H substitution on the growth and condition of hooves]. A long-term treatment with biotin (vitamin H) in 5 warm-blooded horses and 10 trotter horses is reported. The dose of 0.031-0.037 mg/kg body weight was well tolerated, and with a therapy period up to 10 months an improvement of the horn quality of the growing hoof could be attained as it had not been possible before with other measures. Biotin (Gabiotan) is recommendable as a therapeutic in all cases of hoof problems which are based on disturbed horn elasticity.
Comments on vitamin K. No abstract available
Effects of dietary supplementation with butylated hydroxyanisole, cysteine, and vitamins B on tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) toxicosis in ponies. Dried tansy ragwort, which contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, was fed as 10% of a complete diet to ponies, with and without a mixture of additives. The additives provided a dietary supplement equivalent to 1% cysteine, 0.75% butylated hydroxyanisole, 200 micrograms of vitamin B12/kg of feed, and 5 mg of folic acid/kg of feed. The additives did not alter tansy ragwort toxicity, as assessed by survival time, liver changes, sulfobromophthalein (BSP) clearance rate, serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity, and plasma amino acid patterns. In ponies fed tansy ragwort, BSP clearance rate was a se...
[Nature of the vitamin composition of mare’s milk and koumiss depending on the time of year]. It was shown that the content of vitamins E, C, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin in mare's milk and kumyss varies depending on the season. The highest level of vitamins E, C and niacin was noted in May-June. The technological processing of mare's milk leads to the decreased content of vitamin C and niacin. Mare's milk and kumyss were found to contain dehydroascorbic acid in a considerable amount, especially in summer.
Studies on fungal flora in hair from domestic and laboratory animals suspected of dermatophytosis. I. Dematophytes. Hairsamples of domestic and laboratory animals suspected of dermatophytosis were examined for the presence of dermatophytes. A nutritionally poor base-medium developed by the author was successfully used in the isolation and identification of dermatophytes. Casein-medium supplemented with vitamins and Sabouraud-liquid medium were used in special cases. Dermatophytes were isolated in 36 of 331 samples (10.9%). The dermatophytes recovered were Microsporum canis: 13 isolates from cat. 4 from dog. 1 from horse; Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. granulare: 3 isolates from dog, 3 from horse, 2 from g...
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.
Digestive physiology of the horse. Recent studies on the digestive physiology of the horse are reviewed. It was suggested that the small intestine is the primary site of digestion and absorption of protein, soluble carbohydrates, most minerals, fats, fat soluble and water soluble vitamins. The large intestine is the primary site of fibre digestion and net water absorption. Significant amounts of phosphorus are also absorbed from the large intestine. Many factors such as rate of passage, processing of feeds, level of intake, work and maturity of plant may influence digestive ability.
Vitamin nutrition of the horse. The importance of avoiding vitamin and mineral deficiencies and oversupplementation is discussed along with requirements for specific minerals and vitamins. Management implications of these requirements are presented.