Horses need amino acids in their diet to maintain healthy growth and development. They also need them for hormones and immune function. They also build muscle tissue and aid in tissue repair and growth. Proteins are composed of amino acids and are essential for life. When consumed, they are broken down into individual amino acids that are used for building muscle tissue and other body tissues. Horses need additional protein to maintain lean body mass.
Limits and Usage of Amino Acids for Horses:
The limiting amino acid for horses is lysine. Research has shown that the horse needs a diet containing about 0.5 percent of its body weight in concentrates. However, it is difficult to determine the exact amount of amino acids a horse needs in order to thrive. As such, scientists have calculated that a horse should be fed at most five to five and a half pounds of concentrate per day for a 1,100-pound horse.
Amino Acids using Supplements:
Amino acids can be provided in small amounts or as supplements. When dietary supplements are given regularly, amino acids help your horse maintain a healthy diet. Horses’ proteins are unique, with a code and formula that helps them function. Some proteins are made up of hundreds of amino acids, while others contain thousands of amino acids. When a horse lacks one amino acid, it cannot build muscle. I recommend you try pure amino acids like XL for better growth.
How Amino Acids Can Help in Equine Growth and Development:
Horses need more amino acids during growth and development. The rate of muscle protein synthesis in young horses is greatest during this period. During intense exercises, a horse needs additional protein for building muscle mass. It may also need more amino acids to maintain its muscle mass at an advanced age. It is also important to provide enough protein for the growing horse to ensure maximum growth.
Types of Amino Acids and their Roles in Equine Health:
There are many types of amino acids that can be found in horse feed. The three main types are essential, non-essential, and conditional essential.
Essential amino acids are those that the horse needs to survive and function properly. These include the eight essential amino acids: alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartate, cysteine, glutamine, glycine, and proline. There are other proteins that contain these same essential amino acids but they are not considered “essential” for horses because they can be produced by the body from other proteins.
Non-essential amino acids can be used by horses but their presence does not have a significant impact on their health or performance. These include the 20 non-essential amino acids: alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartate, cysteine, glutamate, glycine (2), histidine (2), isoleucine (3), leucine (5), lysine (8), methionine (6), phenylalanine (7), proline (9), threonine (4), tryptophan (1).
Conditional essential amino acids must be present in very small amounts for the horse to stay healthy and perform at its best. These include 5 conditional essential amino acids: alaninesulfonylmethane (), argininesulfonylmethane (), branched chain.
Branched-chain amino acids are used as supplements to help horses with their energy levels. They also help the horse absorb minerals and support healthy muscle function. They are fed at a 2:1:1 ratio. In addition to that, they also help to reduce ammonia production and improve stall air quality.
Arginine is also an important amino acid for horses. Arginine supports the immune system and may help horses recover faster from illness. A deficiency in arginine can impair the immune system, resulting in a prolonged illness. Arginine is also a precursor of nitric oxide, which can help to dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow. This can help to increase muscle mass and reduce recovery time.
Sources of Amino Acids for Equine Health
There are many different types of amino acids that can be beneficial for horses, depending on the specific need. Some common amino acids that horses may need include lysine, arginine, histidine, and methionine. These are all essential amino acids, which means that without them a horse cannot survive. However, not all amino acids are necessary for every horse; each horse will have a unique protein requirement.
Most stable feeds offer hay as the primary source of nutrients for horses. Hay is high in both lysine and methionine, two of the most essential amino acids for equines. Hay also offers other important nutrients like calcium and magnesium. For supplemental feeding, hay can be supplemented with a variety of other sources of amino acids like grains and legumes. In fact, some equine health experts recommend making up half of a horse’s diet with non-starch-based proteins such as alfalfa or clover hay to help meet their protein needs. Non-starch-based proteins offer more variety and can better meet the needs of different horses because they are less likely to cause digestive problems.
Other supplemental sources of amino acids include grain mixes or pellets made specifically for horses, dried vegetables such as peas or beans, and cottage cheese or yogurt. While these options may not provide enough lysine or methionine for some horses, they can be valuable additions to a horse’s diet if the goal is to provide additional overall nutrition rather than focusing.
Final Words:
In horses, amino acids are essential for building proteins. They can be produced by the body in small amounts, but the horse needs them from a diet. If a horse’s diet is rich in protein, it will be easier to provide them with enough of these essential amino acids. Fortunately, there are several good quality sources of amino acids for your horse.
Horses need adequate amounts of amino acids in their diets to maximize the benefits of training. This will ensure that they look and feel their best.
