//Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) For Horses – Function, Sources, Deficiency & How Much to Feed/
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) For Horses - Function, Sources, Deficiency & How Much to Feed
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Pantothenic Acid, also known as Vitamin B5 or pantothenate, is a water-soluble vitamin that is critical for normal metabolic function in the horse.

It can be used to make co-enzyme A, which is essential for many metabolic reactions including getting energy from fat and sugar and producing steroid hormones.

Low dietary intake of Pantothenic Acid can result in fatigue, but true deficiency is rare. Horses typically obtain adequate amounts of this vitamin from their forage and grain.

Like other B-vitamins, it can also be produced through fibre fermentation by bacteria in the gut.

Performance horses and animals that experience gastrointestinal upset or those using antibiotics may benefit from additional supplementation with Vitamin B5.

The recommended dietary concentration is 13 mg/kg of dry matter intake or approximately 130 mg per day for a 500 kg horse.

No deficiency or toxicity of pantothenic acid have been reported in horses.

Wondering how much Vitamin B5 is in your horses diet? Contact Mad Barn for a complimentary diet analysis and one of our equine nutritionists will be happy to help. https://madbarn.ca/analyze-diet/