For visitors to Cottbus Zoo in eastern Germany, watching the elephants bathing in the river is a big attraction. But when 42-year-old Karla developed foot trouble, it looked as if elephant bath time could soon be a thing of the past. The zoo’s director and vet turned to Life Data Labs to help solve their jumbo problem.

Elephants have been hugely popular with visitors ever since 1969, when Karla’s companion Sundali moved into her new home, set in beautiful parkland between the River Spree and Cottbus’s Branitzer Park, about 140 km south-east of Berlin. So Karla’s health was a big worry for Dr Jens Kämmerling, Cottbus’s young and enthusiastic zoo director.

“Older elephants in particular often suffer from various toe nail problems,” he says. “Karla showed plenty of toe horn growth, but because the horn was of poor quality her toes kept developing cracks and holes in the toe wall.”

The zoo’s vet recommended adding the equine hoof supplement Farrier’s Formula to Karla’s feed. Since the Life Data Labs product worked so well for horses, maybe it could help elephants too, he thought.

After about a year on the hoof supplement the elephant’s feet are in much better shape and Dr. Jens Kämmerling is very happy with the results. “You can see and feel the improvement in the horn quality and Karla no longer needs any veterinary treatment for her feet. “On the basis of our experience, I can recommend Farrier’s Formula without reservation.”

“We knew Farrier’s Formula was a huge success, but we’re thrilled that it’s equal to such a mammoth challenge,” adds Life Data Labs’ European Representative, Karen Zetsche. “And I’m delighted we could help the elephants to carry on enjoying their bath in the river.”

Farrier’s Formula was created 30 years ago by Dr. Frank Gravlee, founder of Alabama-based Life Data Labs, to promote healthy dermal tissue in horses. He tested blood collected from hundreds of horses to determine which nutrients were lacking in horses with poor-quality hooves. The supplement is the number one recommended product by US farriers.