Vitamin A for horses

Vitamin A is a vitamin that horses need to get through their diet. The body does not produce this vitamin on its own. It is, along with vitamin E, the most important vitamin that horses need through their diet. The horse's body uses vitamin A for fertility, eye function, growth of a young horse, and embryo development. Horses mainly get vitamin A from fresh grass. This is also the pitfall of a deficiency in the winter, as hay contains much less vitamin A.

Scientific name:

Vitamin A

Type:

Vitamin

Function of vitamin A in horses:

• Eye health

• Embryo development

• Skin protection

• Fertility

Daily basic requirement of vitamin A

The basic requirement of vitamin A for a horse is 30 IU (international unit) per kilogram. For working horses, it is 45 IU per kilo, and for pregnant mares, it is 60 IU per kilo, per day. For a horse of approximately 600 kg, this amounts to 18,000 IU per day. This is about 600 mg of beta-carotene per day. Vitamin A is found as beta-carotene in fresh grass. The intestines convert beta-carotene into vitamin A. In addition to fresh grass, carrots also contain vitamin A, but a kilo of carrots only contains 6 mg of beta-carotene. This would mean that a horse would have to eat 100 kilos of carrots per day to get enough.

Did you know that during the mowing of fresh grass, 85% of the beta-carotene is lost? This means that there is not enough beta-carotene in hay to produce enough vitamin A through the intestines. If your horse does not get a lot of fresh grass, a vitamin A deficiency can quickly develop!

When to supplement vitamin A?

Horses that get enough fresh grass will receive enough vitamin A. However, this is often not the case in winter. Therefore, it is advisable to supplement extra vitamin A in the winter. Additionally, it is recommended for broodmares planning to have a foal or that are already pregnant. Lastly, it is recommended for young horses still in full growth.

Function of vitamin A

Vitamin A plays a crucial role in the growth of horses. It has a supporting function to the growth hormone, playing an important role in bone renewal. It is not surprising that pregnant mares and young horses are advised to supplement vitamin A. It ensures that the bones can grow nicely and not remain too short and thick. It also supports fertility and is important for eye health.