ridecamp@endurance.net: Hair Loss - Selenium

Hair Loss - Selenium

Wendy Milner (wendy@wendy.cnd.hp.com)
Tue, 04 Mar 1997 12:47:00 MST

Linnea Skoglund wrote:
>I've been reading the comments about hair loss and selenium. My sister
>has two Paso Finos that cannot seem to keep their manes. Can this be
>selenium? We cannot find anything else such as skin condition that would
>explain this.

Two classic signs of selenium toxicity in horses are mane and
tail loss, and cracked hooves which turn into loosing the entire hoof.

In many sections of Colorado selenium is at a toxic level. Fort Collins
and the surrounding area is very high.

Check the feed you are giving. You can get the hay analyzed.

Check the tags on the grain. I just found out that my supplier
(Loveland Feed which supplies many of the local feed stores) has
started to add selenium to their mixed grain. Bad for me and worse
for Drake who is showing cracks in the hooves.
If you need to feed grain, switch to a pure grain such as barely
(Loveland Feed and Poudre Feed both carry it).

Check the tags on all suppliments. I have yet to find one that doesn't
include selenium. (Except pure electrolytes).
Does anyone know of a suppliment that contains A,C,E, and no selenium?

Go to Ranchway feed store and ask for the mineral mix that was
developed by CSU (Dr. Sarah Ralston) a few years back.
This mineral mix contains copper (among many other things) which has
been shown to be deficient in horses with too much selenium.
You have to buy 50# at a time, and it last forever because you only
feed a few ounces per day. Be very careful of any mineral suppliment
if you choose to pick another one. Ask about selenium, and read
all lables.

--
Wendy


                      \|/
            /\        -O-         
           /**\       /|\         
          /****\   /\            
         /      \ /**\   Here there be dragons
        /  /\    /    \        /\    /\  /\      /\            /\/\/\  /\
       /  /  \  /      \      /  \/\/  \/  \  /\/  \/\  /\  /\/ / /  \/  \
      /  /    \/ /\     \    /    \ \  /    \/ /   /  \/  \/  \  /    \   \
     /  /      \/  \/\   \  /      \    /   /    \
  __/__/_______/___/__\___\__________________________________________________


  Wendy Milner                     HPDesk:   wendy_milner@hp4000
  Hewlett-Packard Company          e-mail:   wendy@fc.hp.com
  Mail Stop A2                     Telnet:   229-2182
  3404 E. Harmony Rd.              AT&T:     (970) 229-2182
  Fort Collins, CO, 80525          FAX:      (970) 229-2038

Home Events Groups Rider Directory Market RideCamp Stuff