What Vitamins Can Horses Not Produce?

Vitamin E. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that must be supplied in the diet because horses can not make it in their bodies. It is found in fresh grass and forages. Horses that are mostly on lush pasture will get enough vitamin E from grazing.

Can horses produce vitamin E?

Naturally, horses obtain sufficient amounts of vitamin E through lush green pasture. However, this is not a realistic option for all horse owners. Another option to increase vitamin E levels in a deficient animal is through supplementation.

Can horses synthesize vitamin D?

Horses derive vitamin D through the feedstuffs they ingest, but horses can also synthesize vitamin D when their skin is exposed to sunlight. Under natural conditions, grazing horses are exposed to many hours of sunlight every day, theoretically producing enough vitamin D to meet their needs.

Do horses produce vitamin C?

Horses normally synthesize adequate amounts of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in their liver to meet their needs for the vitamin.

Which vitamins are produced by the horse?

Needed for proper blood clotting, vitamin K is manufactured in the horse’s hindgut and is also ingested in hay. Under normal conditions, it’s rare for a horse to develop a deficiency, but intestinal infections that disrupt the bacterial population of the gut can compromise production of vitamin K.

Do horses produce 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.

Can horses have vitamin A?

Vitamin A is important in equine diets because of its powerful antioxidant action. This vitamin also supports vision, reproductive functions, and the equine immune system.

What animals Cannot produce vitamin D?

Dogs and cats, unlike other mammals such as sheep, cattle, horses, pigs, rats and humans, are not able to synthesize vitamin D in the skin through sun exposure (How, Hazewinkel, & Mol, 1994; Morris, 1999). Therefore, these species are dependent on the dietary intake of vitamin D.

What animals Cannot synthesize vitamin D?

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for dogs and cats since they are unable to synthesize vitamin D₃ through skin sun exposure; thus, it is essential that they receive this nutrient in their diet [1,2]. vitamin D has two nonactive forms in nature: cholecalciferol or vitamin D₃, and ergocalciferol or vitamin D2.

Can vitamin D and K be synthesized?

A vitamin is normally a substance that cannot be synthesized by the body and has key metabolic functions. Vitamin D is an exception: we can synthesize vitamin D, but only when exposed to sunlight. Precise UV-B radiation. This is the intensive part of sunlight that can also cause skin cancer.

What animals Cannot produce vitamin C?

Most animals make their own vitamin C. Some mammals cannot. Those that cannot include the main suborder of primates, the Haplorrhini: these are the tarsiers, monkeys and apes, including humans. Others are bats, capybaras and guinea pigs.

What happens if a horse gets too much vitamin A?

Vitamin A can be toxic because excesses will accumulate in the liver. Toxicity includes bone fragility; developmental orthopedic disease in growing horses; areas of abnormal bone growth; itching, peeling skin and birth defects. Symptoms of bone disease include swelling, pain and fractures.

What happens if a horse has too much vitamin C?

This uncertainty, along with the observation that blood levels drop in stabled horses and during the winter months, suggests some supplementation may be optimal. Vitamin C has a low toxicity, with the major issue being gastrointestinal irritation and diarrhea at high doses (typically 20 grams/day or more).

What happens if a horse gets too much calcium?

In this case, calcium oxalate crystals are formed in the kidney tubules and interfere with kidney function. Affected horses may have muscle tremors and a staggering gait. They may appear lethargic and stop eating. Twitching of the muscles of the face may be seen, and death may occur if signs go unnoticed.

What products do horses produce?

Many products are derived from horses including meat, milk, hide, hair, bone and pharmaceuticals extracted from the urine of pregnant mares. Humans provide domesticated horses with food, water and shelter as well as attention from specialists such as veterinarians and farriers.

Can horses make vitamins?

Unlike humans, horses make their own vitamin C supplies in the liver but it is advisable to supplement additional vitamin C to horses in heavy work or over the age of 15. Horses exposed to sunlight produce adequate supplies of vitamin D in their skin.

Which animals can produce B12?

In particular, the meat and milk of herbivorous ruminant animals (e.g. cattle and sheep) are good sources of vitamin B₁₂ for humans. Ruminants acquire vitamin B₁₂, which is considered an essential nutrient, through a symbiotic relationship with the bacteria present in their stomachs.

What naturally produces B12?

Good sources of vitamin B12

• Animal liver and kidneys. Organ meats are some of the most nutrient-packed foods.
• Clams. Clams are small, chewy shellfish that are packed with nutrients.
• Sardines. Sardines are small, soft-boned saltwater fish.
• Beef.
• Fortified cereal.
• Tuna.
• Fortified nutritional yeast.
• Trout.

Can horses have too much vitamin B?

No recognized deficiency or toxicity level of vitamin B12 in the horse has been established. Vitamin B12 is typically produced by hindgut microbes in sufficient quantities to meet requirements. Additional vitamin B12 may, however, come from a well-fortified feed, especially premium feeds.

Do horses need vitamin K?

Vitamin K is essential for horse heath. It’s stored in the animal’s body fat that can be converted to be water-soluble and housed in the liver. Vitamin K’s main function is coagulation: the nutrient has several properties that help blood clot properly. A deficiency, then, presents the risk of hemorrhage.

Do horses need vitamin D?

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.