Hoof Nutrition Intelligence is a twice-a-month web segment that is designed to add to the education of footcare professionals when it comes to effectively feeding the hoof. The goal of this web-exclusive feature is to zero in on specific areas of hoof nutrition and avoid broad-based articles that simply look at the overall equine feeding situation.
Below you will find Part 2 of the latest question and answer installment that you can share with your footcare clients.
Q: Can other nutrients interfere with feeding biotin?
From American Farriers Journal
A: Other nutrients reacting in the horse’s digestive system could possibly neutralize the effects of biotin. Certain B vitamins, such as folic acid and choline, can interfere with biotin metabolism when administered in large amounts.
In some of the cases where supplements such as biotin do not seem to work, the horse may be subject to biotin antagonists (biotin-destroying factors). Rancid oils and fats are notorious biotin antagonists.
If the horse is getting supplements containing oil-based ingredients, or is fed salad oils that are not kept under strict refrigeration, the biotin being supplemented is destroyed. In other cases, the hoof problems may stem from cases that are not nutrition related.
From “How Nutrition Affects the Horses’ Hoof,” an article that appeared in the May/June 1995 issue of American Farriers Journal.
Click here to read part 1 of the March 15, 2020 installment of Hoof Nutrition Intelligence: How can I tell if my mare is suffering from selenium toxicity? Click here to read more installments of Hoof Nutrition Intelligence.
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