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  Discussion on Amount of Zinc and Methionine in Biotin supplement
Author Message
Member:
skeller

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 17, 2007 - 11:18 pm:

I'm considering the following biotin supplement (hoof secret). I like the fact that there's 120 mg of biotin, but my concern is, there's a LOT of Methionine. Recommended dosage in the article was 2 gms per 1000 lb horse. This has over 9 grams. Is this a problem? Also, there seems to be a lot of Zinc.

Thanks, Sandi

Each 4 oz. serving delivers 140 mg Biotin, 9142 mg DL Methionine, 550 mg Zinc. 170 mg Manganese, 40 mg Vitamin B-6 and 1312 mg. Ester C in a alfalfa-based pellet form for dramatic improvement of hoof integrity in a matter of weeks.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 - 8:29 am:

The high methionine levels are not a problem, if the body receives excess amino acids it just uses them for energy. Methionine is expensive however so you might be able to find less expensive supplements. The minerals are harder to assess because we don't know your horses preexisting intake of these minerals. If your horse has access to a trace mineral block, I would not recommend supplementing these minerals.
DrO
Member:
skeller

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 - 4:56 pm:

Thanks Dr. O.

Actually this is a very affordable supplement which is why I'm considering it. I calculated < 55 cents a day for the smaller 9 lb tub (including shipping charges). This is cheaper than what I'm currently using

Where do I find the recommended (or limits) of minerals for a 900 lb horse?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jul 19, 2007 - 8:19 am:

Hmmm...Skeller what are you to think of a supplement that purports to contain so much of one of the more expensive ingredients yet is much cheaper than similar supplements? Is this a well known manufacturer? It is always good to remember that these products are poorly regulated so it is always a buyer beware situation. And while we are is a skeptical mood here is it clear you need such a supplement or is there a nutritional reason supplementation is helpful that might be cheaper to correct?

Check the nutrition section you will find an article on minerals that gives recommended dosage rates there.
DrO
Member:
skeller

Posted on Thursday, Jul 19, 2007 - 12:48 pm:

I was considering sending a sample to get tested. Several people at the barn use it with good results (i.e. I have noticed actual improvement). But I have been skeptical due to the price being so much lower.

On my judgement about supplements, they are overpriced in general. Plain biotin is fairly cheap! However many judge supplements from that amount. I understand that (You'll be glad I learned some from this site) that you need more than biotin to make it beneficial.

The reason I'm considering a hoof supplement is to hopefully grow out feet affected by chronic laminitis. Or at least strengthen them. He does not have an active attack right now but does have a stretched whiteline. He was reset last week by a laminitis specialist, so I want to do everything to maximize my investment!

About the article on Minerals. I'm feeling really dumb. How do I convert ppm or mg/kg to compare to the total amount in his feed/supplements. Is there a formula?

Thanks, Sandi
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - 9:40 am:

I was taught by a learned man when I was small that when you don't know what you are buying, don't but the cheapest or the most expensive, shoot for the middle price products. I use this principle today.

Concerning the conversion, to get the amount of a nutrient in a substance you multiply the concentration by the amount of substance you are dealing with. This gives you the absolute amount of nutrient in the substance. Be sure all your units of weight are the same. Also helpful to know is a ppm (part per million) equals a mg per kg.

Before you do lots of fancy calculations however there are several ways to compare dietary recommendations to the amount in feed. Perhaps the easiest is to compare the recommended concentration to that on the label or in the table to see if any deficiencies appear. But no matter how you do these calculations you always hit the wall on how much is really in the forage which is the major feed component. Forages are highly variable. As a result we recommend you follow Salt and Trace Mineral Supplements and Recommendations in the article on Minerals which does not require any calculations at all. It does recommend you check with your veterinarian or local extension for any known deficiencies in foodstuffs grown in your area.
DrO
Member:
stevens

Posted on Friday, Jul 20, 2007 - 3:16 pm:

Sandi,

Some catalog companies provide charts that do the comparison of products for you. I think that both SmartPaks and United Vet Equine have that type of information available on their websites.

Hope that helps,
Chris
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