Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

RE: [RC] Blood test levels - heidi

OK folks.. I got my horse's blood tests back (actually have had the results 
for awhile.. just haven't had time to post them here).  Was hoping someone 
can point out to me where we might need to "bump" him as far as 
selenium/vitamin e levels..

Vitamin E, Serum is 2.75 ug/mL

Selenium, Serum is 182 H ng/mL

Here is the letter I received along with it:

"Comments:
    Selenium interpretation:  This value is above adequate.  Animals with 
values in his range are receiving more selenium than necessary.  There is no 
concern for toxicity, but intake or administration of selenium supplements 
should be reduced."


I would respectfully beg to differ with the notion that this is an "adequate" 
selenium level.  Clinically, with numbers out of research at Oregon State, by 
Schering, and elsewhere, we looked for levels in the range of 200-250 ng/ml (or 
ppb, depending on how it is reported).  The daily requirement for horses is in 
the range of 8-10 mg per day--so for a horse eating a maintenance level of feed 
(which should be primarily forage, so the amounts in the supplement are usually 
not too relevant), there should be about .80 to 1 ppm in the feed.  Virtually 
ALL supplemental feeds are low, because manufacturers are wary of toxicity 
issues.  Since the amounts in hay varies a great deal, the ideal thing is to 
have your hay tested.  For an approximation, at least know where your hay is 
grown, and find out what sorts of soil levels there are in that area.   


Now, at the time this testing was being done my gelding was getting the same 
grain as my preggie mare (Platform Mare & Foal made by Farnam).  That feed 
lists Selenium as 0.60 ppm on the label.. Since then he is back on regular 
grain rations, with good quality grass hay. The grain he receives now is 0.30 
ppm.  So what (if any) Selenium supplementation should be given this horse?  
I have done several CTR's with him, and 2 slow 50's.  This year he is 9 years 
old and I want to start taking him faster, and just want to be sure I cover 
all the bases with this horse.  Any thoughts?


Since this horse is near what one would target, but still borderline, I would 
definitely add a selenium supplement, but unlike the major supplementation we 
have to do in some areas here in the NW, odds are you can get by with the 
recommended levels of a good "high selenium" vitamin-mineral supplement, which 
will give you something on the order of 2 mg per day.  (But do the math--some 
of them CLAIM to be "high selenium" but are nowhere near that!)

Heidi

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=