January 3, 2019

ICC Brazil supports increased food demand from China

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious disease, except to humans. It is similar to classical swine fever, but the haemorrhagic nature of ASF sets them apart. ASF has high dissemination potential and may cause great socioeconomic impact - about US$5.5 billion in Brazil alone.

According to Asia Agro Alliance's data, four million tonnes of meat were directly affected by ASF outbreaks in China. As of October 2018, 200,000 pigs were slaughtered after outbreaks in the country, said local officials. 41 cases of the disease spread through 27 cities.

In this scenario, China reduced the consumption of pork produced in the country. The alternative is importing pork and chicken. According to the Brazilian Association of Animal Proteins (ABPA), the expectation for 2019 is that the export market is positively influenced by the increase in international demand for products, especially from China.

Given this, producers must align the speed of production with the quality of their products. Also, they must be alert to the management and living conditions of animals.

ICC Brazil, a company specialised in yeast-based additives, values the quality of life of animals and the meat produced. ICC has several products that contribute to the healthy growth of animals, replacing growth promoters and acting more naturally in broilers and swine species. Some of them include Hilyses®, ImmunoWall®, and StarFix®.

Hilyses is a source of free nucleotides that can be used in the diet of broilers, especially in the development phase. "The first few days after incubation are essential because it is the period of maturation of the immune system, intestinal and organ cells. Also, it is a stage in which the growth of broilers is faster. Therefore, the demand for nutrients in this period is extremely high," explains Melina Bonato, R&D Coordinator.

ImmunoWall focusses on intestinal integrity and animal well-being. It has beta-glucans that help strengthen the immune system and prepare it to fight several diseases with low energy expenditure.

StarFix is a great solution against several mycotoxins that affect the animal's productivity. It is a broad spectrum adsorbent that works in the intestines, restoring liver functions of swine affected by mycotoxins.