What Is Cobalt In Horse Racing?

Cobalt is a trace mineral found in B vitamins that horses require in tiny amounts for correct functioning of their physiology. As a result, all horses will have trace amounts of the substance in their systems.

How long does cobalt stay in a horse’s system?

Because the half-life of cobalt in the equine bloodstream is one week, a horse might not be able to race for up to two months.

How much is cobalt for horses?

The recommended cobalt requirement for horses has been set at 0.05 mg/kg (ppm) of dry matter intake, which should be met easily by feeding normal feedstuffs.

How is cobalt administered?

Athletes have used Cobalt and EPO for many years as a performance enhancing substance, administered usually by injection. Excess EPO production has been linked to the deaths of athletes and cyclists. Cobalt can be administered to horses easily as a powder, feed supplement or injection.

Is cobalt a type of horse?

Cobalt is a micromineral that is required within the horse’s hindgut to synthesize the vitamin cobalamin, known as Vitamin B12. Microbes present in the hindgut convert cobalt into its active form cyanocobalamin during hindgut fermentation.

What are the symptoms of too much cobalt?

Symptoms

• Cardiomyopathy (a problem where your heart becomes big and floppy and has problems pumping blood)
• Deafness.
• Nerve problems.
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• Thickening of the blood.
• Thyroid problems.
• Vision problems.

What happens if you have too much cobalt?

Systemic toxic effects from excessive levels of cobalt include peripheral neuropathy, sensorineural hearing loss, vision loss, cognitive decline, cardiomyopathy, hypothyroidism, weakness, fatigue and polycythemia.

Does grass contain cobalt?

Different grassland species contain varying quantities of cobalt. It is generally assumed that clovers contain more than grasses. Whereas this is true when there is a plentiful supply of Co the reverse may obtain when Co supply is limiting. Among the grasses themselves, ryegrass (Lolium spp.)

Why is cobalt so valuable?

Current battery technologies require cobalt as part of the cathode. Given the growing popularity of electric vehicles, demand for cobalt continues to increase. Near-term trends suggest demand will outstrip supply, thus increased prices.

Who is the biggest producer of cobalt in the world?

Democratic Republic of Congo
1. Democratic Republic of Congo. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is by far the world’s largest producer of cobalt, accounting for roughly 70 percent of global production.

What does cobalt chloride do to horses?

That cobalt has been proven to stimulate the production of EPO and red blood cells in mammals explains why some have turned to it as a potential performance enhancer in horses – with greater blood cell production comes better endurance and decreased muscle fatigue.

Where is cobalt extracted from?

Cobalt is mined across the world and the vast majority is produced as a by-product from large scale copper and nickel mines. Cobalt is only extracted alone in Morocco and some Canadian arsenide ores.

What is the function of cobalt?

Cobalt forms part of the structure of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 has several important functions including making red blood cells and releasing energy from the food you eat.

What breed are most racehorses?

Thoroughbreds
Thoroughbreds are considered the fastest horses in the world and dominate the horse racing industry, while Arabian horses are known to be intelligent and excel in endurance riding. Take a look at some of the horse breeds used in racing, dressage and general riding.

What are the 4 classes of horses?

What many people don’t know is that there are 5 main classes which all breeds fall under; draft, light, gaited, warm-blooded and pony types. Each class has its own physical traits and specialties. Draft horses are typically tall, strong and heavy horses.

What is the best breed of racehorses?

5 Best Horse Breeds for Racing

• Thoroughbreds. Thoroughbred horses are probably one of the most popular ones, dominating the horseracing industry.
• American Quarter Horse. The Quarter horse is one of the most popular breeds of horse in America.
• Arabian Horses.
• Standardbred Horses.
• Appaloosa.

Is coffee high in cobalt?

The cobalt content of coffee was found to be considerably higher than that of tea. The content of 5 teas, averaged, was 0,20 μg/g tea and that of 7 coffees was 0,93 μg/g coffee, the average of 3 different methods, each of which averaged 0,75, 0,89 and 1,14 μ/g coffee.

Can cobalt poisoning be reversed?

Cobalt toxicity can lead to devastating effects, but if it is caught early enough and revision surgery is performed to remove the metal prosthetic, damage can be reversible.

What is the antidote for cobalt?

[Unithiol, an antidote in cobalt poisoning]

Why is cobalt harmful to humans?

* Cobalt may cause an asthma-like allergy. Future exposure can cause asthma attacks with shortness of breath, wheezing, cough, and/or chest tightness. * Cobalt may affect the heart, thyroid, liver and kidneys. * Repeated exposure to Cobalt dust can cause scarring of the lungs (fibrosis) even if no symptoms are noticed.

What can destroy cobalt?

Cobalt cannot be destroyed in the environment. It can only change its form or become attached or separated from particles.