Swiss speciality feed additives manufacturer Pancosma SA is introducing XTRACT Instant, a water suspendable version of XTRACT 6930, a microencapsulated plant extract product for monogastric animals.

XTRACT Instant, being totally soluble, is particularly suitable for use in milk replacers, liquid feed and drinking water systems for calves, pigs and poultry. It has already been proven in automatic calf milk replacer feeding systems.

XTRACT Instant is a standardised three-way-combination of phyto-compounds from oregano, cinnamon and chilli pepper characterised by a number of actions such as stimulation of appetite, secretion of endogenous enzymes and anti-oxidant properties resulting in improved gut health and immunity as well as performance enhancement. It is used in milk replacers or whole milk fed to calves.

Feeding non-medicated milk replacer with XTRACT Instant and only treating calves as needed will allow more flexibility and should save money as well as protect calves from environmental stress and vulnerability to pathogens.

This makes the product a suitable replacement for medicated milk replacer, the use of which would be affected by two changes regarding medicated feeds in federal US regulations beginning April 2010.

Firstly, the change of the ratio of the contained neomycin: oxytetracycline ratio will increase the cost of medicated feeds, because Terramycin is more expensive than Neomycin. Secondly, the change of the dose and length of time that antibiotics can be fed for improving feed efficiency or for treating diarrhea which either means low levels of the antibiotic to improve feed efficiency will be not cost-effective and to feed the new higher rate for treatment to all calves on a regular basis will be cost prohibitive, too.