Lysine is an essential amino acid that is important for maintaining healthy skin and joints in your horse by forming strong collagen bonds. Lysine is the most commonly deficient amino acid in the equine diet because it is low in commonly fed cereal grains and grasses. Lysine supplementation supports calcium absorption in the gut can help cells metabolize energy from fat.
L-Lysine
This could be due to insufficient total protein in the diet or because the body does not have enough of certain essential amino acids to synthesize proteins.
Lysine is considered the first rate limiting amino acid in the horse’s diet. This means that protein synthesis in your horse’s body is typically limited to the rate at which this nutrient is available.
if you suspect a protein deficiency or amino acid imbalance, consider supplementing the diet with L-lysine to improve the body’s protein synthesis capacity.
Methionine and threonine are often considered the second and third limiting amino acids for horses. Supplementing with these three amino acids together can correct most amino acid deficiencies in equine diets and optimize protein synthesis in the body.
According to the NRC (2007) , the minimum amount of lysine that horses need is 18 grams per day for a 500 kg horse at maintenance. However, optimal levels intake are estimated at 27 grams per day for a 500 kg horse.
Exercising horses require more of this amino acid. Depending on how much exercise your horse gets, the requirements range from 2 to 8 grams of additional lysine per day (29 to 35 grams) for light to heavy exercise.
In general, the lysine requirement is calculated as 4.3% of the dietary crude protein requirement for your horse. At different life stages, the protein and lysine requirements of your horse change.
For weanlings (4-10 months of age), the lysine requirement is 29 grams per day for a 170 kg weanling. This increases to 48 to 50 grams per day for yearlings (11-17 months of age).
Roles of Lysine in the Body
Lysine enhances calcium absorption from the gut in all mammals and minimizes calcium excretion by the kidney. This makes calcium more available to form healthy bones and support normal muscle and nerve function. [1]
Lysine is also essential for the formation of collagen – a key structural protein in skin and bones. Supplementing this amino acid might be particularly beneficial in growing or aging horses to support healthy tissues, especially healthy bones.
In mammals, carnitine is synthesized from lysine. Carnitine is a vitamin-like nutrient that is important for the first steps of beta-oxidation – the process by which energy is made from fat.
Exercising horses could benefit from lysine supplementation to help them get energy efficiently from the fat in their body. This could support athletic performance.
You should always consult a qualified nutritionist before altering your feed program. Submit your horse’s diet for analysis online and one of our equine nutritionists will be happy to provide a complementary review.
References
- Tome, Daniel et al. Impact of low protein and lysine-deficient diets on bone metabolism (P08-072-19). Curr Dev Nutr. 2019.
- Brosnan, John T. and Brosnan, Margaret E.The sulfur-containing amino acids: An overview. J Nutr. 2006.
Please consult a qualified nutritionist or veterinarian for recommended inclusion rates in your horse’s diet.
Top dress once daily on feed or ration.
Body Weight | Scoops | Dose |
< 200 kg | 1 scoop | 5 g |
200 – 500 kg | 2 scoops | 10 g |
> 500 kg | 3 scoops | 15 g |
1 scoop = 9 cc = 5 grams |
A scale should be used with all individual ingredients to ensure accurate dosing.
For equine use only. Not for use in horses intended for food.
Keep out of reach of children.
FEEDING DIRECTIONS: | ||
---|---|---|
Ingredient | Serving Size | |
L-Lysine 99% | 5 - 10 g per day |
Ingredients: L-Lysine 99%.
Recommended Use: Supports collagen formation, skin and bone health.
Packaged by: Mad Barn Inc., Petersburg, ON, N0B 2H0, Canada.
kg | ||
grams | ||
Servings | Cost Per Day |
---|
Customer Questions About This Product
- Is it more economical to feed the 3 amino acids, methionine, lysine and leucine rather than the three amigos? What does the three amigos have in addition to these amino acids? Thanks!
- Q Is it more economical to feed the 3 amino acids, methionine, lysine and leucine rather than the t...... Read moreAsked by December 2, 2020 3:38 amonAnswered by the admin Hi Jody, Three Amigos is more economical to feed compared to individually purchasing the amino acids, especially if you order the 5 KG quantity of Three Amigos on a subscription. The cost per day of feeding 20 grams of amino acids with Three Amigos is $0.51 and that will provide 10 grams of lysine, 6 grams of methionine and 4 grams of threonine. Three Amigos is a pure amino acid product so there is nothing else in it except for the amino acids. what is the other 1% that is in your L Lysene product?
- Q what is the other 1% that is in your L Lysene product?Asked by September 29, 2020 12:33 amonAnswered by the admin Hi Chelsea, Our L-Lysine powder is standardized to contain 99% pure lysine. This is the minimum purity score it will receive upon testing. The other 1% is primarily composed of other amino acids.