Foals benefit from selenium in mother’s diet

Selenium is a key nutrient in horse nutrition and is crucial for an optimal antioxidant status and immune function. Trials done with a certain type of selenium fed to mares showed that it affects milk and selenium status of their foals. In forage and cereals, selenium is predominantly present in the form of selenomethionine, the natural form of selenium in plant protein. Generally the selenium levels in forage and grains are low, as majority of the soils are selenium deficient. Complementary fe