Sunday, November 16, 2014

Minerals 101

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Karen Briggs
Nov 3, 2014

Minerals make up only the tiniest fraction of the weight of the daily ration, yet they're critically important for literally dozens of daily bodily functions. Here's a rundown of the most important minerals in your horse’s diet.
Macrominerals

Calcium and Phosphorus (Ca and P)

Function—First on the feed tag, and in most discussions of minerals, is calcium, a versatile player best known for its role in bone structure and repair. Calcium makes up about 35% of the horse’s bone structure, but it also is involved in a host of other functions, including cardiac muscle contraction, cell membrane integrity, glandular secretion, temperature regulation, and blood clotting mechanisms. The absorption efficiency of calcium seems to decline with age and to range from as high as 75% in young horses to 50% or less in older ones...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/34800/minerals-101?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=nutrition&utm_campaign=11-03-2014

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