Alpharma Animal Health new poultry feed additive, Proflora, is designed to optimise the gut environment and support favourable microflora populations, thereby improving poultry performance.

 

Proflora is a unique poultry feed supplement that combines a direct-fed microbial (DFM) with a prebiotic. It is comprised of two highly beneficial components: A live, direct-fed microbial probiotic, the highly researched and patented QST 713 strain of Bacillus subtilis; along with a yeast-extract prebiotic called Beta Mos, which provides nutrition-enhancing ß-mannan oligosaccharides and ß-glucans. The combination is known as a ''synbiotic.''

 

The synergistic effect of the DFM in combination with the prebiotic has proven to be effective in creating peak conditions in the avian intestinal tract, said Layne Asay, Director of Strategic Marketing, Alpharma. Each of the two components provides specific benefits to the gut environment but their simultaneious use has a synergistic effect, thereby lowering production costs, said Asay.

 

In addition to enhancing nutrient use, Proflora also has been demonstrated to reduce the negative effects of necrotic enteritis challenge (Clostridium perfringens) on performance, mortality and lesion scores.

 

As a non-drug, non-antibiotic feed supplement, Proflora can serve as an adjunct to existing medicated feed programmes, or as a non-antibiotic alternative for operations producing birds for specialised markets.