In recent years attitudes towards the way in which nutrition is perceived by the general public, the animal owner, the veterinary and medical professions have changed. In response the human and equine markets have been bombarded with nutritional health supplements. Consequently some confusion has arisen as to how nutrition can be used as an alternative to, or complementary to, traditional medicine. Throughout this brochure we aim to provide a clear understanding of how important the role of nutrition is in the maintenance of the horse's health and how it can be effective in supporting performance.

The Role of Nutrition

Nutrition has been defined as 'the sum of processes involved in taking nutrients, assimilating and utilising them'. Until recent years, much previous research into equine nutrition has focused on ensuring that energy levels in the diet are 'correct' for the animal's requirements. While this is one vital aspect of feeding, veterinary scientists and researchers have come to recognise an immense list of nutrients that play a vital role in maintaining homeostasis of the body's biochemical systems. Incorrect provision of vitamins, minerals, trace elements and essential fatty acids can have extremely negative effects on health. For this reason, nutritionists recognise that correcting nutritional imbalances can greatly contribute towards improved health.

Manipulation of the diet can therefore potentially contribute to maximising health and performance. A simple fact that compounds the difficulty of providing essential nutrients in their correct measures is that individual variation is great. What is 'correct' for one horse may simply not be right for another. While commercial feeds can provide a good basis for the equine diet, specific micronutrient requirements need to be provided through the use of specialised complementary feeds, or feed supplements.

Complementary feeds encompass a huge range of products fed for a variety of reasons. From broad based vitamin and mineral supplements to make up for deficiencies of basic micronutrients in modern feeding patterns, for example, making up for limited numbers of plants and grass species in grazing and forage. To more scientifically advanced products which target specific areas of need, such as joint health, respiratory function, digestion, behaviour, skin disorders and age.

NAF was established in 1983. The aim was to bring the latest in equine nutritional support to the horse owner. That has not changed and NAF continues to research and develop novel and unique approaches to equine health. All products produced by NAF are based upon combining sound scientific principles with the latest knowledge of complementary feeding. By constantly furthering our understanding and educating the end user, we hope to allay some of the 'muck and mystery' theories that tend to surround natural products. There is nothing magical about their actions. Plant and natural extracts work because we know they contain certain key chemical compounds which have a direct effect on one or more systems within the body. Choosing a natural extract for your horse's health does not mean you are turning your back on rational scientific principles, you are in fact, simply choosing to apply science in a natural way.

The Veterinary Team

Led by Dr Nicholas Larkins BVSc, MRCVS, NAF has a team of world renowned dedicated veterinary surgeons who have specialised in nutraceutical science. Initiating and working on research projects worldwide our veterinary team works constantly on producing new products and verifying existing ones based on scientific fact rather than theory alone. The team have all spent many years in equine and mixed animal practice, before specialising In research and development.

Dr Nicholas Larkins BVSc MRCVS practiced in equine, farm and exotic animals in the UK, USA and Zimbabwe, during which time he was also veterinary consultant to various international equestrian teams. Since 1988 he has been heavily involved in research in the fields of pharmacognosy, nutritional medicine, reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (bioloqy and pathology), and the practical incorporation of nutritional supplements, plant materials and plant extracts into mammalian therapy and management. He has had clinical scientific papers published in international journals worldwide and is frequently invited to lecture at medical conferences in the UK, Dubai, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Australia and Switzerland.

Dr Bernard Lischka DVM graduated in Vienna, Austria and Pretoria, South Africa. After spending many years in equine practice, he has focused on nutrition, pharmaceutical research and production, especially immunology and equine exercise physiology.

Dr Bernard Stoffel DVM graduated from the Veterinary School of Liege University before working in equine practice. Since he has specialised in researching the nutritional needs of performance and racehorses in many countries across Europe.

Gerald R Schmoling DVM, MBA graduated from Michigan State University. Following several years in equine and large animal practice he went on to study and research nutrition in equines and other large and small animal breeds. He has lectured extensively across many American states on animal science and physiology, and has been published a number of times in equine nutrition and veterinary practice management.

The Nutritionist Team

To further support the veterinary team NAF has a team of nutritionists with years of experience in nutraceuticals and complementary feeding. This team is led by Kate Jones BSc (Hons), who is responsible for liaising with vets throughout the UK and overseeing product training; and Helen Green MSc BA (Hons) who manages the freephone advice line and is involved in product development. Whether working on new products or advising individual horse owners, the nutritionists combine their equine science knowledge with practical experience to provide the right approach for each horse and owner.

Antioxidant Science

While constantly developing all areas of complementary feeding, one area in which NAF has specialised is in antioxidant research and science. Since 1998 our naturally sourced complex antioxidant blend, D-Tox, has consistently produced remarkable results. In equine health and performance. Antioxidants are natural products that have the ability to flush harmful free radical toxins from the system.

Antioxidants are found in a broad range of herbal and naturally occurring chemical Ingredients, a wide variety of which are utilised in the development of NAF's complex formulas. Since the launch of D-Tox, NAF has continued to develop the use of exogenous antioxidants to produce a range of products which effectively target specific areas of health. However, antioxidants must be fed in precise accurate quantities to be effective and these amounts vary depending on the . prognosis. The only practical way of achieving this accuracy is by adding them to the diet in the form of complementary feeds.

Papers published by Dr Larkins show the significant effect of feeding D-Tox to horses. Now working with world leaders in their field NAF can quantifiably demonstrate the antioxidant capacity of their supplements through modern analytical techniques as indicated in the graph below.

The graph shows that those horses fed D-Tox have a significantly higher antioxidant capacity in their blood than those who were not fed the supplement, despite those horses being kept on high quality diets, which would traditionally have been considered as fulfiling all their needs.

Research is ongoing to further demonstrate the benefits of antioxidant supplementation in specific areas. Aiming to show how, with the use of nutraceuticals, the diet can go far beyond its traditional standpoint of providing sufficient nutrients for maintenance. With the application of an in depth knowledge of biochemistry and nutritional science, the diet can be raised to a level where it provides maximum nutritional support for optimum health and performance.