Studies recommend a low protein diet for horses to reduce acrid stable air – but this isn’t always the best nutritional choice! BioOx® lets you keep equine diets healthy and protein-rich while eradicating ammonia odor and irritation.
A recent study published in a prominent animal science journal recommended that horse caretakers should restrict the protein content in equine diets to reduce the acrid ammonia odor so common to horse stables. Of course, the stench is not merely unpleasant to human noses – it is also extremely unhealthy for the animals as well, irritating and inflaming their nasal passages and lungs, causing excess mucus, and potentially leading to heaves. Foals are particularly in danger of adverse health effects since they spend more time lower to the ground where ammonia odor lingers.
Why horses need dietary protein
Horses have a moderate need for dietary protein, with fats and carbohydrates ranking ahead. However, because protein is rich in amino acids – the building blocks of healthy tissue – it is unwise to deny a horse adequate protein in exchange for reducing stable odor and respiratory complications. Protein is an essential nutrient for healthy hooves, hair, skin, organ tissue, muscle, eyes, blood, and bones, so starving a horse of vital protein or reducing his intake to insufficient protein content can have serious consequences on the animal’s development and adult health.
All that said, protein breaks down into nitrogen, a component of ammonia, which is released in horse waste. For this reason, even stables with the most stringent sanitary protocols and good ventilation struggle with persistent ammonia odor.
BioOx® is the game-changer that fully eradicates ammonia in horse stables
Since 2015, many horse stables, including the stable where former Olympic athlete Bode Miller sheltered and trained his thoroughbred horses, have utilized a secret weapon: BioOx. The world’s first 100 percent biologically-derived air scrubber, BioOx leverages a natural bio-oxidation process to eradicate even the tiniest of airborne micro-particulates down to 0.0001 microns (ammonia created by horse waste is 0.000326 microns). BioOx is far more powerful, efficient, user-friendly, and effective than “air filters”, such as the ubiquitous and expensive HEPA systems which merely capture particulates no smaller than 0.3 microns and cannot destroy viruses, bacteria, toxins, and other contaminants as BioOx does. BioOx systems fully decontaminate indoor air in any type of facility, rendering agents such as viruses, bacteria, dust, allergens, and ammonia harmless.
How BioOx works
The BioOx system uses a bioreactor unit that simply plugs into a power outlet. The bioreactor contains an organic enzymatic microbial solution mixed with plain water that attracts airborne toxins and pollutants into the unit; once inside, the bio-oxidation process occurs, and the dangerous toxins are fully destroyed. Any micro-particulates BioOx cannot destroy (such as metallic dust) simply fall to the bottom of the unit where they become inert disposable sediment. The result is a permanent clean air zone protecting the health of the horses inside a stable – no protein reduction required!
For a demo of the BioOx® Equine clean air technology, contact the BioOx® team at (301) 246-0151 or visit bioox.us/contact_us.html.
