Most “natural” joint care products that contain chondroitin and glucosamine are made from swine, cattle and shellfish remains, and require destruction of the animal source. However, Natraflex Premium Velvet Antler is a complete renewable, environmentally friendly product made without harming any animals. It is harvested from ranch-raised domestic elk and red deer raised under strict conditions that ensure the safety, comfort and dignity of these beautiful creatures.
RANCHING
Domesticated elk and deer have been raised to provide Velvet Antler products for centuries in other countries, and elk ranching is a growing industry in North America. In some ways elk ranching can be compared to the wool industry. The livestock provide a renewable product without threatening the animalís well-being. However, elk ranching provides an ecologically-conscious alternative to most common ranching practices that may result in over-grazing, ground water contamination or animal abuse.
Unlike many cattle ranches, which may use feedlot techniques, elk ranched under the American Elk Product Board and North American Elk Breeders Association standards are raised in free-range conditions, simulating their natural environment. These beautiful animals are typically healthier and better fed than elk found in the wild. These standards also ensure the animals are kept free from physical discomfort, pain, injury and disease. They even require that the elk be handled in a calm, quiet fashion to reduce animal anxiety. In addition, the guidelines mandate that the elk are raised in an environment that provides abundant feed thatís free from harmful chemicals, growth hormones or other harmful drugs. Natraflex producers must comply with strict North American Elk Breeders Association (NAEBA) or American Elk Products Board (AEPB) ranching and velvet antler collection standards. Natraflex maintains detailed ranch and material sourcing records for each batch of product made. These records are so meticulous, they can be traced from each bottleís lot number back to the ranch that produced the antlers.
HARVESTING ANTLER VELVET
Elk bulls naturally grow and shed their antlers each year. In the wild, antlers are used as weapons, but in a domestic environment, hard antlers can be a danger to other animals. Typically, antlers are removed in the spring, when the antlers are in the nutrient-rich “velvet” stage characterized by a fuzzy, velvet-like covering. Velvet Antler collection is performed annually in the spring using state of the art, humane procedures prescribed by NAEBA and AEPB to ensure minimum levels of stress or discomfort for the animals. The whole procedure takes less than 15 minutes, and the animals are released back to their normal free-range area to live virtually undisturbed for another year.