The vitamin A requirement of adult horses at maintenance is 30 IU/kg (1 kg equals 2.2 pounds) of body weight. For growing and exercising horses, it is 45 IU/kg of body weight. A 500-kg (1,100-pounds) horse would therefore need 15,000 IU of vitamin A per day at rest and 22,500 IU per day when working.
How much vitamin A is too much for a horse?
This means a 1,100-pound horse needs 15,000 to 30,000 IU of vitamin A per day. The upper safe limit for long-term consumption is 16,000 IU/kg of diet , or about 160,000 IU/day for a horse eating 10 kg (22 lbs.) of food per day.
How do you give a horse vitamin A?
Fresh green grass is the best source of vitamin A, as beta-carotene is found in abundance. It has been found that horses maintained on actively growing pastures can meet their vitamin A requirement, solely from fresh forage.
What is vitamin A used for in horses?
Synthetic forms of beta-carotene are not easily absorbed by horses, so rather than supplementing beta-carotene, supplementation should consist of vitamin A. Vitamin A aids in vision, bone remodeling, and the maintenance of epithelial (skin) cells .
How much vitamin A is recommended daily?
If you take vitamin A for its antioxidant properties, keep in mind that the supplement might not offer the same benefits as naturally occurring antioxidants in food. The recommended daily amount of vitamin A is 900 micrograms (mcg) for adult men and 700 mcg for adult women .
How much vitamin K does a horse need?
Vitamin K is required for blood clotting, but no requirement has been established for horses. However, it has been shown that 20 mg/day can be safely fed to performance horses.
How much vitamin D does a horse need?
Horses do best when they receive at least 6.6 IU of vitamin D per kilogram of body weight . For an 1100 pound (500 kilogram) horse, this translates into 3300 IU/day. Sunlight exposure — five to eight hours per day under optimal conditions — will produce this amount of vitamin D.
What is a supplement for horses?
A feed supplement is anything fed to a horse in addition to a natural diet of forage. Technically grain is a supplement. But the term has come to mean any additional nutrients (such as certain vitamins and minerals, extra protein, energy, etc.) that might be lacking in the diet and are added to a horse's ration.
Do horses need a vitamin supplement?
Horses need vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K for optimal health. The quantities needed are small, but the effects are important. For some vitamins, too much in the horse's diet is just as bad as too little.
How much vitamin C can you give a horse?
Feeding recommendations involve offering your horse 1⁄2 to one ounce (per 1000 equine pounds) of powdered Vitamin C supplement each day. This gives your horse between 1500 and 3100 milligrams of Vitamin C daily .
Is it OK to take vitamin A everyday?
When taken by mouth: Vitamin A is LIKELY SAFE for most people in amounts less than 10,000 units (3,000 mcg) daily . Keep in mind that vitamin A is available in two different forms: pre-formed vitamin A and provitamin A. The maximum daily dose of 10,000 units per day relates to only pre-formed vitamin A.
Are vitamin A supplements safe?
Since too much vitamin A can be harmful, consult with your doctor before taking vitamin A supplements. Vitamin A toxicity may cause symptoms, such as liver damage, vision disturbances, nausea and even death. High-dose vitamin A supplements should be avoided unless prescribed by your doctor .
What type of vitamin A is best?
Nature Made's Vitamin A is verified by United States Pharmacopeia (USP), one of the best-known and most trusted third-party supplement testing labs. It provides 267% of the DV for vitamin A per serving. It contains only vitamin A palmitate from fish oil, soybean oil to boost absorption, and a softgel capsule.
Is vitamin E good for horses?
Vitamin E helps keep a horse's muscles, nerves and all his internal workings functioning smoothly . And if he's not getting it naturally in a green pasture, then you'll need to find a way to add it to his diet. Here's a look at what vitamin E does and what you can do to make sure your horse gets enough—but not too much.
Do horses need vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is the only B vitamin not produced in plants, and therefore the horse must rely on the supply from the hindgut bacteria . Why feed it? ... Horses on high grain, low forage diets, or those on very poor quality forage. Horses in high stress situations or during extreme exertion (endurance, traveling, racing)
Is vitamin K good for horses?
The vitamin is essential for the activation of the four factors that cause plasma clotting. Recently, Vitamin K has also been proven to be beneficial in the activation of various proteins in the body, some specifically found in the bone and skin. So, K is an essential vitamin in the life of a horse .
