February 7, 2018

Micronutrients' precision mineral technology helps producers in 'antibiotic-free' environments

Research shows that IntelliBond^® hydroxy trace minerals can help poultry producers maintain performance in a cost-effective and compliant manner -even in antibiotic-free (ABF) and no-antibiotics-ever (NAE) production environments.

During IPPE, Micronutrients shared research that supports how a precision approach to supplementing poultry feed with hydroxy trace mineral copper (IntelliBond C) can support producers' performance and economic objectives.

A key takeaway from Micronutrients' research is that a threshold level of copper supplementation in the diet is critical in order to cost-effectively serve bird well-being and producer economics.

The method of release is a key differentiator between sulphate trace minerals and hydroxy trace minerals. Unlike sulphate trace minerals, the unique structure of hydroxy trace minerals facilitates a slow release of copper throughout the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, releasing the mineral only after most of the antagonistic feed ingredients are absorbed. This method of release not only helps avoid antagonistic interactions among ingredients, but allows more of the copper to be released in the bird's lower GI tract without overwhelming physiological protections or absorptive mechanisms in the bird.

Beyond reactivity issues, proper supplementation thresholds also affect producer economics. For example, feeding copper sulphate at levels above 200 ppm has been shown to reduce feed intake. In contrast, dtudies have shown that feed intake remains consistent when birds receive IntelliBond C in their feed.