Do Horses Produce Their Own B Vitamins?

Horses can to some extent rely on their own “home-made” B vitamins to meet their full requirements. While the horse manufactures his own niacin (formerly B3), the remaining B vitamins are produced as part of the mutual working contract between the horse and his microflora by the bacteria of the hind gut.

Where do horses get B vitamins from?

Horses usually get high amounts of B vitamins from good quality green forages, they can also manufacture their own niacin (B3). The other B vitamins are also manufactured in the hindgut as part of the symbiotic relationship with the billions of beneficial equine microflora.

Do animals make their own B12?

Vitamin B12 is produced by bacteria, not animals or plants. Animals, including humans, must obtain it directly or indirectly from bacteria. Farmed animals receive B12 by eating fortified (supplemented) feed, being exposed to bacteria-laden manure and drinking untreated (contaminated) water.

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 B vitamins come from animals?

Food Sources of Vitamin B12
It is naturally found in animal food products, including meat, poultry, (shell)fish, eggs, milk, and other dairy products (2). Vitamin B12 is generally not present in plant foods, but fortified breakfast cereals are a readily available source of vitamin B12 with high bioavailability (3, 4).

How do wild animals get B12?

In the wild, carnivorous and omnivorous animals can thus get B12 by eating other animals. Modern farmed animals, however, do not consume a natural diet; most farmed animals are confined for some or all of their lives and receive supplemental B12 or cobalt in their feed.

Where do farmed animals get B12?

As a result of the conditions in which we keep animals, coupled with shortages in the soil, most farmed animals are unable to get natural sources of B12. Both intensively raised and outdoor animals are, therefore, often supplemented with the vitamin.

How did vegans get B12 in the past?

Claimed sources of B12 that have been shown through direct studies of vegans to be inadequate include human gut bacteria, spirulina, dried nori, barley grass and most other seaweeds.

How did ancient vegans get B12?

Our ancestors would get their B12 supply in the form of bacteria on root vegetables/tubers pulled from the ground, by drinking water from natural sources, as well as from any meat they happened to consume (since those animals also ingested bacteria from soil and water).

Do cows make their own B12?

Vitamin B12 comes from animal products, produced by microorganisms in the digestive tract of cows, sheep, and goats. Cow’s milk is an excellent natural source of B12, because of the abundance of bacteria in their digestive tract capable of producing the vitamin.

What vitamins can horses not produce?

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. However, vitamin E rapidly degrades when grasses are cut for hay.

Do horses produce their own biotin?

Biotin is naturally produced by microbial synthesis in the horse’s hindgut, and levels produced are sufficient for general health. However, where poor hoof growth, and poor hoof quality are observed then research has long proven the benefit of supplementing with biotin₂.

What does a horse do with excess B vitamins?

As they are water-soluble, B vitamins are not stored by the body and any excess supply is excreted in the urine. All B vitamins are essential to horses and are therefore needed in the diet on a regular basis.

What is the richest source of vitamin B?

Good sources of vitamin B12

• meat.
• fish.
• milk.
• cheese.
• eggs.
• some fortified breakfast cereals.

What are synthetic B vitamins made from?

Synthetic Vitamin B1 – Thiamine mononitrate or thiamine hydrochloride is made from coal tar, ammonia, acetone, and hydrochloric acid. It is much less absorbable since it isn’t bound to phosphate. It is crystalline in structure, unlike plant-based vitamins. Many synthetic vitamins are crystalline.

Which B vitamin can we get only from an animal source?

Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is found only in foods of animal origin, therefore, vegans (strict vegetarians who consume no animal products) may need to supplement their diets with this vitamin.

Where do horses get B12 from?

hindgut bacteria
Any shortfalls in B vitamin production are supplemented through the diet by way of pasture and hay, provided there is ample supply. Vitamin B12 is the only B vitamin not produced in plants, and therefore the horse must rely on the supply from the hindgut bacteria.

What animal has the most B12?

Vitamin B12 is a key nutrient that your body needs for many essential functions. It’s found in large amounts in animal products, fortified foods, and dietary supplements. Some of the richest sources are liver, beef, sardines, clams, and dairy products.

Do they inject cows with B12?

On each farm five lactating cows were injected intramuscularly with 20 mg vitamin B12 and paired with five untreated lactating cows. The milk production of treated and untreated animals was measured for 19 days following treatment and compared to pre-treatment production.

How is B12 made artificially?

Artificial vitamin B12, also known as Cyanocobalamin is produced by bacterial fermentation, as indicated here. Technically, bacteria are far from being considered animals, so this method should be vegan-safe: Once regarded as plants constituting the class Schizomycetes, bacteria are now classified as prokaryotes.

Why is B12 not vegan?

Unlike some other B vitamins, B12 is not found in any plant food other than fortified cereals. It is, however, abundant in many meats and fish, and in smaller amounts in milk and eggs. This makes it difficult for people following a strict vegetarian diet to get the necessary amount of vitamin B12.