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Re: [RC] E-SE Redo - Susan Garlinghouse


I was advised - my comment about the oxidation of Vit E was not fully
correct?
The rate of oxidation - and lose of benefit- depends on the type of
Vit-E used in the powder mixes.

That's true, some forms oxidize faster than others.  But your original
comment via Sarah Ralston is still more or less true for practical purposes.
The more any form of vitamin E is exposed to light, heat and air, the faster
it will oxidize and thus be unavailable to the horse as an antioxidant once
ingested.

I understood ALL forms of VIT-E   are' oxidizers"  - that is, they
function the same.

Correct.

If Vit-E was 'stable' and did NOT oxidize then it
is not working. Does all forms of Vit E have a shelf life when
exposed to air? So where is my thinking wrong?

You're not, you have the grasp just fine.  There are ways during feed
processing or manufacture to 'stabilize' the vitamin E content and thus
*extend* the shelf life (this is essentially the point of stabilized versus
unstabilized rice bran, so they tend to push the issue) but it's like canned
food---it ain't an unlimited end point.

The problem with vitamin E is that it's pretty much impossible for the
average horse owner to determine how oxidized the vitamin E content might be
depending on how it was handled and stored before it came into your hands.

I started using the Vit E gel caps a few years ago. I think that is a
sure fire method. I just toss the WHOLE cap in the feed. They are
never left in the bucket. I dont bother to bite off the end.

That's what I do, too, and is also, as you've already observed, what both
Sarah Ralston and I both recommend.  IMO, additional supplementation isn't
necessary if the horse is on good, green pasture, and usually isn't
necessary if the horse is getting daily stabilized rice bran from a
reputable source.  On the other hand, I absolutely agree the gel caps are a
sure-fire source, worth the very minor cost if bought in bulk at Costco or
wherever, and if the end result is that the horse is ingesting 2000 IU a day
instead of 1000---so what?  It's not a nutrient you're at all likely to
cause problems with.

IMO, Roger, your thinking is right on the mark.  Don't change anything about
what you're doing or saying.  :-)

Susan G



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Replies
[RC] E-SE Redo, Roger Rittenhouse