(Newswire.net — January 20, 2014) Exeter, New Hampshire —
Horse supplement companies now produce a variety of pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and natural herbal supplements for health, endurance and performance, and wellness. This equine supplement market has now become a $1.66 billion dollar industry. As may be expected, Horse owners and trainers are quite concerned with both the quality and safety of the supplements they have been using. Veterinary Practice News, which represents practitioners, has recently voiced the concerns of both veterinarians and horse owners alike (http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-dept/small-animal-dept/safety-efficacy-still-key-to-supplement-sales.aspx.
Pharmaceutical supplements are regulated whereas nutraceutical, herbal and natural are not. A Veterinarian’s main concern for these last three categories is essentially the lack of testing standards and results for proof of a supplements effectiveness. The National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) is perhaps the best standards setting organization for evaluating the quality and rating the efficacy of non-regulated supplements. Manufacturers receive a NASC seal when standards are met. This gives an assurance of safety that consumers will support over those supplements without the seal.
In general, veterinarians are in support for these types of voluntary standards in an industry where regulation is not in effect. As medical professionals they themselves must meet certain strict regulations and this gives them assurance that some type of minimal expectations will be met. The lack of documented adverse effects from supplements prevents veterinarians from wholesale endorsement of non-pharmaceutical supplements. As professionals their responsibility is to the verification of supplements used and recommended on behalf of their clients. NASC standards offer them some grounds for support. Importantly, NASC requires its members to voluntarily submit negative results and the voluntary clause gives the veterinarians serious reservations.
There is a higher level of confidence of the part of horse owners and veterinarians with those horse supplement manufacturers that adhere to NASC requirements. One horse supplements manufacturer and distributor is Emerald Valley Natural Health (http://emeraldvalleyequine.com) of Exeter, NH. A long time member of NASC , the company’s owner, Cheryl Price, confirms that “the NASC seal provides consumers with the assurance they are buying a product from a reputable company that has successfully completed a facility audit”. She also adds that “NASC members must agree to adhere to NASC’s quality standards, which include submitting to an independent audit to ensure conformance with quality system requirements.” Emerald Valley Natural Health is a long time member of NASC and is certified and authorized to display NASC’s Seal of Quality.
Today’s horse supplement marketplace is witnessing a more involved consumer who has more choices and information sources than ever before. Increased expectations for quality products, the effectiveness of standards setting organizations and the knowledgeable consumer who will actively pursue defective products and get resolution of health issues will provide more safeguards. Products with adverse effects will be pressured into change or, as a minimum, being removed from the shelf. Consumer and veterinary involvement will help make the industry maintain safety and quality. Reading labels, claims and asking for professional veterinary advice before adding these supplements to a horse’s diet will keep the exchange of information and safe quality control open and vital.
The higher expectations of dedicated horse owners will have to be fulfilled by manufacturers who demonstrate the positive effects of their products with results that can be substantiated. Supplements of all kinds fulfil the needs for a horse’s health and the best will be endorsed by consumers and by veterinarians where they have proven to be effective. The use of pharmaceutical supplements combined with nutraceutical and herbal based products will increase. The market is stable, the products are safer and for non-regulated supplements there are standards and associations that set these standards.
For the horse supplement manufacturers that are National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) compliant, they have a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Because of Emerald Valley’s (http://emeraldvalleyequine.com/) association with NASC, she confidently assets that we “offer the highest quality and reliable herbal supplements and topicals, specialty feeds, treats and mashes. Our products have become highly recommended and regarded by veterinarians, nutritionists and farriers.” Savvy consumers will look for products associated with NASC.