This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Copper in Horse Diets: What Does it Do?
—Via e-mail
A.You are correct that many horses on forage-only diets benefit from copper and zinc supplementation. This is because the levels of these minerals in forages tend to be fairly low, and it can be difficult to supply the horse’s daily requirements with forage alone if a horse’s intake is restricted.
It’s also important to consider these minerals’ balance and relationship to each other as well as other minerals in the diet. Ideally, the amount of zinc a horse consumes is three to five times higher than the amount of copper. And, even if horses have access to unlimited forage and their basic requirements are met, supplemental sources might still be beneficial to ensure the amounts consumed are properly balanced to each other
Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.
TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.
Start your free account today!
Already have an account?
and continue reading.
Written by:
Clair Thunes, PhD
Related Articles
Management Changes for Horses With Asthma
Vitamin E Supplementation for Horses
Creating the Right Diet for Your Horse
Feeding the Athletic Senior Horse
Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with
FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com
Sponsored Content
Is Your Horse’s Diet Really Balanced?
What You Need to Know About Equine Prepurchase Exams
Defense System Activated: Why Antioxidants Matter for Hardworking Horses
Weekly Poll
Readers’ Most Popular
Top Categories