Posted on 1st Sep 2011 @ 10:17 AM

FROM:                    Dr. Tania Cubitt – Performance Horse Nutrition
DATE:                     August 1^st, 2011
RE:                         Comparing Tags

I know when we are comparing products it is easy just to compare numbers on tags e.g. ours has more of this than theirs or vice versa etc. The assumption is also sometimes made that because something is not listed in the guaranteed analysis that it is not in the product. We must be careful that we take into account what is important for the product we are considering. It is a common misconception that just because a substance is listed on the tag that it is important. Many companies use such tactics to confuse consumers by listing copious amounts of ingredients on tags when only 2 or 3 are actually important to the problem that is being addressed by the supplement. Consumers get fooled into thinking more ingredients is better.

Fiber for example is extremely important in the equine diet as you have all heard me say countless times. However even though we may list it in some guaranteed analysis for some of our products. Considering the feeding rate of most of the dac product is less that 4 oz, the amount of fiber in these is absolutely insignificant in relation to how much fiber the horse needs. I have heard in passing comments such as “I like the fiber content of Total Performance Plus, it has 15% fiber that’s good!” Even at the highest feeding rate of Total Performance plus which is 4 oz the maximum amount of fiber the horse will get from this product is 17 grams. To put this into perspective a 1000lb horse should eat at minimum 10 lbs of hay per day – the amount of crude fiber in average grass hay is around 32% which equals about 1.45kgs or 3.2 lbs of fiber from 10lbs of hay. Hay, pasture, bagged forage products, and high fiber feeds are products where fiber content on the analysis of tag is important, on a vitamin and mineral supplement or hoof supplement or joint supplement, fiber % is irrelevant. Another example may be including something like biotin in a joint supplement – it may add another item to the list but it has no place at all in a joint supplement.

In reviewing all of dac labels Dr. Duren has tried to include only the relevant ingredients in the Guaranteed Analysis for each product. If something is not listed it does not mean there is none of whatever it is in the product. If you contact Dr Duren or myself we can look into how much of whatever you are looking for is in a certain product and explain perhaps why it was not listed on the tag. If you are unsure of the relevance of an ingredient in a competitor’s product, don’t hesitate to ask.

If you have further questions regarding these recommendations please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Tania A. Cubitt PhD
Performance Horse Nutrition
19445 Springfield Circle
Jeffersonton, VA 22724
(540) 937-7385 Office
(540) 661-7841 Cell
(815) 642-9645 Fax
tcubitt@gmail.com
http://www.performancehorsenutrition.com