Chloride
What it does
In the ration, chloride almost always appears together with sodium — the two form common salt. Together they regulate fluid distribution and acid-base balance; chloride additionally supplies the building block for gastric acid.
Why it matters
If the ration's salt supply is right, chloride is covered automatically. It is therefore the nutrient that needs the least separate attention — as long as sodium is right.
When it becomes critical
The relevant losses run through sweat. With long, heavy sweating and no replacement, chloride balance can tip; a salt lick catches this.
How much a horse needs
Maintenance: about 17 g daily at 300 kg up to 29 g at 600 kg — in practice covered together with sodium via common salt.
Together with sodium it forms the salt in the ration and is involved in the acid-base balance; like sodium, it is lost mainly through sweat.
Cited values
| Type | Value | Unit / context |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement | 0.15 | g/kg feed dry matter (maintenance) |
| Requirement | 0.2 | g/kg feed dry matter (pregnant) |
| Requirement | 0.4 | g/kg feed dry matter (lactating) |
| Requirement | 0.22 | g/kg feed dry matter (growth) |
| Requirement | 4.17 | g/kg feed dry matter (work (10 l of sweat)) |
| Tolerance limit | 37 | g/kg feed dry matter (upper tolerance) |
Careful when comparing: the requirement is given **per day**, the upper limit **per kilogram of feed dry matter**. These are different reference bases and cannot be compared directly. The upper limit is also not a target — it is the amount at which harm begins.
Possible deficiency signs
- As with sodium, significant mainly with large amounts of sweat; the requirement is highest under work (4.17 g/kg DM against 0.15 at maintenance).
- ⚠️ The chloride intake derived by calculation is considered to be set rather low; at such a tight level it can affect the chloride level in the blood and the acid-base balance.