A healthy gastrointestinal (GI) system is essential to the general overall health of a horse. Animals with healthy GI tracts have reduced gas and/or colic, improved digestion and absorption of nutrients, enhanced immune systems, are more protected against infection (i.e. by diarrhea-causing organisms such as Salmonella or Clostridium) and have fewer occurrences of laminitis.

In horses, stress, illness and antibiotics can cause an imbalance of “good” GI tract microorganisms (such as yeasts, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi) versus “bad” microorganisms (Salmonella and Clostridium difficile) in the GI system.

Prebiotics can be administered to horses to improve GI-related health. Functional foods, in the form of prebiotics, encourage the growth of the beneficial microbes and minimize the invasion and growth of the undesirable or disease-causing bacteria.

Although Tasco^® has several bioactive components, the single most evident effect of Tasco^® is the increase in beneficial GI tract microorganisms after the ingredient is added to the animal’s food ration. When Tasco^® is incorporated to the horse ration, we can see responses such as increased GI tract health reflected in a reduction of soft stool, improved feed intake and digestion, increased body condition and improved disease and stress resistance. Recent research has shown Tasco^® to have this same potent prebiotic activity in a wide variety of animal species.

Tasco^® is an all natural food ingredient derived from the brown algae, Ascophyllum nodosum. Tasco^® contains important sources of complex sulfated polysaccharides that provide Tasco^® with unique properties and distinctive characteristics not found in terrestrial plant sources or other common marine plants. Tasco^® is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

Acadian Agritech is a long established specialty feed ingredient manufacturer. We take pride in attaining food grade quality standards for our products. Tasco^® is produced at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, using advanced processing techniques and the highest quality and safety standards.

The Tasco^® processing facility holds an organic certification by Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd. The operation is compliant with the OC/PRO Organic Standard, the Canadian Organic Standard, EEC Regulation 2092/91, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) and the Quebec Organic Reference Standard (CARTV).

Tasco^® is suitable for all classes of horses - young, growing horses, horses at work, mature, idle horses, pregnant mares and lactating mares. Use of this ingredient should be considered an essential part of a healthy feeding program for any equine management system.