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: What are the main nutrients and minerals found in a horse’s hoof?
By Esco Buff, PhD, APF-I, CF
A: When addressing hoof quality problems that may be related to nutrition, try addressing any nutrition concerns by the order in which various amounts of nutrients are found inside the hoof.
Some 98% of the horse’s hoof is comprised of the first two ingredients listed here. The rest only make up 2% of the nutrients found in the hoof.
- Amino acids (95%)
- Fats and oils (3%)
- Sulfur
- Calcium
- Zinc
- Copper
- Selenium
- Carotene, (vitamin A)
- Alpha-tocopherol(vitamin E)
- Biotin
Esco Buff is a certified farrier located in Webster, N.Y.
Click here to read part 1 of the Feb. 3, 2022, installment of Hoof Nutrition Intelligence: I’m confused by all of the pros and cons I hear about including various vitamins and minerals in the diet of my horses to improve their immune systems. How do I keep it all straight? Click here to read more installments of Hoof Nutrition Intelligence.