Manganese

Manganese is a trace mineral required by horses for health and well being. As with all minerals and vitamins required by the horse, it does not act in isolation. A multimineral vitamin supplement combining all of these factors in a balanced ration is the ideal way to make sure that your horse gets all it requires for optimal health and well being.

What is manganese needed for?

Manganese is needed for normal skin and coat (in conjunction with zinc), reproduction and foetal skeletal development, and in bone matrix development and maintenance

It is critical in the formation of chondroitin sulphate which is an essential component of cartilage. It is also needed for fat and carbohydrate metabolism and interfacing in some enzyme systems.

What are the sources of manganese?

Grains and forage both contain manganese in varying amounts. Grain may contain from 15-45 mg/kg of dry matter although corn is only about 10 mg/kg dry matter. Forage contains from 45-140 mg/kg dry matter.

What amount does my horse need?

It is generally recommended that horses need approximately 400mg per day for maintenance and horses in moderate work require approximately 500mg per day. It does not appear to be stored in the body and the absorption rate is about 37%.

Toxicity does not appear to be a problem but excessive manganese in the diet can interfere with phosphorus absorption. Deficiency is rarely a concern but excessive levels of calcium and phosphorus in the diet can cause a secondary deficiency problem.

Manganese levels should be assessed in the diet of young growing horses that are fed large amounts of grain in preparation for sales or competitions as the level may be inadequate for growth requirements.