TNN Mineral Plus some of the problems of common trace element deficiencies in equine diets. The following is a few of the most commonly asked questions about TNN Mineral Plus.

Q1. What was the approach that was taken to formulate this product?
Q2. What is TNN Mineral Plus for Horses and what does it contain?
Q3. What are the causes of mineral deficiencies and imbalances?
Q4. Why use TNN Mineral Plus for Horses?
Q5. How is TNN Mineral Plus for Horses applied?
Q6. What are the indications for TNN Mineral Plus Horses and how are they determined?
Q7. Why are dietary trace minerals not sufficient?
Q8. Why aren’t mineral salts as effective?
Q9. What does TNN Mineral Plus for Horses do for high performing equine?
Q10. What response is anticipated from TNN Mineral Plus for Horses?
Q11. How should TNN Mineral Plus for Horses be handled and stored?

Q1. What was the approach that was taken to formulate this product?
A2. Deficiencies in different minerals in soils and plant tissue were identified along with liver testing to establish correct delivery levels and utilisation of essential balanced nutrition.

Q2. What is TNN Mineral Plus for Horses and what does it contain?
A2. TNN Mineral Plus is an organically chelated, trace-mineral complex, specifically formulated for maximum bio-availability. It contains all the micronutrients necessary for the mineral requirement specific to equine in a protected form of mineral proteinates, amino acids and organic acids.

Q3. What are the causes of mineral deficiencies and imbalances?
A3. If soils are deficient in one or more elements and your horses are grazing on these poor quality pastures.

- Your horses nutrient intake may be limited by low feed availability and sometimes low feed quality.

- Mineral deficiencies can predispose stock to production limiting diseases such as gastrointestinal parasitism.

- Large amounts of feed can be available but intake may be limited by forage fibre resistant to monogastric digestion, or by the presence of deleterious substances.

- Seasonal mineral deficiencies can be the result of climatic conditions, delayed arrival of rain to start the usual growth season, the onset of drought in the normal season, or the early closure of the growth season because of the absence of late rain.

- Mineral deficiencies can be precipitated by the over zealous use of fertiliser additives e.g. excess molybdenum applied to ensure legume growth. This can produce a copper deficiency.

- Availability of minerals can also be affected by soil moisture. High soil moisture and/or reduced soil aeration can increase the availability of molybdenum, iron and manganese to plants which in turn affects the plants uptake of other minerals. In contrast, the same conditions reduce the plants selenium concentration.

- Rapid ‘lush’ pasture growth, due to favourable conditions, can also result in greatly reduced mineral herbage levels.
Changes in pasture composition can cause or alleviate the mineral deficiency problems:
a) Grass dominance and fescues can result in copper deficiency
b) White clover, paspalum and kikuyu can induce selenium deficiency
c) White clover and cruciferae can cause iodine deficiency

Q4. Why use TNN Mineral Plus for Horses?
A4. To eliminate mineral deficiencies, achieve maximum growth and strength potential, optimise equine performance and to safeguard mineral requirements, all essential for balanced animal nutrition.

Q5. How is TNN Mineral Plus for Horses applied?
A5. TNN Mineral Plus may be applied through a metered pump dispenser into the drinking water or manually so long as over concentration in the trough does not exceed dose requirement.

Q6. What are the indications for TNN Mineral Plus for Horses and how are they determined?
A6. Inefficient responses to supplementary feeding mostly points to deficiencies or imbalances of micronutrients, this also compromises productivity and reproduction. Forages are typically low in zinc, selenium and copper. Micronutrient deficiencies can be assessed from equine parameters rather than dietary parameters. This can be determined from blood serum levels, specific tissue levels or enzyme activity levels.

Q7. Why are dietary trace minerals not sufficient?
A7. Estimates of bio-availability of trace elements vary greatly from as little as 1% to as much as 30%. Trace minerals ionise in the gastro-intestinal contents, and are reactive with negating substances. Trace mineral adequacy is difficult to ensure when the only sources are base materials and inorganic supplements. When production efficiency is modest or specific problems recur frequently, it is most important to take some insurance by supplying TNN Mineral Plus for Horses in organic form.

Q8. Why aren’t mineral salts as effective?
A8. The reason for this is that the mineral elements are directly antagonistic to each other and in the inorganic salt form also have diverse absorption antagonists (such as phyates, oxalates, phosphates, sulphides and various fibre fractions). Specific minerals compete for the same absorption pathways and hence an excess of one mineral can impede uptake of others (i.e. competition between zinc-calcium, iron, phosphorous-sulphur, selenium-sulphur and copper-molybdenum.

Q9. What does TNN Mineral Plus for Horses do for high performing equine?
A9. Supplementing organic minerals with TNN Mineral Plus ensures the horses have adequate reserve for an effective immune response, tissue repair and synthesis of reproductive hormones.

Q10. What response is anticipated from TNN Mineral Plus?
A10. TNN Mineral Plus helps provide a trouble free and uninterrupted breeding program, assists in a stronger immune system, circulation, hoof health, coat health and colour.

Q11. How should TNN Mineral Plus be handled and stored?
A11. Read label for details. Store below 40C in the closed container in a ventilated area. Do not store in direct sunlight and shake well before use.