Equine mineral nutrition

Larry L. Berger, Ph.D.

Salt Institute

Salt and Trace Minerals newsletter

Winter 2006 (Vol. 37, No. 4)

Because horses are rarely fed totally mixed rations (i.e. the forage is fed separately from the grain ration), it is difficult to measure mineral intakes. While weight gain, milk production, or fertility rates can be used to evaluate mineral nutrition programs in cattle, pigs and poultry, these quantitative measures are less appropriate for horses. Skeletal development and soundness are much more important in horses and mineral deficiencies may not be easily detected. Calcium, phosphorus, sodium, copper, zinc, iodine, selenium, potassium and magnesium are special considerations, as is the zinc-to-copper ratio.