Probably posted before but I came across this and thought y’all might find it useful.
It’s a link to a USGS map of the US showing the selenium levels in the soil (by county). Click on your state, then county. You’ll see a table showing levels of various substances.
Thanks JSwan…I knew our soil was deficient, but dear lord! No wonder my horses suck down the free choice selenium/E…
What’s the optimal level?
[QUOTE=spotmenow;4081138]
Thanks JSwan…I knew our soil was deficient, but dear lord! No wonder my horses suck down the free choice selenium/E…[/QUOTE]
Free choice selenium? Are you serious? :dead:
[QUOTE=EAY;4081465]
What’s the optimal level?[/QUOTE]
According to information I received recently from LMF Feeds, optimum requirement for horses is 2 mg. of selenium per 1000 lb. horse. “Increased exercise levels increase daily requirements … Supplementation in conjunction with vitamin E is useful in treating some cases of tying up. … A selenium-deficient diet results in reproductive problems, immune deficiencies…”
Selenium poisoning usually occurs when horses graze on plants that contain high levels. Acute selenium poisoning - with blood levels of more than 72 PPM"
LMF also says there are two forms available: sodium selenite and Sel-Plex, a yeast culture containing more absorbable selenium.
We are in a selenium-deficient area, so I supplement. I use LMF Feeds, which contain the Sel-Plex. I carefully avoid other supplements containing selenium, because it would put her out of the safe range.
[QUOTE=spotmenow;4081138]
Thanks JSwan…I knew our soil was deficient, but dear lord! No wonder my horses suck down the free choice selenium/E…[/QUOTE]
Good lord, I certainly wouldn’t allow THAT!:eek:
Yup. Free-choice selenium/vitamin E mix by ABC minerals. Part of their system. The horses have free choice: Redmond salt, Rush Creek mineral, diatomaceous earth, selenium/E, and copper. Its amazing how at certain times of the year they go through one mineral or the other in large quantities but then back off completely and don’t touch them for months at a time.
I personally think the safest and most effective way to determine if your horse is getting enough selenium in his diet is to do a blood test for selenium. I believe the range is 17-25.
I have to feed one horse 4 times the recommended dose of Horse Health Vit E and Selenium and another horse 3 times to get to them into that range (17-25).
[QUOTE=spotmenow;4081744]
Yup. Free-choice selenium/vitamin E mix by ABC minerals. Part of their system. [/QUOTE]
For those of you who believe in ‘nutritional wisdom’ and free choice minerals: So if horses intuitively know what they need and eat accordingly, why do some horses eat enough selenium containing plants to kill themselves? Does that mean they are suicidal? How do you account for accidental poisoning?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Katy
ps. I highly recommend a $12 blood test for selenium for any horse who has been on free choice selenium and pigging out.
Why do some wolf down acorns when there is field full of grass…or wilted cherry tree leaves?
Very good point, Katy.
HIGHLY depends on where you are. It’s $100 for me 
I do believe horses can know if they need certain minerals - salt, calcium to name 2, but that’s almost as big as the list gets, IMVHO.
Selenium is absolutely NOT something I’d ever allow free-choicing. The amount needed to maintain a healthy horse is not that large, and the line between enough and too much is far too small.
I cannot find the analysis of the E/Se free choice product. Hopefully the Se in there is such a small % that the horse would have to eat 25lb a day to come close to overdosing :no:
Okay guys, first of all, according to Dr. Kellon a horse would have to eat 50 TIMES the recommended daily allowance in order for it to be toxic. I put out two cups twice a week for 7 horses.
Second, this product is DESIGNED to be fed free choice; the percentage of selenium in it is extremely low. This is not the same as buying, say Vita Flex selenium that is to be fed individually in grain.
Third, when I started supplementing my horses over the winter with a selenium/vitamin E supplement in their grain, they stopped using the free choice stuff. Maybe I just have really smart horses?!?!
And, FYI-those blood tests run $95 in my area.
50x? You do realize it only took a 10x od to kill those polo ponies in a big fat hurry, right?
Second, this product is DESIGNED to be fed free choice; the percentage of selenium in it is extremely low. This is not the same as buying, say Vita Flex selenium that is to be fed individually in grain.
That’s why I wanted to know what the analysis was
Third, when I started supplementing my horses over the winter with a selenium/vitamin E supplement in their grain, they stopped using the free choice stuff. Maybe I just have really smart horses?!?!
And, FYI-those blood tests run $95 in my area.
Can you get the analysis for the ABC product?
[QUOTE=Katy Watts;4082009]
ps. I highly recommend a $12 blood test for selenium for any horse who has been on free choice selenium and pigging out.[/QUOTE]
Katy, Can I send my blood samples to you to get the selenium test for $12. My vet clinic charges $35 for the test and $15 for sample submission. But it’s worth it to know where the horses stand. 
And she has a full analysis of this product and will back it up with $$$ in case your horses overdose? How much liability insurance does she carry? Oh, that’s right, she’s not licenced to practice veterinary medicine in any state in the US. Oops!
And, FYI-those blood tests run $95 in my area.
What is your horse worth to you? Do recall the recent tragedy in Ocala with the polo ponies? That was a mere decimal point error. Horse received 5mg instead of 0.5mg. Not 50 TIMES more than the recommended dose or even close to that. Killed them all in very short order. :no:
JSwan-- thanks for the post. U S taxpayers (and others?) thanks for paying for the study and website. Both must have been expensive. Y’all rock!
Well, I live about half a mile from the border of NC and VA. Our county in VA is very poor while the NC county half a mile from me is quite good! I guess I’ll just need to test my forage to be certain!
[QUOTE=Daydream Believer;4082185]
Well, I live about half a mile from the border of NC and VA. Our county in VA is very poor while the NC county half a mile from me is quite good! I guess I’ll just need to test my forage to be certain![/QUOTE]
Actually, you’d be better off checking the horse. Unfortunately, the routine tests for selenium done by most forage labs aren’t all that accurate.
DDB, yes, test your horses instead. Your forage/soil can test high, and for various reasons your horses aren’t able to use it efficiently so can be low.
And, if for whatever reason, your soil/forage tests on the low side, but your horses are efficiently extracting it, if you supplement based on the forage, you could OD the horses.
[QUOTE=JB;4082160]
That’s why I wanted to know what the analysis was
Can you get the analysis for the ABC product?[/QUOTE]
Yes, I’ll get it off the bag in the morning…I’m in for the night. Hope no one overdoses in the meantime…:lol:
And before some nasty person posts some insulting comment, I am KIDDING. Actually, this free-choice system is VERY expensive; if I didn’t give a crap about my horses, I’d be throwing a $5 salt block from TS out in the pasture and be done with it.
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