How much selenium does a horse need in ppm?

What is the best source of selenium for horses?

I was trying to find a good source for selenium, but was unable to find a specific product that wasn't contaminated with other minerals. I found this from an equine nutritionist: Selenium is widely available in the mineral form from some horse food manufacturers and others are willing to work with you to obtain the product. Selenium as a supplement is commonly added to some of these food formulations. It is not widely available in food additives.00 per 50 ml bottle.

The only other potential source of selenium I've come across is from using "Horse Food Products" manufactured by Nutri-Chem Corporation (Nutri-Chem Laboratories & Products). You can purchase them at: You can also purchase them directly from the company via their website at: However, the problem with this product is that they use a form of selenium known as selenomethionine (synthetic form) which, if consumed in excess, can lead to high levels of the metal in your horse. Since they also use this form of selenium in their products, their equine diet supplements may contain up to 1000% more selenium than other sources. This is why the National Center for Food Safety and Technology created a warning label on their products stating that their products are intended for horses only. That said, you can still use this product as an effective supplement, it just has to be used at a safe level.

There are many other forms of selenium, including natural sources such as clover leaves, wheat germ, black oil sunflower seeds, and brewer's yeast. When working with horses it's always a good idea to know what your horse needs so that it can get the right amount of minerals. I'd recommend finding a nutritionist that is knowledgeable about horses. The last thing you want is to supplement without knowing how much your horse actually needs.

I know it's an expensive part, but it's important to know where it comes from. Just because something is cheap doesn't mean that it is the right source of the minerals your horse needs.

How much selenium does a horse need in ppm?

I live in the south western part of the U.S. There's a bunch of small ranches out here and the problem they've got is the feed we use is for cattle. The horses are coming from a mix of feeders who are using what they feel to be adequate food but it's not really healthy for horses. The rancher who is doing the testing will let us know the exact levels of selenium in their feed to be used as an alternative.

What's needed would be for me to try and figure out how much we'd need in ppm. So that I can make certain that our horses are getting enough.

In my experience the levels will vary from horse to horse based on age, nutrition etc. Horses are finicky animals and just because some feeds may work well for one doesn't mean they will work for every horse and vice versa. Good old ranching comes with a bit of trial and error to see which products give the best results, then it can change over time as needed.

There are no right or wrong levels of any nutrient when it comes to horses though (in my opinion), everything that you feed should work for you, your particular horse(s) and your own comfort level. If it makes your horse more comfortable, even if it is a little high in selenium, then it is ok. Your mil will tell you what you need and the ranchers have varying requirements as well.

Feeding for a horse takes a lot of experimentation on your part, as every horse is different. I think everyone is trying to figure that out now. You must get at least three sets of readings from three different sources. It really does not take any more testing once you have identified your feeding regime to work. If your horse is happy, the levels are correct.

It will vary. As long as you stay on the safe side. Your horse can absorb some, no sense in risking toxic amounts. Too much is never good. Just try not to use something that is too high, that is all.

If your feed analysis shows a high level of sulfur with a high level of selenium, you should add about 1/2 oz of sulfur per 1000 pounds. Add a little to allow you to get the amount you would need added to the feed, but always read what the feed product tells you to do.

Should I feed my horse selenium?

I have a horse who does well on grass and hay, and we've just started giving her some supplements as well. I know that selenium is necessary for muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones, and hair, but I'm confused about whether or not it would be good to supplement my horse with selenium, and if it's good for her joints. My husband and I do not believe in giving our animals drugs unless absolutely necessary, so I want to know whether or not it's worth it for my horse to get this mineral, if it's good for her.

I've seen some pretty strong arguments both for and against selenium. Can anybody shed any light on this? Some horses do extremely well on selenium. Others do much better without selenium. It can be a great supplement for horses.

The best way to determine what your horse needs is to see a vet. You can't make assumptions. If your horse had an injury which made the leg stiff, then there may be a need for a little supplement. Or there might not be a need.

Yes, selenium will probably improve muscle tone. That's one of the reasons it is useful for horses.

However, if your horse has a disease that makes the leg stiff, you don't want to risk worsening the condition. I don't think you want to get into the habit of giving anything to horses that might have a problem.

I think the best plan is to see a vet before adding anything to your horse's diet. It should be noted that when horses are in short supply (like during WWII in the US) it was common practice to add selenium to feed rations. So, it wasn't unheard of at that time.

It's not a bad supplement, but you'll need to watch out for any potential signs of poisoning, such as droopy eyes, vomiting and diarrhea. The good news is that it's easier to prevent selenium toxicity than to correct it. A vet can help you determine what dosage to use. In terms of duration, it doesn't sound like your horse is very old, so it might be safe to do periodic feedings of selenium until the horse is old enough to no longer be treated with selenium supplements.

That's a good point.

Can too much selenium be harmful to horses?

You might have seen a few questions on this forum recently about selenium in horse feed. I've heard the term "selenium deficiency" bandied around as an explanation for conditions such as "jowls," which are the bumps along the jawline and under the chin that horses get when they eat a lot of hay or corn. (Jowls don't necessarily indicate selenium deficiency.)

But does too much selenium in a horse's feed actually make him sick? Or, to ask the question another way, if you feed the recommended amount of selenium, should you still have your horse's teeth checked regularly? What are the best methods of identifying selenium deficiency? What's the worst case scenario if you feed too much selenium? How much selenium is dangerous? I asked these questions to a vet that I often consult. He did not have a specific answer for me, but he thought it was more complicated than just "too much selenium is bad."

Here's what I've gathered so far. First, there is no "magic" amount of selenium that is appropriate for any horse. As with any nutrient, what's safe for one horse may not be safe for another. There are no studies that establish a baseline for how much selenium is optimal for a horse's health. Many horses apparently do just fine on a feed that contains anywhere from 15-30ppm selenium (although most of them probably won't tell you that if you ask them!). But some horses are very sensitive to selenium, and there are some horses whose selenium requirements have to be met with a supplement.

Second, if you feed your horse the recommended amount of selenium, you are still allowing your horse to get selenium. In other words, your horse is still getting selenium through the feed. If you're concerned about how much selenium is in the feed you're feeding your horse, you can check your horse's selenium levels by collecting a urine sample. (I'm not sure how much you'd have to feed before you would notice a difference in the amount of selenium excreted in the urine, but if it's really low, you can be pretty sure that your horse has an issue.)

Selenium is a trace mineral.