A new, spray-on hoof repair product based on human health and skin care chemicals is being offered to the hoof-care industry.

Toe Grow from SBS Equine Products is said to promote faster healing and growth of cell-damaged hooves, hair and skin. The product contains copper peptides, which are microscopic proteins used in human health care and cosmetic products such as anti-aging skin creams, hair loss formulations, burn treatments, fingernail growth stimulators and organ transplant facilitators.

Richard Shakalis, an SBS co-founder and researcher, notes that proteins are the essential building blocks for human and animal tissue, including muscle, bone, hair, ligaments, tendons and fingernails (or in the case of horses, hooves). He says peptides are identical to proteins in that they are composed of amino acids.

“Peptides are usually found inside cells in many forms and act as antibodies, hormones or cell function facilitators. Copper peptides are a specific type of peptide that has a copper ion attached to it and is found naturally in cells. In this form, copper peptides act as signals at the cellular level to ‘switch on’ cells in several significant ways,” Shakalis says.

This is not the first time that SBS, based in Naples…