Biological trace element research2026; doi: 10.1007/s12011-026-05138-x

The Effects of Boron Mineral on Performance, Bone and Mineral Metabolism in Purebred Arabian Foals.

Yilmaz, İÇ
·
Güler, T
·
Ekmen, EG
·
Özçelik, M

Abstract: Boron plays significant roles in various biological systems, including mineral, lipid, and energy metabolism, immune and endocrine systems, and brain function. It has been suggested to enhance performance and may prevent conditions such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and arthritis. Despite these known benefits, its effects on growth performance and mineral metabolism in horses remain understudied, particularly in young animals like Purebred Arabian foals. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different doses of boron supplementation (0, 5, 10, and 15 mg/day per animal) on the performance (live weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio) and bone and mineral metabolism in Purebred Arabian foals. A total of 32 Purebred Arabian foals with similar initial live weights were randomly divided into four groups, each consisting of eight animals. The experimental groups were as follows: Control Group (K Group): No boron supplementation. B5 Group: Received 5 mg/day of elemental boron. B10 Group: Received 10 mg/day of elemental boron. B15 Group: Received 15 mg/day of elemental boron. Boric acid was used as the boron source, and the study spanned 90 days. Feed intake, live weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were monitored. Measurements of metacarpal diameter, withers height, and chest circumference were recorded. Serum samples were analyzed for ALP, P, Mg, Ca, B, PTH, cortisol, calcitonin, osteocalcin, and vitamin D3 levels. Performance: Feed intake was similar across all groups (P > 0.05). However, the B15 group exhibited the highest live weight gain, daily weight gain, and feed conversion efficiency (P 0.05). While no significant main effect of group was found for metacarpal diameter (P > 0.05), a highly significant time × group interaction was detected (P < 0.001), indicating that boron supplementation modulated the developmental trajectory of the skeleton. Serum calcium (Ca) levels on day 90 were significantly higher in the B15 group compared to the control group (P = 0.03). Serum boron (B) levels increased linearly with the administered dose (P < 0.001). Serum cortisol levels on day 90 were significantly higher in the B10 and B15 groups compared to the control (P = 0.004). Calcitonin and osteocalcin levels showed a dose-dependent linear increase, peaking in the B15 group on day 90 (P 0.05). Boron supplementation positively influenced growth performance and bone and mineral metabolism in Purebred Arabian foals, with the 15 mg/day dose showing the most pronounced benefits. These findings suggest that boron supplementation could be an a promising nutritional strategy to enhance growth performance and mineral metabolism in young horses. Further research is warranted to explore long-term effects and potential applications in equine nutrition and management. However, further long-term studies are required to confirm these findings and determine optimal supplementation levels.

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Publication Date: 2026-05-06 PubMed ID: 42087024PubMed Central: 4712861DOI: 10.1007/s12011-026-05138-xGoogle Scholar: Lookup

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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Overview

This study investigated how different doses of boron supplementation affect growth performance, bone development, and mineral metabolism in Purebred Arabian foals over a 90-day period.
The researchers found that boron, particularly at 15 mg/day, improved weight gain, feed efficiency, and positively influenced bone mineral markers in these young horses.

Background

Boron is a trace mineral known to play roles in mineral, lipid, energy metabolism, immune and endocrine functions, and brain activities.
It has been linked to benefits such as enhancing physical performance and preventing bone diseases like osteoporosis and arthritis in various species.
Despite these benefits, its effects in horses – especially young foals – have not been extensively studied.

Study Objective

The main goal was to evaluate the impact of different daily oral doses of elemental boron (0, 5, 10, and 15 mg) on:

Growth performance indicators: live weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR).
Bone development: withers height, metacarpal diameter, and chest circumference.
Mineral metabolism: blood serum levels of enzymes, minerals, and hormones related to bone health.

Methodology

Subjects: 32 Purebred Arabian foals with similar initial weights.
Design: Random allocation into four groups (8 foals each): no boron, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg boron per day.
Boron Source: Boric acid was used for supplementation.
Duration: 90 days.
Measurements included:

Physical parameters: feed intake, weight gain, dimensions of body parts relevant to skeletal growth.
Blood serum analyses: alkaline phosphatase (ALP), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), boron (B), parathyroid hormone (PTH), cortisol, calcitonin, osteocalcin, and vitamin D3.

Key Results

Growth Performance:

Feed intake was consistent across all groups, showing boron didn’t affect appetite.
The 15 mg/day group (B15) showed the greatest increase in live weight and daily weight gain.
Feed conversion ratio improved in the B15 group, indicating better efficiency in converting feed into body mass.

Bone and Mineral Metabolism:

Serum ALP, phosphorus, and magnesium levels did not significantly differ between groups, suggesting general mineral and enzyme levels remained stable.
Metacarpal diameter growth showed a significant interaction between time and boron group, implying boron affected the pattern of skeletal growth over time.
Serum calcium levels on day 90 were significantly higher in the B15 group compared to controls, indicating enhanced calcium metabolism or retention.
Serum boron concentration increased proportionally with supplementation dose, confirming effective uptake.

Hormonal and Bone Marker Effects:

Cortisol levels were significantly elevated in the 10 mg and 15 mg groups by day 90, which may relate to stress response or metabolic regulation.
Calcitonin and osteocalcin, markers of bone formation and metabolism, showed dose-dependent linear increases, peaking in the B15 group—indicative of enhanced bone remodeling activity.
Vitamin D3 and parathyroid hormone levels showed no significant changes, indicating boron supplementation did not alter these regulators of calcium metabolism markedly.

Conclusions and Implications

Boron supplementation, particularly at 15 mg/day, enhanced growth performance and positively influenced bone development and mineral metabolism in young Arabian foals.
The observed increases in serum calcium, osteocalcin, and calcitonin suggest boron may improve bone formation and mineralization during growth.
Feed efficiency improvement implies potential economic and health benefits for horse breeding and management.
Increases in cortisol warrant further investigation to understand the broader physiological impact of boron.
Results support considering boron as a nutritional supplement in equine diets for better growth and skeletal health.
Further long-term studies are needed to establish optimal dosing and confirm safety and efficacy over extended periods.

Cite This Article

APA

Yilmaz İÇ, Güler T, Ekmen EG, Özçelik M. (2026). The Effects of Boron Mineral on Performance, Bone and Mineral Metabolism in Purebred Arabian Foals. Biol Trace Elem Res. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-026-05138-x

Publication

Biological trace element research

ISSN: 1559-0720

NlmUniqueID: 7911509

Country: United States

Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Yilmaz, İsmail Çağrı

Sultansuyu Agricultural Enterprise, Malatya, Türkiye.

Güler, Talat

Department of Animal Nutrition, Veterinary Faculty of Fırat University, Elazığ, Türkiye. tguler@firat.edu.tr.

Ekmen, Edanur Güler

Department of Physiology, Veterinary Faculty of Fırat University, Elazığ, Türkiye.

Özçelik, Mehtap

Vocational School of Health Services, Fırat University, Elazığ, Türkiye.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Declarations. Animal Welfare: The authors confirm that the ethical policies of the journal, as noted on the journal’s author guidelines page, have been adhered to and the appropriate ethical review committee approval has been received. The authors confirm that they have followed EU standards for the protection of animals used for scientific purposes legislation. This study was approved by the Local Animal Ethics Committee of Inönü University (Decision No: 2021/26-2-13092). Ethics Approval: This study was approved by the Local Animal Ethics Committee of Inönü University (Decision No: 2021/26-2-13092). Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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