SELENIUM FOR HORSES- Part III
Learn How to Know the Selenium Level in Your Horses’ Feed by R. Del Johnson, MS, PAS, Certified Equine Nutritionist
Learn these simple facts and you will know how much selenium and what kind you are providing to your horse. You will need to read the label of your feed to determine the type and amount or selenium that you are providing.
Fact 1: You must supplement with selenium in the Northwest. You and your horse live in an area of critical selenium deficiency. Not supplementing with selenium is dangerous.
Fact 2: Organic Selenium is safer and more effective then inor- ganic. In the guaranteed analysis of feed and supplements, both are referred to as “selenium”. You must look at the list of ingredi- ents on your feed bag to tell what source the selenium is from. It is inorganic if it says sodium selenite or sodium selenite. It is organic if it says Seleno-Yeast or Seleno -Methionine.
Fact 3: A 1,000 lb horse needs 3 mg. of Organic selenium a day. If the horse is heavier or lighter increase or decrease the selenium by the appropriate percentage. This provides enough selenium for times of stress and is very safe.
How do you know how much sele- nium your horse is receiving? In grains or complete feeds, selenium will be listed in parts per million (PPM). PPM is a measure
of concentration just like percent. It is convenient when there is only a small amount present.
Percent is PPM is
1 part per one hundred 1 part per million
The table below will allow you to figure out how much selenium you are providing. Find the concentration of selenium on your feeds’ guaranteed analysis. You must feed the amount in the right column to provide the necessary 3 mg per day.
Feed Label .3 ppm .4 ppm .5 ppm .6 ppm
.65 ppm .7 ppm .8 ppm .9 ppm
3 ppm
Feed this much to provide 3 mg 22 lbs
16.5 lbs 13.2 lbs
11 lbs per day 10.2 lbs per day 10 lbs per day 8.25 lbs 7.3 lbs 2.2 lbs
See the sample labels below for examples of where to find the guaranteed analysis and list of ingredients on your feeds’ label.
If you are not getting enough selenium from the feed mix, you should add selenium.
Many horses will gain too much weight if you feed enough of the complete feed to provide needed vitamins and minerals. The easiest and safest way is to correct the difference is to top dress with a vi-
tamin mineral supplement that provides organic selenium. This will allow you to provide complete vitamins and minerals even though you are not able to feed enough of the grain mix to reach optimum levels.
Last Fact: Feeding inorganic or too little selenium is better then nothing. If you are feeding less or more than 3 mg per day, your horse will still receive some benefit. You definitely want to be sure that your horse is getting at least 1 mg. per day and less than 20 mg per day.
These are examples of complete feed labels. Feed tags are at- tached to the closure of each feed bag by law.
In the guaranteed analysis is selenium concentration is highlighted. In the ingredients list the selenium source is highlighted.
Del Johnson, MS, PAS, founded Horse Guard Inc. in 1978. He received a B.S. in bacteriology and an M.S. in animal nutrition from Washington State University. A member of the Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society he is certified by the American Registry of Animal Scientists in the field of equine nutrition.
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Northwest Rider Magazine
May 2012
www.nwrider.com
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