Behind the Innovation: Q&A with Audra Mulligan on the Development of UltraShield® Gold

After a decade of dedicated research and development, Absorbine® introduced UltraShield® Gold—an advanced fly spray unlike anything else on the market. To learn more about this breakthrough product, we sat down with Audra Mulligan, W.F. Young’s Director of Regulatory and Development. She shared insights into what sets this new formula apart, why it took 10 years to perfect, and how it works differently from any other fly spray.

In her role, Audra ensures that all Absorbine® products meet regulatory standards while overseeing the development of innovative new solutions. But beyond her professional expertise, Audra is also a lifelong horse lover whose passion profoundly informs her work.

She grew up riding a Shetland pony on her family’s farm in Wisconsin, discovering a love for speed and competition. Her equestrian journey led her through local gymkhanas, the National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA), Better Barrel Racers (BBR), high school rodeo, and college rodeo. Today, she competes in the fast-growing sport of mounted shooting.

Audra says she’ll always have horses—and dogs—in her life, and she can’t imagine it any other way. That same devotion fueled her efforts in developing UltraShield Gold, a product designed to protect horses in the worst-case bug scenarios and deliver cutting-edge relief.

Q: UltraShield Gold was 10 years in the making. Why so long?
A: True innovation takes time. UltraShield Gold contains active ingredients that have never been combined before. It has undergone extensive testing and formulation iterations to achieve the product that is available today.

Q: What did the product testing consist of?
A: The testing and research that UltraShield Gold has undergone is extensive. Entomologists, toxicologists, epidemiologists, chemists, ecologists, agronomists, and regulatory scientists have all reviewed UltraShield Gold’s data.

Independent labs performed rigorous safety testing, including skin irritation, skin sensitization, eye irritation and acute, inhalation, oral, and dermal testing. This safety testing provides the basis of information for which the product label and directions are made.

The efficacy is thoroughly reviewed to ensure that our product claims are accurate and true.

Multiple rounds of field testing were conducted to ensure that the product meets our high standards.

Q: What does it take to register a new fly spray with the EPA?
A: The EPA registration process is robust. First, you need an expert who deeply understands it and can create a plan for testing and submission. The EPA requires extensive data on all aspects of the product, and they ensure that the product is safe to use and will not put any humans, animals, or the environment at risk.

Q: Are there other regulatory bodies that need to approve the product?
A: In addition to the EPA, each state requires registration and approval of the product before it can be sold. States have the authority to establish regulations and requirements that are above and beyond those of the EPA.

Q: What is unique or new about the formula?
A: The active ingredients in this formulation have never been combined before. This is a new formula that was created specifically for horses.

Q: How does it work differently than other fly sprays?
A: The difference is in the synergies in the formula. The secret to how the active ingredients interact in the FlyShield Technology is because each active ingredient has a specific “mode of action” or way the ingredient works, creating the perfect balance for optimum repellency.

Q: What’s the impact on fly behavior?
A: Flies taste with receptors on their legs. Traditional fly sprays require the fly to land on the area and to taste the fly spray before it goes away. Absorbine’s FlyShield® Technology stops the fly from ever landing.

 

After years of meticulous research, UltraShield® Gold stands as a testament to Absorbine’s commitment to equine well-being and innovation. As Audra shared, this groundbreaking formula represents more than just scientific advancement—it’s the result of a deep-rooted passion for horses and a drive to solve real challenges faced by horse owners. 

Mode of Actions / How Each UltraShield Gold Ingredient Works:

• Permethrin and Pyrethrin repel and kill insects because they are neural toxins to insects. They paralyze pests by attacking their central nervous systems. When pests are exposed to pyrethroids, the insect first becomes hyperactive then falls to the ground. When insects are in the hyperactive state, they move away from the source of the pyrethroid, which provides repelling properties. Permethrin takes time to start working and lasts for a long time. Pyrethrin works immediately and only works for a short time.
  
  

• Piperonyl Butoxide is a synergist that enhances the efficacy of permethrin and pyrethrin. This ingredient acts like caffeine for insects, which speeds the hyperactivity caused by the pyrethroids. This leads to a faster-acting formula with heightened repellency.
  
  

• Octanoic, Nonanoic, and Decanoic Acids work by interfering with the insect's olfactory receptors (smell receptors). The organic fatty acids trigger a warning to the insect to stay away from the area. The fatty acids can also cause irritation to the insect, encouraging them to avoid the area where the actives are present. Since the way these actives work is different from the others, they complement and create a more powerful formulation