2 minute read
Do Horses Really Need Supplements?
by Uckele
To stay alive - NO. To have the most vibrant health possible - YES!
I’m not talking about specialty supplements here, like joint or hoof, just the core essential nutrients of protein/ amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Somewhere on earth there may be a perfectly balanced forage with adequate total levels of all nutrients - but I doubt it.
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The coat changes with proper supplementation because production of the skin and coat melanin pigments depends on an adequate supply of copper and zinc.
These photos below show what proper balancing can do in just one month.
Horses coat color before supplementation.
Horse's coat color one month after proper supplementation was started.
The horse above had an unbalanced intake of iron, manganese, zinc and copper. This is a very common scenario. In addition, the supplemental forms of minerals being used were not very bioavailable, so not getting absorbed properly. The coat changes with proper supplementation because production of the skin and coat melanin pigments depends on an adequate supply of copper and zinc.
Horses eat exactly the same meals 24/7, typically for months on end. Even if you are feeding a well balanced supplemented feed, the majority of calories, minerals, protein and vitamins are coming from the hay - which is not balanced. Even if you gave the horse the equivalent of an equine one-a-day that contained the required daily minimum amount of all minerals, you can still have deficiencies. This is because most minerals compete for absorption sites.
Picture a lottery machine with 99 black balls and 1 white ball. The black balls are a mineral present at excessive levels. The white ball is a mineral present at its recommended minimum. What color is most likely to make it to the chute (the absorption site)?
Minerals are for much more than bone formation. In addition to pigment production mentioned above, energy generation, DNA transcription, immunity, hormonal balance, muscle and nerve function, digestion and absorption of nutrients, blood vessel health, pH balance, fertility, tendon/ligament strength, hoof integrity, vision, enzyme activity - virtually anything you can think of relies on one or more minerals.
Hay or pasture analysis is by far the best way to determine what nutrients need to be supplemented and in what amounts. If this is impossible, regional analysis figures can be used.
All species can survive, even perform and reproduce, in the face of nutritional deficiencies. That doesn’t mean you should ignore these deficiences. To really thrive and reach their true potential, horses need optimized nutrition. The investment required is minimal, but returns can be huge.
Eleanor Kellon, VMD
Uckele Staff Veterinary Specialist
Uckele offers unique products to ensure the highest quality and potency!
