Field exposure
Pasture, forage, soil, water and stable dust can all contribute to the equine elemental and chemical exposure profile.
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Horse Hair Mineral Analysis
Equine mineral and environmental monitoring
Horse Hair Mineral Analysis
A practical, non-invasive matrix for long-term monitoring of minerals, toxic metals, forage-related exposure and environmental trends.
ICP-MS Triple QuadIndependent laboratory100–200 mg sample
No supplement salesControlled washingCoat-colour consideredVeterinary and research use
What the matrix can provide
A complementary view of chronic exposure
Repeat monitoring
Hair is stable and easy to collect, making it practical for longitudinal studies, herds and geographically distributed cohorts.
Integrated investigation
Hair data can be combined with forage, feed, water or soil measurements when the exposure source matters.
Analytical panel
What can be measured?
Depending on the selected panel and validation status, the elemental profile can cover essential, trace and potentially toxic elements.
Major and essential elements
- Calcium, magnesium and phosphorus
- Sodium, potassium and sulphur
- Zinc, copper and iron
- Manganese, selenium and iodine
- Cobalt, molybdenum and selected trace elements
Potentially toxic and environmental elements
- Lead, mercury and arsenic
- Cadmium and aluminium
- Nickel and chromium
- Tin, antimony and barium
- Uranium and other selected elements
Scientific rationale
Why use horse hair?
Horse hair is non-invasive, easy to collect in the field, stable during transport and suitable for comparing exposure over time or between locations.
Important: Fur analysis complements rather than replaces blood, urine and conventional veterinary assessment.
Potential applications
- Mineral and trace-element research
- Environmental metal exposure monitoring
- Investigation of contaminated soil or water
- Comparison of stables, fields and regions
- Long-term nutritional and forage studies
- Monitoring before and after relocation
- Herd-level epidemiological studies
- Equine One Health projects
Beyond minerals
The FurExposome approach
Dedicated research methods can extend equine hair analysis beyond minerals and toxic metals.
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Glyphosate, AMPA and glufosinate
- Mycotoxins and feed-related contaminants
- PFAS and veterinary drug residues
- Pyrrolizidine and other plant alkaloids
- Cortisol, steroid hormones and non-targeted HRMS
Sampling
How to collect a useful sample
Choose a defined anatomical area and record it.
Cut close to the skin and avoid visibly contaminated material.
Do not mix mane, tail and body hair without a protocol.
Record coat colour and sample type.
Report shampoos, sprays, insecticides and topical treatments.
Collect follow-up samples from the same area where possible.
Interpretation
A profile, not an isolated number
Results are most informative when the analytical profile is interpreted alongside the animal and its environment.
- Pasture, soil, hay and drinking water
- Stable dust and agricultural chemicals
- Mineral blocks, supplements and feed
- Coat colour and seasonal growth
- Mane, tail or body-hair differences
- Sampling location and external deposition
- Supporting feed, forage, water or soil analyses
Laboratory quality
Why choose Delta-Fur?
Advanced measurement
High-sensitivity ICP-MS with calibration, internal standards, blanks and structured quality controls.
Scientific caution
We distinguish exposure monitoring from diagnosis and communicate the limitations of the matrix.
Animal-specific interpretation
Species, coat colour, lifestyle, diet and longitudinal history are considered where available.
FurExposome capacity
Targeted and high-resolution Orbitrap workflows are available for selected research projects.
Frequently asked questions
Practical questions
Should I send mane or body hair?
The appropriate sample depends on the objective. Body hair is generally preferable for standardised biological monitoring, while mane or tail hair may be used for specific longitudinal protocols.
Can soil contamination affect the results?
Yes. Soil and dust are important sources of external contamination, particularly for iron, aluminium, manganese and other environmental elements.
Can the test evaluate the horse’s diet?
Hair may provide supportive information, but it cannot replace direct analysis of feed, forage, blood or clinical status.
Can toxic plants be investigated?
Selected research projects may include pyrrolizidine alkaloids or other plant toxins using Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry.
Request a horse hair analysis
Available for individual animals, veterinary practices, breeders, research groups and environmental exposure studies.