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.

How much vitamin A should a horse get?

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 horses?

The toxic level of Vitamin A for an average horse is 200 000 IU per day.

How do you supplement vitamin A for horses?

The Two Ways Horses get Vitamin A
High quality green alfalfa hay is another great source to support the needs for Vitamin A in horses. Vitamin A itself does not occur in plant products, but it’s precursor, carotenes are easily transformed into Vitamin A in the horse’s digestion.

Does hay contain vitamin A?

Hay contains large amounts of Vitamin A, which functions as a provitamin, supporting eye health, the immune system, reproductive health, and a robust antioxidant. Six-months after cutting, hay may have as little as 10% of its original carotenoid content.

Where does a horse get vitamin A from?

Vitamin A is present in the grass, hay or haylage based diets in the form of carotenoids, primarily beta-carotene which is converted to retinol in the intestine.

What is the 20% rule with horses?

The researchers found that an average adult light riding horse could comfortably carry about 20 percent of their ideal bodyweight. This result agrees with the value recommended by the Certified Horsemanship Association and the U.S. Cavalry Manuals of Horse Management published in 1920.

What happens with too much vitamin A?

Can vitamin A be harmful? Yes, high intakes of some forms of vitamin A can be harmful. Getting too much preformed vitamin A (usually from supplements or certain medicines) can cause severe headache, blurred vision, nausea, dizziness, muscle aches, and problems with coordination.

How much vitamin A is allowed per day?

RDA: The Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults 19 years and older is 900 mcg RAE for men (equivalent to 3,000 IU) and 700 mcg RAE for women (equivalent to 2,333 IU).

Is grass high in vitamin A?

Fresh, green grass is typically abundant with vitamin A, or at least its precursor, beta-carotene. So, livestock out on pasture in the summer months usually get plenty of vitamin A in their diets.

How do you treat vitamin A deficiency in horses?

Feeding a fortified grain product at the recommended level will provide vitamin A to horses that do not have access to fresh forage. Diets that are deficient in vitamin A will result in problems in bone growth, defects in growth and differentiation of epithelial tissues, and lowered resistance to disease and infection.

Can you give a horse a vitamin B complex?

B-Complex Injection
Indications: Vitamin B complex deficiencies in horses. Dosage and Administration: Give by intramuscular, subcutaneous or intravenous injection. Intravenous injections should only be given by or under the supervision of a veterinary surgeon. Horses: 0.5 to 1 mL/100 kg bodyweight.

What supplements do horses really need?

A hard-working or growing horse needs at least 120 mg copper, 400 mg zinc, 300 mg manganese, and 2 mg iodine and selenium per day. Labels list amounts per kg so a bit of arithmetic is necessary to determine what each dose contains.

Does timothy hay have vitamin A?

Timothy is somewhat higher in calcium than other grass hays and has a favorable calcium-to-phosphorus ratio; it also contains a substantial amount of vitamins A and D.

Is alfalfa high in vitamin A?

Its leaves, sprouts, and seeds have been used in some cultures to make medicine. Alfalfa comes in a dried herb form, as a tea, and in capsules. It can be found in almost any drugstore or supermarket. Alfalfa is rich in vitamins A, C, E, and K.

Does alfalfa hay have vitamin A?

Alfalfa has a high nutritional quality, containing vitamins A, D, E, K, U, C, B1, B2, B6, B12, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Inositol, Biotin, and Folic acid.

What is the richest source of vitamin A?

yellow, red and green (leafy) vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and red peppers. yellow fruit, such as mango, papaya and apricots.
Good sources of vitamin A (retinol) include:

• cheese.
• eggs.
• oily fish.
• fortified low-fat spreads.
• milk and yoghurt.

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.

How do animals get vitamin A?

The best source of this vitamin is beta-carotene, a pigment in green plants that animals convert to vitamin A. If cattle are grazing green grass they will get plenty of vitamin A.

How many horses can 1 acre support?

In general, professionals recommend two acres for the first horse and an additional acre for each additional horse (e.g., five acres for four horses). And, of course, more land is always better depending on the foraging quality of your particular property (70% vegetative cover is recommended).

Can a horse carry two riders?

Two persons riding horseback is acceptable when you do it in a safe and controlled environment. It is also important to not overload the horse or ride it at a very high speed when riding double. A child and adult can ride together with use a buddy saddle, a pillion, or bareback with a pad.