What is a good source of selenium for horses?

Who should not take selenium?

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The FDA has not found a relationship between the use of selenium in supplement form and disease. Many studies have shown a benefit in supplement use for cardiovascular, cancer, and immune function.

The dose of selenium to be taken is in question. No one single study has ever demonstrated a level at which selenium is effective. Studies are ongoing regarding supplement doses and timing of supplementation.

Selenium is not effective as a prophylactic agent against cancer. The benefits of selenium come from its antioxidant properties that help prevent free radical damage. There is no direct evidence that supplemental selenium prevents cancer, but selenium is also not known to increase the growth of cancer cells. Selenium supplementation could conceivably slow the growth of cancer cells; however, studies to date have not shown this to be the case.

Selenium status does not impact the prevention of skin cancer. ============================================================. There are no data to show that selenium supplements affect the prevention of skin cancer or sunburn. Selenium status does not appear to affect the efficacy of antineoplastic drugs. ===============================================================================. To date, there is no evidence that selenium status impacts the use of chemotherapy drugs to treat leukemia and breast cancer. Selenium supplementation does not improve immune function. Selenium supplementation does not improve the immune response to vaccines. Supplemental selenium does not affect the response to flu vaccines. There is no evidence to suggest that it improves antibody response to pneumococcal vaccination.

There is no effect on the immune response to BCG. One study showed that supplemental selenium given with a live tuberculosis vaccine (BCG) significantly lowered the risk of tuberculous infection. The benefit was probably in part due to an indirect effect of selenium on the host's immune system. There is no evidence that selenium supplements offer protection against common respiratory infections in humans.

What are the symptoms of selenium deficiency in horses?

Horses are highly sensitive to dietary deficiency of selenium.

There are numerous signs of selenium deficiency, including coat color abnormalities, hair loss, hoof loss, eye irritation, alopecia, weight loss, poor performance and anorexia. Selenium is important for normal muscle and connective tissue function, especially in the skin. (more on here)

How can I find out if my horse is deficient in Se? Your veterinarian can do an evaluation of your horse's Se status, but most horses are deficient, so it would be necessary to put them on a high-quality diet to correct their Se deficiencies. They may not be deficient in Se if they are already eating a good Se diet; however, they may not be getting enough Se. For example, if you were using a horse with limited experience eating commercial feed or hay, it could take several months or more to see improvements in performance and health due to adequate Se levels. For additional information on feeding Se to horses, please visit www.nutritionanatomy.

Why should I feed more selenium to my horse? Adding higher concentrations of Se to a horse's diet can be helpful in many instances. If your horse is deficient in Se, you can add 10-20ppm of Se to its diet for a period of one to two months. You may also feed Se as a top-dressing on grass hay, which contains high amounts of Se. It is difficult to pinpoint the amount of Se needed by a horse because the requirements vary with age, breed and activity level. As a general guideline, you may want to start by feeding your horse 100-200ppm of Se as a top-dressing in one batch and then increase it over the next few weeks until your horse is at a minimum of 200ppm.

Can I buy or make my own selenium supplement? Yes. Our Horse Feeding Supplements contain high-quality, organic sources of Se. If you make your own supplement, you will have to determine how much Se is added to the feed since there are no standard recipes for commercial supplements. If you use a Se-enriched horse feed, our recommendation is to add 200ppm.

What is a good source of selenium for horses?

Answer.

Selenium is an essential trace mineral that occurs in a variety of compounds. Selenium is found in soil and water, and plants and animals accumulate it from the soil and water. Selenium is also found in most foods, such as meat, dairy, and eggs, but it's not present in large quantities. The horse has an unusually high selenium requirement. It is not known whether selenium deficiency causes any clinical signs or symptoms, but if the horse does develop a selenium deficiency, it can result in death. Selenium is a constituent of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase and a cofactor for the enzymes iodothyronine deiodinase and thyroid peroxidase. These enzymes are important in the production of thyroid hormones, which are necessary for normal growth and development. Selenium is also important for the normal function of the immune system.

One way to prevent selenium deficiency is to add selenium to the feed. However, some horses are sensitive to selenium, so we recommend a test-and-dilute method of feeding selenium. A blood test can determine the level of selenium in the blood. If the blood selenium level is less than 0.15 ppm, then selenium is added to the feed at the rate of 0.05 ppm. However, if the blood selenium level is 0.15 ppm or greater, the horse is not deficient, and no selenium is added to the feed.

In horses, as in humans, selenium deficiency can cause death due to a general lack of energy. The immune system is the first system to be affected. When selenium is deficient, there is a decrease in the activity of glutathione peroxidase. Glutathione peroxidase is important in protecting cells against damage by free radicals, which are produced by normal metabolic processes, and it is especially important in protecting red blood cells from oxidative damage. In people, a lack of selenium can result in a deficiency of the enzyme thyroid peroxidase. This enzyme is important in maintaining normal thyroid function and stimulating the synthesis of thyroid hormones. If a horse is selenium deficient, it may have signs of thyroid dysfunction. For example, selenium deficiency can cause hoof wall thickening, rough hair coat, and skin discoloration.