May 9, 2008

 

Kemin: On top of its game
 

An eFeedLink Exclusive

 

 

The shortage and rising cost of feed grains all over the world has increased livestock farmers' reliance on alternative feeds such as sorghum, cassava and dried distiller's grains with solubles.

 

These materials require a high level of supplementation to improve digestibility, thus necessitating the use of enzymes.

 

Kemin Asia is at the forefront of this trend, providing "inspired molecular solutions" that help livestock farmers in the region get the most out of non-traditional feeds.

 

"Improving the digestibility of feed has become very critical for farmers. Any loss in feed digestibility or nutrient absorption is a loss of profit for them," said Dr Liong Kah Heng, Kemin's senior marketing manager for Asia Pacific.

 

Kemin boasts its own research and development facility in Singapore. "With our own laboratory, we are able to help our customers analyse locally available raw materials," Dr Liong said.

 

The company introduced its multi-enzyme formulations in 1985, the first in Asia to do so. Through its advanced selection and formulation technologies along with more than 20 years of experience in the line, Kemin is able to develop multi-enzyme formulas that suit the Asian condition.

 

Kemin has an extensive enzyme activities database from which it can select the appropriate enzymes to use in a specific formulation based on activity, stability, compatibility and cost.

 

After the stringent selection process, various enzyme combinations are tested. "This is to make sure the enzymes don't have an antagonizing effect on each other," Dr Liong explained.

 

To evaluate the efficacy of its products, Kemin conducts in-vitro tests. Using this method allows the company to obtain results within one week at most.

 

Kemin's know-how in formulating multi-enzyme blends is evident in its Kemzyme range. One of the products sold under the brand is TOP Dry.

 

Kemzyme TOP Dry is a multi-enzyme blend formulated specifically to improve the nutritive value of cassava. It increases starch digestibility and reduces mean residence of starch along the animal's digestive tract.

 

The in-vitro reducing sugar test carried out by Kemin showed that Kemzyme TOP Dry has a significant effect on the release of reducing sugar from cassava meal and cassava chips. This demonstrates that cassava can replace corn as the source of starch in the diet.

 

Kemzyme TOP Dry is already sold in Thailand and Taiwan. It is awaiting regulatory approval for the rest of the Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines and Vietnam.

 

Amid the changing landscape of the livestock production and feed industry, Kemin is ready to meet the demand for products that will help farmers raise efficiency. "Producers would want to continue to improve their feed efficiency and using enzymes is the best solution as of the moment," said Dr Liong.

 

Kemin's capability to offer superior products which are backed by sound technical and application know-how certainly puts it "on top" of its game, but it is the company's continued commitment to research, quality, expertise and customer service that will keep it there for a long time.

 

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