Serum Vitamin E Concentration of Horses on Different Vitamin E Supplementation Levels

Abstract

The influence of vitamin E supplementation on blood serum vitamin E concentration as well as the seasonal variation of serum vitamin concentration was investigated. Forty horses were divided into a control and three vitamin E supplementation (experimental) groups. The levels of the vitamin E supplementation in the three experimental groups were 1, 3 or 5 mg/kg body weight (bwt) per day. The vitamin was dosed orally. The supplementation was started either at the beginning or in the middle of the indoor (winter) feeding period. There was seasonal variation in the serum vitamin E content; the serum vitamin concentration increased during the grazing and decreased during the indoor feeding period. The basal feeding and a daily supplement of 1 mg/kg bwt were not adequate to maintain or increase the serum vitamin E concentration during the indoor feeding period in an exercising horse. The minimum daily intake of vitamin E would seem to be greater than 1.5 mg/kg bwt. It is suggested that a daily supplement of 3 to 5 mg/kg bwt may be required by horses in training to increase the serum vitamin E levels. This amounts to 1500–2500 mg/day for a horse weighing 500 kg. Supplementation should be started at the beginning of the indoor feeding period.