Vitamins!!

Composed by Meghan Shoop & Christy Dobrosky & Sarah

Cousino

What is a vitamin?

• Organic ingredients in food needed in small amounts for good health and growth.

• They regulate………..– Body functions– Digestion, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients– Construction of new cells– Development of vision, bones, hair, skin, and

muscles!– Protection against diseases– Maintenance and sustenance of the nervous

system

Fat soluble VS. water soluble

• Fat soluble: » Carried by fats» Vitamins A, D, E, and K» They contain hydrogen, oxygen,

and carbon

• Water soluble:» Vitamins C and B» They contain oxygen, hydrogen,

carbon, chlorine, nitrogen, and cobalt or sulfur

What vitamins are important in a horse’s

diet?Maintenance: These horses have only enough vitamins to sustain themselves. They will not gain weight or be able to reproduce on this amount of vitamins.

Pregnant: During the last 3 months of gestation, energy, protein, calcium and phosphorus supplements need to increase drastically because of the rapid growth of the foal (1 lb. per day!)

Lactating: Vitamins A and B for energy and other bodily functions

Growing foals: lots of vitamin D for calcium absorption for strong bones

What are the requirements of these vitamins?

State of Production Vitamin A Vitamin D Vitamin E

Maintenance 15,000 IU 3,300 IU 500 IU

12 months 14,500 IU 5,600 IU 642 IU

Early Pregnancy 33,000 IU 3,300 IU 800 IU

Lactation 33,000 IU 3,300 IU 1,000 IU

Moderate exercise 22,500 IU 3,300 IU 900 IU

How are these requirements met?

Vitamin K: forages

Vitamin E: feed

Vitamin B: feed and microbes in the cecum and colon

Vitamin D: sunshine

Vitamin A: green forages

Toxicity and deficiencyVitamin A

Toxicity: fragile bones and abnormal growth

Deficiency: excess shedding, dry coat, susceptible to infections

Vitamin D

Toxicity: calcium deposits in soft tissues

Deficiency: the body cannot absorb calcium properly resulting in weakness of the bones