Phytogenic or plant-based supplements are nothing new in human nutrition for the past few decades. However, in recent years, it has fuelled great interests in animal feed industry as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters, which were widely used as animal feed additives globally until they were banned in Europe few years back over antimicrobial drug resistance concerns.

Delacon, a leading innovator, producer and marketer of phytogenic feed additive for farm animals since its foundation in 1988, is a strong proponent of making natural and safe products that improve the health and productivity of livestock. Using only essential oils and a wide range of high-value botanical extract as its raw materials, the company offers a series of phytogenic feed substances that have three vital functions - to promote better digestion, nutrient retention and reduce ammonia formation. During the interview, Delacon's regional manager (Asia Pacific), Dr. Sze Eng Kian, DVM, explains the application and potential benefits of natural feed additives in animal nutrition.

 

It started as a dream of one person - Mr Helmut Dedl, who saw the potential in phytogenic feed additives while doing research work at a chemical company, and decided to develop the products. Sure enough, phytogenic and all-natural feed additives prove to be very prominent in the animal nutrition industry right now, as everyone places more importance on safe food production.

 

It was tough at the beginning when the use of antibiotics was still very common. Antibiotics are cheap and we can't compete in that market. We go for those who believe in using natural substances in animal feed. We are not there to replace antibiotics as phytogenics can also be used in conjunction with other supplements in the diet including antibiotics and organic acids. But most importantly, our product line adds value in more than one way. Besides improving overall gut function and digestibility, it also reduces ammonia production on the farm. In addition, we can help to cut feed costs by offering a nutrient matrix value in our product, meaning our phytogenic additives aid in better nutrient utilisation in animals by optimising feed formulation, hence lowering the cost of feed production.

 

First of all, our products are 100% natural, without any use of synthetic substances, and therefore safe. Second, as discussed earlier, our products can be used to reduce feed costs because we have developed the nutrient matrix values. To develop the nutrient matrix value out of natural ingredients isn't easy, you have to ensure the consistency of the product, i.e. it produces the same effect every time it is used. We achieve that through careful standardisation of all active natural ingredients. On volatile substances like essential oils, the thermal stabilisation is made possible through our patented microencapsulation technology, which helps preserve efficacy of the natural essence of essential oils. Not to forget, it has proven that our phytogenic additives have the unique ability in reducing up to 50% ammonia production due to inhibition of litter urease activity on ammonia formation, making it particularly useful under the condition of large-scale intensive farming.

 

 

If natural feed is your choice, Delacon's phytogenic additive is a good replacement for in-feed antibiotics. You can use it also to reduce feed costs. As mentioned earlier, you can enhance the quality of feed by adding phytogenic compounds to the existing feed with antibiotic growth promoter presence, as they have synergistic effect when used together. The truth is, in the wake of growing consumer concerns recently over the safety of antibiotic use in animal feed, there is an increasingly stronger demand for phytogenic products which sees our sales went up since 2006 following the European ban of antibiotic growth promoters.

 

 

No doubt, phytogenic products are gaining more acceptance as recent review on research literature shows an exponential growing interest on the subject. From my observation, most related studies examine the anti-microbial effects of plant-derived substances, particularly essential oils - for instance, on essential oils' influence against pathogens and other microorganisms in the intestinal tracts. Other research studies focus on the nutritional approach, exploring in ways on phytogenic additives attribute to better nutrient digestibility in animal.

A number of studies question the efficacy of phytogenic feed additives, but most, I believe, centre on its anti-microbial properties. While it is true, but usually high dosage with essential oils are needed to achieve the anti-microbial effect, hence rendering it impractical in actual application. There are also robust studies showing the effectiveness of phytogenic additives in improving animal nutrition, and most of our own trials attest to that.

 

 

This will likely be the trend as consumers are becoming more aware of their rights to access to safe food following rising number of food hazard incidences such as the melamine food-poisoning case. In Europe, consumer pressure has led to EU legislative ban on the use of antibiotic growth promoters altogether. The US is slowly following suit, and in Asia, South Korea has already initiated the ban this year. Other countries will eventually catch up with it.