Magnesium chloride

[[153312]]

Hi all,

Does anyone feed magnesium chloride instead of magnesium oxide (this: Magnesium Chloride (intralabs.co.uk) )? How palatable is it? Thank you. I have 2x EMS horses and feed it partly to help improve insulin sensitivity. As I understand magnesiu chloride does the same job, but has lower bioavailability so more is needed to be added to feed. My reasoning for considering switching is wholly financial; I'm broke! But obviously, it's a total waste of money if they won't eat it.
Thanks.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I haven't tried it but have bought the lower grade mag ox from intra labs and they eat that fine.

 

[Palindrome]

Yes, I feed it. I don't think it tastes very good, my horses are not keen but they do eat a tablespoon of it with their soaked sugarbeet and grass nuts.

 

[ycbm]

If you're short of money why don't you swap to calcined magnesite? It's the cheapest source of mag ox by a long way.
.

 

[PurBee]

20 quid for 25kg calcined magnesite, what a deal!

https://www.broadfeed.co.uk/calcined-magnesite-agma-fg-85-25kg

 

[Fieldlife]

20 quid for 25kg calcined magnesite, what a deal!

https://www.broadfeed.co.uk/calcined-magnesite-agma-fg-85-25kg

Assuming you can get your horse to eat enough to be useful? think it is about 60% purity, often with quite a lot of iron added (binds as a waste product).

Fine if you have a decent feed to hide it in, and arent in an area of high iron in hay / grass / water etc.

 

[ycbm]

Assuming you can get your horse to eat enough to be useful? think it is about 60% purity, often with quite a lot of iron added (binds as a waste product).

Fine if you have a decent feed to hide it in, and arent in an area of high iron in hay / grass / water etc.

I have given calmag in a high iron area for years with no more issues than the iron in the water gave. I've never had a horse refuse to eat it in food in which they will also eat copper and zinc, which taste a whole heap worse. My most picky eater would eat his minerals in a minimal quantity of Saracen Releve.

I don't believe that calcined magnesite as sold by agricultural merchants for feeding to farm animals, and as cheap iron oxide by horse supplements suppliers, has a problem with excessive iron.


ETA, this analysis of typical calcined magnesite suggests that it will have about 1g of elemental iron per kilo.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Chemical-analysis-of-calcined-magnesite-samples_tbl1_223227451

I used to feed about 20g a day, over which my horse's pee would be cloudy showing it was just being pissed away.
.

 

[[153312]]

In fairness, my grazing is VERY high in iron already. I'll look into calcined magnesite, thank you. at £20 it almost doesn't matter it they arent very keen lol!

 

[ycbm]

In fairness, my grazing is VERY high in iron already. I'll look into calcined magnesite, thank you. at £20 it almost doesn't matter it they arent very keen lol!

I had the same and I found as long as I was supplementing 400mg of elemental copper and 1200mg of elemental zinc to balance the copper, my blood tests on the horses came back in normal range. I've moved to an area now where I don't know the iron status and kept the same supplementation and recent blood tests gave low end of normal on copper and a peculiar iron result of low end in serum but high end normal range in total blood.
.

 

[PurBee]

Assuming you can get your horse to eat enough to be useful? think it is about 60% purity, often with quite a lot of iron added (binds as a waste product).

Fine if you have a decent feed to hide it in, and arent in an area of high iron in hay / grass / water etc.

Valid points to consider alongside individual horse needs, grazing type etc. As calmag on the market varies hugely in its purity rates and other ‘contaminant minerals’ - we’d have to shop around for a better quality calmag if feeding longterm and get a sample analysis sheet to compare.
Unfortunately many online sellers dont give the whole analysis of their calmag, so would be a case of emailing requests.

But, if like OP, going through a tight financial period, its something to grab cheaply and still know theyre getting magnesium, which when weighed up against contam aspects of a few mgs of iron extra…is worth the trade-off, than stopping feeding magnesium completely because of not being able to afford the high purity stuff.

Mag chloride is an alternative but because its hydroscopic it could absorb gut moisture and may cause looser stools, and the taste of chloride is really bitter so might be a battle getting them to eat it.
Buy a small amount to try, rather than invest in 10kgs and them not eat it.

Mag chloride can be dissolved in water and sprayed onto skin to be absorbed that way - hard to utilise that method with a hairy animal. Would work best on a clipped horse, during summer, so any residue could be hosed off at the end of the day. Too much faff topically applying to animals, easier to feed.

Mag ox is preferred as excess is excreted, so impossible to overdose.

 

[Fieldlife]

Hi all,

Does anyone feed magnesium chloride instead of magnesium oxide (this: Magnesium Chloride (intralabs.co.uk) )? How palatable is it? Thank you. I have 2x EMS horses and feed it partly to help improve insulin sensitivity. As I understand magnesiu chloride does the same job, but has lower bioavailability so more is needed to be added to feed. My reasoning for considering switching is wholly financial; I'm broke! But obviously, it's a total waste of money if they won't eat it.
Thanks.

Valid points to consider alongside individual horse needs, grazing type etc. As calmag on the market varies hugely in its purity rates and other ‘contaminant minerals’ - we’d have to shop around for a better quality calmag if feeding longterm and get a sample analysis sheet to compare.
Unfortunately many online sellers dont give the whole analysis of their calmag, so would be a case of emailing requests.

But, if like OP, going through a tight financial period, its something to grab cheaply and still know theyre getting magnesium, which when weighed up against contam aspects of a few mgs of iron extra…is worth the trade-off, than stopping feeding magnesium completely because of not being able to afford the high purity stuff.

Mag chloride is an alternative but because its hydroscopic it could absorb gut moisture and may cause looser stools, and the taste of chloride is really bitter so might be a battle getting them to eat it.
Buy a small amount to try, rather than invest in 10kgs and them not eat it.

Mag chloride can be dissolved in water and sprayed onto skin to be absorbed that way - hard to utilise that method with a hairy animal. Would work best on a clipped horse, during summer, so any residue could be hosed off at the end of the day. Too much faff topically applying to animals, easier to feed.

Mag ox is preferred as excess is excreted, so impossible to overdose.

Agree with above. And I have added MagChloride in past, but you need to feed it added to soaked feeds and you need to feed a high volume in two feeds a day. It is strong tasting and a hassle to add that much.

MagChloride is great for muscles in the bath!