ST. HIPPOLYT®– Feeding as nature intended®
St. Hippolyt® was founded in 1988 and, with around 160 employees, is now one of the leading manufacturers of horse feed. As a family-run business, we combine many years of experience with the latest nutritional science and modern processing technologies.
In line with our mission statement, „Feeding the way nature does“We develop nutritional concepts based on the horse’s natural needs. Our focus is on the quality of the raw materials, a composition tailored to the horse’s requirements, and careful processing.”.
MISSION STATEMENT
The partnership between humans and horses dates back thousands of years. A balanced diet, tailored to the horse’s housing, use and individual needs, plays a key role in ensuring the horse’s nutritional requirements are met and its wellbeing is maintained.
Our aim is to support horse owners by providing them with sound knowledge, expert advice and feeding plans tailored to their needs. To this end, our team combines many years of practical experience with specialist knowledge in the fields of nutritional science, veterinary medicine, molecular biology and sports science.
Our products are developed and manufactured at the St. Hippolyt Mühle Ebert mill in Dielheim. From the selection of raw materials through to their processing and the final recipe, various specialist departments work closely together.
QUALITY
Raw materials and processing
For us, high-quality horse feed starts with the selection of raw materials. We source a large proportion of our raw materials from local farms in the region. Across some 4,000 hectares in the Kurpfalz and Kraichgau regions, crops such as barley, maize, oats, sunflowers, millet, linseed, barley grass, wheatgrass, lentils and other legumes are grown for our products. Carrots from the neighbouring Rhine Valley and regional soya beans are also among our sources of raw materials.
Regional contract farming enables close collaboration with our agricultural partners and the establishment of specific requirements regarding cultivation and raw material quality. These include, amongst other things, guidelines on crop rotation and the use of chemical additives. The geographical proximity of many suppliers also ensures short transport distances from the growing region to our site.
We use selected herbs in numerous recipes. They are a natural source of phytochemicals and also contribute to the flavour and variety of the recipes.
Special manufacturing processes
A horse’s digestive system is designed for the continuous intake of fibre-rich food. When cereals are used, their processing is therefore of particular importance. The grain used for our cereal flakes is pre-cleaned, washed, soaked in water at a controlled temperature and then hydrothermally treated with steam before being rolled. A final roasting process gives the product its distinctive flavour and aroma.
We also pay close attention to the properties of the raw materials used in other manufacturing processes. Our pellets and oils are cold-pressed at temperatures below 40 °C. This is intended, in particular, to preserve heat-sensitive ingredients as far as possible.
To protect against spoilage and oxidation, ingredients such as vitamins, herbs, garlic, grape seeds and fermented vinegar are used, depending on the recipe.
REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND ELECTRICITY AND HEAT GENERATION
Our collaboration with farms in Baden, and particularly in the Kraichgau region, has been an integral part of our raw materials procurement for many years. This direct dialogue helps us to continuously monitor and further develop our quality standards.
The green roofs on many of our buildings act as natural insulation and, at the same time, as air conditioning. The energy supply at our Dielheim production site is also closely linked to the manufacturing processes. For example, an in-house combined heat and power plant generates electricity, steam, heat and cooling simultaneously. According to our operational data, the plant’s overall efficiency is around 90 %, whilst its electrical efficiency is around 35 %.
The heat generated in this process is used, amongst other things, for grain processing and other production processes. It also supplies heat to administrative offices and adjacent residential buildings. This combined heat and power system enables various energy requirements at the site to be integrated.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH
The ongoing development of our feeding concepts is a key part of our work. Scientists, vets and other experts develop and optimise our products based on the latest nutritional science and practical experience in equine feeding. In doing so, we take into account the different nutritional requirements of leisure, sport, breeding and senior horses, as well as horses with specific nutritional needs.
Another key focus is on recipes with adjusted starch and sugar contents. Our Glyx range includes products which, depending on the recipe, are formulated without molasses and without conventional cereal starch. As a result, they have a very low starch and sugar content.
OUR COMMITMENT
From the selection of raw materials through to the development of formulations and production at our Dielheim site, we combine experience, expertise and state-of-the-art production technology.
Our mission statement has remained unchanged for many years:
Feed them just as nature does.
Wholefood principle
When putting together our range of products, we are guided by nature’s wholefood principle. Nutrient-rich natural ingredients ensure that your horses receive a comprehensive supply of nutrients.
Production at the mill
We produce our products in-house, in an environment that is a living blend of tradition and modernity. All our pellets and oils are cold-pressed at temperatures below 40 °C to preserve vitamins, fatty acids and enzymes, and to maintain their swelling capacity.
Glyx factor
Thanks to our Glyx factor, the starch and sugar content in all our products is kept at a moderate level. In our special Glyx range, our products are also free from molasses and gluten, contain no conventional cereal starch and are low-glycaemic.
Research & Development
We carry out research and development to the highest standards. Our international team of scientists, engineers and vets continues to develop our products in consultation with equine experts and owners. Always guided by the latest findings in nutritional science, our products are developed and optimised in consultation with experts from the equine sector.
