Shelbri glycerin (U.S.P.) 1L

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Glycerin is one of those barn staples that predates most of what sits beside it on the shelf. It is a clear, syrupy, sweet-tasting alcohol that pulls and holds moisture, which is why it turns up in everything from hoof dressings and leather conditioners to udder washes and hand salves. U.S.P. grade means it meets the pharmacopoeia standard for purity — the same grade used in human and veterinary preparations — rather than the technical grade sold for industrial use. The traditional uses are mostly about moisture. Mixed with pine tar it makes a classic hoof dressing; worked into dry leather it softens without the greasiness of oil; combined with water it makes a mild, non-stinging wash. It is also used as an energy source and a mild osmotic laxative in livestock, but that is a use where amount, route and the specific situation belong to your veterinarian — a drench is not a place to improvise. Understand what it does and does not do. Glycerin holds water, which helps something dry and brittle and can work against you on something already soft and macerated. On a hoof in a wet spring or a case of thrush, adding a humectant is often the wrong direction. It is also sweet enough that animals will lick treated surfaces, so keep that in mind on anything you are dressing. Keep the jug capped — glycerin will draw moisture out of humid air and thin over time. Store at room temperature; it thickens badly in the cold and is easier to pour warm. Wipe up spills, because it stays slick on a concrete floor long after it looks dry.