Selenium deficiency and foals down on pasterns

[Marty]

When Timmy was born, he gave new meaning to a foal down on his pasterns.

If I had listened to the in-house farrier at the university vet hospital, he would have had Timmy in some kind of braces and shoes and wraps and that freaked me out.

Thanks to Judy at Zachary Farms, we got him up and going in record time, with minerals and once a week trimmings. This was attributed to a selenium deficiency. So, I made sure that the mother of the next foal would have plenty of selenium so I got her the selenium shot, plus fed her selenium vitamin also. However, foal #2 was also down, but just a little bit.

This time the pregnant mothers are on a ration balancer (Born to Win) + Omolene 200 + beet pulp spread out during the day in 4 feedings + fescue free high quality orchard grass hay.

No other additives

I'm hoping that nobody will be down on their pasturns at all this time around.

What's your experience?

 

[Magic]

I've only rarely had a foal down on its pasterns, but I feed a Mare and Foal feed to my expecting mares, and usually a supplement as well. I think that the only foals I've had that were "lax" were out of fatter mares that I didn't give as much of the Mare/Foal feed to, hmm....

I didn't know you are expecting TWO foals this year Marty! How exciting!!

:

 

[MountainMeadows]

Marty,

I swear by Horse Guard - it has the highest concentration of selenium on the market, and better still, the minis seem to metabolize it far better than any product I have tried. I have referred this to many, many people and they all swear by it - more expensive than a lot of others, but worth every cent. If it is not available at your local feed store, they will ship it to you - try "Googling" Horse Guard and I think you can get their site.

Stacy

 

[user 488]

Marty,

I swear by Horse Guard - it has the highest concentration of selenium on the market, and better still, the minis seem to metabolize it far better than any product I have tried.

Stacy

Same here..............great stuff.

 

[whitney]

Marty you may not have anything to worry about, since you switched to the ration balancer. A good friend of mine that used to have babies born with the same problem switched to the born to win and walla no leg problems since.

Maybe she'll pop on and give you her first hand account.

 

[Charlotte]

Marty, I had problems with the same thing and just plain VERY lax tendons all around....VERY bad legs on babies! Then one foal my vet asked if I'd given her an ADE shot...vitamins. I had never heard of that so he gave her one (they have to be over one week old). And it was like a miracle. 24 hours later she was much better and 3 days later was totally normal.

So I began research on feeds and supplements. I found that The commercial feeds just weren't high enough in ADE & selinium for in foal mares and that the mares really needed the proper nutrients all the time...not just right before foaling.

That led us to the Progressive Diet Balancer products. The next year all of my mares were on Progressive from before conception on. In the last trimester I increased the amount of balancer by 1/2. I didn't have a bad leg in the bunch! That's what we use now. I know there are a lot of products of this type out there now, but Progressive is designed by the equine nutritionist who first researched and developed the concept. He doesn't allow short cuts in his product and he makes sure the nutrients are in a form that is readily used by the horse.

Progressive Diet Balancer isn't a 'feed'. You give a set amount and if you need weight gain you add something according to the instructions. The only time you increase the amount is during gestation and lactation. Our show horses stay on the set amount all the time with oats or Envision (Progressive fat supplement) for weight gain.

ok, I've preached enough. Back to the groom room.

Charlotte

 

[horsedude]

I had a similar situation last year, foals were born with very weak joints, some would bend every directions. Selenium was a thought as seemed where I live tends to be selenium defficient.....However, after much research on the part of myself and my veterinarian with help of other vets at a University, we found that it was Iodine defficiency. Sometimes with Iodine defficiency you will also see an undershot jaw with the weak joints. 2 of my foals had undershot jaws as well. I'm not saying that selenium may not be your problem, but you may want to consider Iodine as well, as it's something we had overlooked and immediate thought our problem was selenium. The good news is all came out of it well, and now I make sure I have Iodine salt blocks available all the time. Hope this helps.

 

[jlh]

Marty

when we moved south by about 50 miles, we had the first foals with wicky legs. most of the problem is the mineral deficiencies in the hay. However, the one year we fed a significant supplement to add in selenium, it overdosed, and we had foals with contracted tendons, so be aware that there can be too much of a good thing when feeding these supplements. Since the real root of the problem should be in your grass and hay as it does or does not take up the soil minerals, you can have your forage and hay tested by your county extension service to determine just how much is needed to supplement.

If you are in a "borderline" area, the vitamin supplement shot after birth may be the best alternative.

 

[Miniv]

If you are in a "borderline" area, the vitamin supplement shot after birth may be the best alternative.

We live in a selenium deficient area and it's just a matter of course that the vets here make sure all newborn foals are given a Selenium & E shot. For minis it's a 1/4cc and for pony babies we give a 1/2cc.

Every few years we still have a foal that will have lax tendons......and this is even with us giving our mares supplements that include selenium, plus the selenium & mineral salt blocks....... When it happens we keep their toes trimmed and give the foal a follow-up selenium shot a week later, plus allow them a certain amount of exersize. We've had excellent result with that <knock on wood>.

MA