April 7, 2006

Australian company introduces replacement for poultry feed additive

BioDiem Ltd's feed additive BDM-I can be an ideal replacement for antibiotics like zinc bacitracin in poultry feed, according to studies the company made in Queensland, Australia.

BDM-I is a synthetic anti-microbial compound.

A field trial of 1,300 chickens indicated that BDM-I produced feed conversion ratios that were similar to zinc bacitracin, a regular prophylactic additive in poultry feed. 

Antibiotics like zinc bacitracin are now banned from use in animal feed in Europe and are now being phased out in the rest of the world.

Although there is only a small market for replacements currently, there has been greater interest from the industry than ever before, according to Tom Williams, BioDiem's CEO.

The company's principal activities are developing and marketing pharmaceutical and medical research.