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Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace mineral that is required by horses for the immune system, tissue repair, growth, fertility and fetal development.
Learn more about the top 10 Research-Backed Benefits of Zinc for Horses at https://madbarn.com/zinc-benefits-for-horses/
Zinc is involved in over 100 different enzymatic reactions in the body that affect hormone metabolism, energy production, protein synthesis, collagen and keratin formation, insulin production and more.
Low levels of zinc in the diet can contribute to subnormal growth, fatigue, problems with hair, hoof and skin quality, loss of appetite, anemia and high frequency of colds and other illnesses.
According to the National Research Council’s Nutrient Requirements of Horses, a 500 kg mature horse at maintenance requires 400 mg per day of Zinc. Requirements are higher for horses that are lactating or undergoing heavy work.
Additional Zinc supplementation guidelines can be found at https://madbarn.com/product/zinc/
Does my horse need a Zinc supplement?
Many horses do not obtain optimal amounts of this mineral from their forage and could benefit from supplementation.
Zinc is commonly supplemented in balance with Copper because the two minerals compete for the same absorption pathway in the gastrointestinal tract.
Mad Barn provides a 3:1 Zinc to Copper product at https://madbarn.com/product/31-zinc-copper/.
High iron levels in hay can interfere with zinc and copper absorption leading to deficiency in these minerals and issues with hoof and coat quality.
Find out more about the dangers of high iron for horses at https://madbarn.com/high-iron-horses/.
Horses consuming diets high in iron typically benefit from extra zinc and copper to overcome this interference.
Wondering if your horse would benefit from more zinc and copper in their diet?
Contact Mad Barn at https://madbarn.com/analyze-diet/ for a complimentary diet analysis and one of our equine nutritionists will be happy to help!
