Product info
Besides potassium, magnesium is the most important mineral in the cell. Its blood plasma concentration is 13 times lower than the intracellular concentration. Since the organism can store only limited quantities of magnesium, the risk of supply deficiencies is considerable (Matthei, 1996). 60% of the body's magnesium content is stored in the skeleton, from which it can be released relatively quickly in case of a temporary deficiency.
About 35% are found in the heart, skeletal muscles and liver, 1-5% in body fluids such as blood, gastric juice, bile, lymph and urine. Of all the organs, the heart has the highest magnesium content, which is reflected in its protective effect in cardiac diseases.
magnesium is an important element in the activation of over 300 enzymes. Without magnesium, protein synthesis in the metabolism is disturbed, lipolysis does not function optimally, and blood glucose is not broken down to a sufficient degree (Matthei, 1996). The influence of magnesium on the metabolism of the musculature and nervous system is considerable. magnesium is considered to be an "anti-stress" mineral, since sufficient supplies reduce the release of stress hormones.
magnesium in horses
magnesium absorption takes place in the small intestine, whereby only 10-60% of the magnesium in feed is absorbed and 70% from mineral substances containing magnesium. A horse weighing 500 kg stores about 125 mg of magnesium, 75 g of this amount in the skeleton, 45 g in the heart, muscles and liver. The normal plasma / serum level in horses is 18-24 mg Mg/l or 0.75 - 1.0 mmol Mg/l (Meyer, 1996).
The recommended dietary magnesium supply for horses is 20 mg Mg/kg of body weight per day, corresponding to a maintenance requirement of 10 g Mg/500 kg body weight.
The following deviations in requirement levels should be kept in mind:
Work light, moderate, heavy: 10.5 g / 11 g / 13 g / animal / day
Pregnancy 9th-11th month: 10.5 g / animal / day
Lactation, 3rd month: 13 g / animal / day
Foals 3rd-6th / 7th-12th month: 5 g / 6 g / animal / day
Foals 13th-18th / 19th-24th month: 7.5 g / 8.5 g / animal / day
Foals 25th-36th month: 9 g / animal / day
(modified, Meyer, 1996)
magnesium supply in grazing mares and foals is usually sufficient at average grass contents levels of c. 2 g Mg/kg DS (Finkler-Schade et al., 1996). In winter, however, feed magnesium deficiencies are to be expected in 3% of breeding operations (Hackl‰nder et al., 1996). Since the magnesium content in mare's milk drops off rapidly, only 20% of the foal's requirement is ensured beginning with the 3rd month. A connection is suspected between magnesium (and other substances) supply deficiencies in foals during the first year and occurrence of posture and limb changes.
The negative effects of major physical and mental stress on magnesium balance and the resulting vicious circle of stress are something every rider is familiar with. Horses with only marginal magnesium supplies react to any additional stress load with loss of appetite, muscle strains, nervousness or compromised condition, since the physiological requirement can only be met temporarily from the body's reserves.
Causes of magnesium deficiency in horses
Although most equine husbandry operations ensure sufficient supplies of magnesium to the horses, temporary or persistent deficiencies may occur for a variety of reasons:
* Insufficient magnesium supplies in feed due to soils leached out by excessive potash fertilizer use and soft drinking water.
* Insufficient absorption due to gastrointestinal disturbances.
* Insufficient absorption when inorganic magnesium salts are administered.
* Not meeting increased requirements during pregnancy and lactation, in cases of extreme and unbalanced nutrition during training, competition sports, transport and stall changes, and in stressful situations in general.
* Increased elimination in gastrointestinal and urogenital tract illnesses.
Corresponding to the important role played by magnesium in the metabolic system in general and in muscle and nerve tissue metabolism in particular, the following
signs of magnesium deficiency in horses
may occur:
Loss of appetite, exhaustion, poor condition, excessive excitability, nervousness, sweating, muscular tremor, cillosis, muscle strains, cramps, tetanies, cardiovascular disturbances (Meyer, 1996; Lewis, 1995).
Vitamin B12 (cobalamines) in horses
Cobalamines in the vitamin B12 group have a central cobalt atom. For this reason, an insufficient supply of vitamin B12 is a possibility in regions with extreme cobalt dearth.
The cobalt requirement in horses is 0.05-0.1 mg/kg feed DS. Insufficient supply, disturbed absorption or insufficient physiological utilization may result in anaemia and cessation of growth (Pirkelmann, 1991; B‰ssler, 1989). Like magnesium, vitamin B 12 also contributes to the control of the sensitivity of the nervous system to stimulation
EQUISTRO BETAMAG 12
High levels of physical stress can quickly lead to or exacerbate a magnesium deficiency in horses, leading to the above-mentioned nervous and neuromuscular symptoms. The combination of a magnesium salt with immediate availability and a magnesium salt with delayed availability in EQUISTRO BETAMAG 12, together with vitamin B12, regenerates the disturbed metabolism of muscles and nerves quickly and with long-lasting effect. The horse recovers its full mental stress capacity and willingness to perform.
EQUISTRO BETAMAG 12 can be administered in long periods of high stress levels and to highly nervous animals for longer periods. To compensate insufficient supply or prepare and animal for physical and nervous stress (loading, transport), the daily supplement can be doubled for c. 10 days.
Usage
General 1. Nervous indications: excitability, nervousness, sweating
25 g Continually; double the amount in the first 10 days
2. Exhaustion: loss of appetite 25 g see above
3. Musculature: muscular tremor, muscle strains, cramps
25 g see above
4. Cardiovascular disturbances
25 g see above
