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 1 of the latest question and answer installment that you can share with your footcare clients.
Q: Should biotin be fed to all horses regardless of the hoof quality?
By Lynn Taylor, PhD
A: A nutrient that has been extremely well researched is biotin, which is often included with scientific data relating to the feeding of the B-group vitamins.
Research shows that for poor hoof quality conditions that include hardness and moisture content, biotin is helpful if fed for a period of 9-12 months. However, it has a limited effect on good quality hoof.
Lynn Taylor is a professor of equine science at Centenary University in Hackettstown, N.J., with a background in equine nutrition.
Click here to read part 2 of the Jan. 27, 2022, installment of Hoof Nutrition Intelligence: Are there any special nutrition considerations to consider for the winter months? Click here to read more installments of Hoof Nutrition Intelligence.