USP vs. Feed Grade
Equine Plus® Feed uses only premium feed ingredients with USP Grade and chelated minerals, vitamins, micro-encapsulated probiotics, and electrolytes in an optimal balance.
When you put these ingredients side by side, you can see the difference for yourself
Most people are not aware that are three grades of purity for supplements. The lowest grade is "industrial grade or pet grade", and at that level, virtually anything goes, as these products are not meant for any application that would ultimately enter the human food chain. We do not eat dogs and cats and horses, so legally, virtually any waste product or adulterated by-product can be used in pet foods. This category can include some pretty toxic stuff, like what caused the massive pet deaths several years ago. That practice is still alive and well in the manufacturing business. This is why the U.S. Government issues public warnings to not eat canned pet tuna fish and others, processed to look like human canned tuna, and sometimes chosen for food by people who cannot afford human grade tuna. They are definitely not the same, as the government messages warn, and this is why.
The second grade is "food grade" and that is what is typically used for human food products. This category does not have to be 100% pure and usually is not pure for supplements. "Food Grade" supplements are typically diluted with dicalcium phosphate or some other fillers that might be unwanted and/or interfere with the supplement activity in the body.
The best and highest grade of vitamin/mineral supplement is USP, or US Pharmacopia, which is 99% pure and the highest purity available. This grade of purity is what is used in the pharmaceutical industry because there are no other contaminants or fillers that might interact with the product. This grade is also called "pharmaceutical" grade, and this is the only grade of minerals and vitamins that we use for both our human and animal supplements. We believe USP Grade minerals are essential for today's quality horses. Many of our clients own and train equestrian athletes who need the best supplements for highest performance, or sick and compromised horses that need the best supplements available to return back to health. Too many salt and mineral blocks are laden with arsenic, cadmium, lead, and other heavy metals, which compromise functions in the body, and that were contaminants in poor quality mineral products used in production.
Specialty tissue targeted amino acid chelated minerals allow for maximum absorption with optimal purity. Since the 1970's, we have pioneered the use of specific chelates in our cutting edge formulas to help address health problems in horses and/or increase performance.
35 years ago, we were the very first company in the nation, and possibly the world, to add probiotics, and selenium to horse supplements and feed. Now, everyone does it. We also pioneered with supplements that do not contain fillers, which are still too common today, and protein rich feeds without thyroid compromising goitrogen legumes like soy and alfalfa. We only use water solubilized forms of Vitamins A, D and E for highest bioavailability.
We've contributed more to the U.S. equine health knowledge-base than every single other company in our category. Our Biochemist has been a leader in equine nutrition for the last 37 years.