Mycotoxin Screen
IEN are now able to offer their clients a comprehensive analytical screen for mycotoxins. The screen, which can be applied to forage, feed or ingredients, detects over 35 different mycotoxins from the main contaminating groups including Aflatoxins, Ochratoxins, Trichothecenes, Fumonosins, Aspergillus and Penicillium mycotoxins and Ergot alkaloids. Reported in an easy to interpret format, results are available within a usual 2 week turnaround period.
Please contact us for more information including pricing for one off or regular analysis.
Horse & Hound, the internationally recognised consumer equestrian magazine, have turned to IEN for expert advice on nutrition including frequent editorial input. IEN was recently invited to take part in a round table discussion, to be featured in January, on joint disease. Offering the nutritionist’s viewpoint, IEN formed a panel of experts together with Rossdale’s vet and orthopaedic expert Andy Bathe, internationally recognised farrier Simon Curtis, as well as acclaimed riders including husband and wife team Pippa and William Funnell and dressage stalwart Richard Davison. The day featured some robust discussion led by Horse & Hound editor Lucy Higginson and features editor Jaki Bell. IEN put forward the view that good basic nutrition was essential for maintained joint health with steps being taken to avoid obesity, which can accelerate joint disease. In addition IEN voiced an opinion that many of the interesting ingredients utilised to help maintain joint health simply don’t have sufficient evidence for their efficacy, reflecting the low level of investment in equine research.
2013 was another record breaking year for IEN’s NOPS (naturally occuring prohibited substances) analysis service. It has grown year on year since its inception and IEN are now one of the most experienced and biggest providers of this service in Europe and beyond, with new clients in Australia, India and the Middle East. This ongoing quantitative and geographical growth of our service is being mirrored by an increasing diversity of sample types being submitted by our clients such as feed ingredients (including herbals), additives, premixes, as well as finished feeds and supplements. At IEN we pride ourselves in our customer service, providing post-reporting support in terms of interpretation and advice that draws upon our unique in-house blend of analytical skills and equine feed production knowledge. The increased application of common contaminants testing following the inception of the BETA-NOPS Scheme and the due diligence that accompanies it within commercial companies manufacturing under the UFAS and FEMAS Codes has helped to drive down the number of post-race or competition positives over the years. Consultancy advice encompassing traceability and risk assessment are an important addition to NOPS testing in order to minimise the risk of contamination from substances that fall outside of the scope of the current NOPS screen.
Eventing poses a particular nutritional challenge for the three different phases. Horses must be calm and relaxed during the dressage phase but with full flexibility and muscular strength needed to perform a strenuous dressage test well. During the cross country phase these horses require the speed, agility and endurance to complete the task in hand without error and within the optimum time. Effective muscle recovery is essential between the 3 days and this is especially apparent before the showjumping where controlled power is needed to ensure a clear round when it matters.
From the start of this New Year, IEN as been asked to provide expert equine nutrition advice and oversight to Team New Zealand Eventing. Team NZ performance coach Erik Duvander sees IEN’s role as “ensuring that nutrition is a fully integrated aspect of the NZ eventing performance program, and that all team horses receive nutrition tailored to their individual needs and to ensure that the dietary aspect of our performance goals are optimised”.
