Why Choose Thorne Bottom Farm’s K.I.S.Trace and Ru-Min Pro?

K.I.S.Trace® has quality bioavailable ingredients in the amounts necessary to produce results.

I have been feeding this to my herd for over a year and recommending it to horse owners as well. Results are noticed in a short amount of time for many which include a tighter hoof connection, thicker / tougher soles, and walls. I love this product!

Geri White is a professional hoof care provider and has an Equine Sciences Degree, Natural Hoof Care Certification, and is a Field Instructor for the Equine Sciences Academy.

After using K.I.S. Trace® for over one year, I am pleasantly surprised with the results I see with my equine patients. We have seen multiple horses that have been able to come out of muzzles and graze like normal horses and lose their crests and fat pads.

We have also seen horses that have had improved hoof growth and improved coat/skin quality. Occasionally we have had a few issues with palatability and owners worked with horses to encourage ingestion.

Here are some stories:

1. One client started 2 out of 3 horses in a pasture on the supplement. The three horses had all been in muzzles and overweight/ insulin resistant last year. This year, the two on the supplement are out of muzzles, eating and grazing normally and not overweight, but the third horse is still overweight, and still in his grazing muzzle. We also noticed that both of the horses on the supplement were not slobbering, and the third horse has been slobbering most of the summer.
2. I have a client with a pony and every horse on her property (which is not big, but has lots of grass) get overweight and looks insulin resistant. After trying multiple herbals, insulin-resistant supplements and thyroid supplementation with no improvement, we decided to try K.I.S. Trace®. The pony now looks normal, no fat pads, and his feet are improving after a bout of mild laminitis last year. He is out on grass all the time and doing great.
3. My own 21-year-old pony was getting increasing ACTH values yearly (testing every July) and also had fat pads and a crusty neck with fat pads over the rib cage and tail head. If she went out with the other horses she never stopped grazing and would balloon up overnight. Last year she spent all summer in a small dry lot and still looked overweight at the end of the summer. I started her on K.I.S. Trace® this Winter. What I have noticed is that she never developed any fat pads this spring. She has been on 24-hour turn out all year with my other two horses and she takes breaks, grazes, sleeps etc. She doesn’t constantly eat. She also has maintained a perfect weight this year. Her ACTH values have dropped significantly and are now within the normal range after being elevated for over 2 years. I have started all 3 of my horses on the supplement and I am now feeding the exact same thing to all three (my skinny old Thoroughbred, my older Arab and my fat pony) and they are all looking great. KIS Trace has made managing my barn so much easier and made life a lot easier.

Dr. Ann-Marie B. Hancock, DVM
True North Equine Veterinary Services in Warrenton, VA

Trace minerals (Zn, Mn, Cu, Co, I, Fe and Se) are essential nutrients to sustain life through normal cellular integrity and bodily functions. However, to be functional, trace minerals must first be absorbed and then, depending on their form, play key roles impacting metabolism, immunity as well as production and protection of cells. Interestingly, the form of trace minerals begin their impact at the absorption site or lining of the gut. The form of minerals, examples being, sulfates, oxides, carbonates, hydroxy, and organic minerals, affects mineral solubility, conversion to a chloride and/or its absorption potential.

Controlled research by Zinpro Corporation has shown in over 250 studies that metal amino acid complexes (an AAFCO “American Association of Feed Control Officials” term for Zinpro Minerals) improve animal performance because they remain stable through the GI tract as they are absorbed and handled differently, resulting in multiple animal responses. Zinpro minerals do this 1st by being absorbed by amino acid carriers on the surface of gut epithelia or gut lining cells.

Secondly, once in the cell, Zinpro minerals are handled differently than inorganic (Sulfate, Oxide, Hydroxyl) or other, CLASSIFIED ORGANIC minerals (Proteinates, Polysaccharides or Chelates) thus changing cellular metabolism and function. One of the first functions that changes is in the cellular matrix holding epithelial cells together, also known as tight junction proteins. These are important in all epithelial or skin tissues thus affecting the gut, respiratory, urinary, genital and reproductive tract as well as the mammary gland and external skin surfaces.

Multiple studies (over 50 in gut and skin epithelium) have shown that through this enhanced effect animals have stronger gut integrity and are therefore less likely to suffer from EGUS, have gut leakage of bacteria leading to stress and infection, lameness, loss of performance or lowered wellbeing.

Additional studies demonstrated that animals receiving mineral supplements with Zinpro minerals had significantly lower levels of E coli, Campylobacter and Salmonella leaking into circulation and thus stressing the animal. Interestingly, leakage of these organisms was significantly lower with Zinpro minerals than animals receiving similar supplements containing inorganic minerals (common sulfates).

However, these benefits go well beyond the gut as Zinpro amino acid complexes have been shown to improve skin and coat in dogs, footpads in dogs as well as hooves in horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and llamas.

The advantages have also been demonstrated in reproductive performance by improving reproductive tract integrity and function resulting in fewer services per conception, healthier offspring with lower lifetime morbidity or sickness and better performance.

So when choosing a trace mineral supplement for your prized animals look for Zinpro amino acid complexes on the bag or tag to ensure your animals are getting what they need to achieve optimal performance. K.I.S. Trace® and Ru-Min Pro both use Zinpro Performance minerals and do not contain any sulfates, polysaccharides or oxides with the exception of magnesium oxide.

Dana J. Tomlinson, PhD, PAS, Dipl ACAN
Research Nutritionist
Global Species Leader – Specialty

Awesome product!

We have used other popular minerals on our horses, and there simply isn’t any comparison. We first tried the KIS powder and the horses all loved it. Now there is a pellet so it will be much easier. Can’t wait to see how they like this one. This is our mineral of choice!

Ida Hammer

Owner and Instructor for Mackinaw Dells Whole Horse Hoofcare