How many ppm of selenium can a horse have?

Can a horse have too much selenium?

By Kathy Patalsky.

Published: 2024.10.02 03:14 AM

A horse can't get enough of the mineral selenium. (Photo credit: Dreamstime) According to the Association for Responsible Grazing, a selenium deficiency is the number-one nutritional problem in the horse industry. While it is true that horses are more susceptible to selenium deficiency than other grazing animals, such as cattle, a horse can't get enough of the mineral.

In addition to selenium, a horse's diet should also contain zinc and copper because these minerals work synergistically with selenium. Selenium can help prevent or improve hoof and leg disorders. It is essential for the production of red blood cells, thyroid hormones, vitamin C and coenzyme Q-10. Selenium helps prevent bone loss and degenerative joint disease, but overexposure has been linked to liver failure and cancer.

Selenium is found in organic form only in forage from grasses, alfalfa, or clovers, so a horse needs to eat at least 1% of his or her body weight every day to maintain good health. The most efficient source of selenium is the alfalfa leaf or whole-plant diet. It is the most complete form of selenium, with the most readily available concentration of bioavailable selenium. When fed as a supplement at 1% of body weight, an alfalfa-fed horse can supply more selenium than the body can use in a whole day. For this reason, supplemental selenium from commercial sources should be added to any diet containing alfalfa and should be added when the alfalfa is harvested. Forage that has not been harvested will have no selenium at all. Forage should be harvested before the growing tips of the plants can be seen. This stage will vary in different climate zones, and in some cases, it may be possible to detect selenium in forages at one time of year and in another time of year.

Selected Feeds That Are Selenium-Rich. Most of the selenium present in alfalfa leaves and stem is selenomethionine. However, other forms of selenium occur as well.

How many mcg of selenium is toxic?

Mcg is a unit of measurement for selenium.

The mcg is not toxic as such. If selenium is not present in the proper amount, it can be toxic. This is often the case with the more potent forms of selenium. It is not necessarily dangerous to consume as mcg. I just wanted to stress the importance of getting your selenium from an organic source.

I have no idea what you mean by "mcg" but I will assume it is referring to micrograms which are very small amounts of a substance. Selenium is a trace mineral which occurs naturally in a variety of foods, like fresh vegetables, whole grains, beans and eggs. Selenium occurs naturally in many seafood products, too.

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of selenium for adults is 55 mcg per day, although studies indicate that most Americans get less than that. According to the Mayo Clinic, selenium is needed for the formation of skin, hair and nails, as well as the maintenance of a healthy immune system. But the selenium content of a wide variety of foods has been falling in recent years. For example, the selenium content of salmon and tuna has fallen from 2.4 mcg per serving to 1.5 mcg per serving.

Selenium supplements are not recommended for women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant or who are nursing babies. As long as we have been on the earth we have used selenium and other trace elements. We have learned to eat them, because they are required to live.

You can add selenium to your diet with supplements. If you want to purchase selenium supplements, you should consult your doctor first, since it can interact with other drugs and supplements that you take. What is the purpose of selenium? Selenium is an essential element in the body. It is necessary for healthy skin, hair and nails, and the immune system.

How much selenium is needed for the body? The body needs selenium to prevent, heal, or control some types of cancer. You need at least 55 mcg of selenium per day. Too little can lead to fatigue, lack of energy, and muscle pain.

How many ppm of selenium can a horse have?

If I go to my horses feed bag and get a bag of horse hay (about 16 ounces) I know that hay has a lot of selenium in it. What is the amount of selenium that a horse can have in his body without getting sick? If I have 16 ounces of hay, how many ppm of selenium can I get in my horse? Thanks. Rodeo. 12-31-2008 12:22 PM. It depends on the species. I personally have no problem giving a couple of pounds of horse feed to my horses per day and up to a pound for our pack horses.

The selenium I have heard of is for human consumption. That's why we get about 1,000 ppm and you should be fine. Horses are not a sensitive species when it comes to selenium.

If you don't want to use the horse feed I would recommend making sure you add the selenium to the water. You can add it to the grain or hay. The source can be added to the water as well. I use selenium as a treatment for grass sickness and add it to the grain to help prevent the disease.

I also add 1/2 cup of organic selenium once per day as a preventative to help prevent liver fluke. The best way to do it is to go to your local feed store and ask them what they recommend. Pete. 12-31-2008 01:27 PM. Thanks Pete. I'm not going to feed my horses all 16 ounces of hay a day. The amount of hay they will eat will vary. I'm just trying to figure out what amount of hay is safe to give them and how many ppm of selenium is in hay. Do you think there is a safe amount?
12-31-2008 02:00 PM. There are some who claim that if a horse eats one pound of hay daily that it can cause selenium poisoning, but that's not true. I just gave my horses 5 lbs of hay every day for about 3 months and they didn't seem to be any worse than if they ate 1 lb.

I agree with Pete that it's best to add it to the water.

What are the signs of selenium toxicity in horses?

In my horse who I feel is experiencing some form of selenium toxicity, his/her eyes appear to have a dull reddish-orange color.

The vet gave him 2 drops of selenium tincture to drink. The horse seems to be having an overall better response than the horse that had severe diarrhea. I have read that horses can have an allergic response to selenium and that could be causing the signs I am seeing. The vet believes that the selenium tincture would counteract any allergic response in the horse.

The first thing that I noticed with my horse was that his eyes were dull, very red. His coat was dull, it was not as shiny as before. He was not eating as he normally did. I just took him back to the vet, but they said that he was acting fine, eating well, and drinking water. I have been researching on the Internet and have found many signs that this is selenium toxicity. The vet believes that his symptoms were due to selenium toxicity.

He had severe diarrhea that caused him to lose weight, which led him to get very dehydrated, and the vet thought that this could have caused the signs of selenium toxicity. My horse also had trouble moving, his head was hanging down a little bit, and he was laying down most of the time. I was going to take my horse to the vet, but I was told that he is in good shape. I looked on the Internet and found out that horses can have an allergic reaction to selenium, so I called the vet again and asked what I should do if my horse started to show signs of an allergic reaction.

The vet said that the selenium would counteract the allergic reaction that I was worried about. So now I'm wondering if the reason for my horse's dull red eyes is because of the selenium.

Hi, My name is Sarah. I have a 5yr old bay mare that I use to ride. She has a good coat, no white spots, good eyes. For the last 2 months I have been using a special feed for horses.