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"Limited knowledge of the usage of these additives and the conservative approach of end users who are cautious in introducing new additivies into the animal diets are likely to restrict growth prospects," he said. In addition, Dr. Sison explains that generic products from China are providing stiff competition to market participants, particularly municipal companies that are active in the local market.

Although the national government has already mandated the controlled use of antibiotics, Mercy Buyoc of the Philippine Society of Animal Nutritionists reveals that farmers are not completely open to the idea of using prebiotics and probiotics to replace traditional growth promotants. "Against diseases, antibiotics produce faster results compared to these herbal feed supplements and that explains why we can't completely wean away from antibiotics."  Despite these alternatives being all-natural, Buyoc tells that some of these herbs have not really been effective plus these are costlier than the usual additives. "Not all animals will respond to these herbs and the No.1 deterrent is that they are expensive. They produce good results of course but the problem it is not immediate so you have to triple or double your usage and this becomes more expensive."

However, AGPs nowadays are not considered feed additives, but as therapeutic dosages that work effectively for younger animals. Hence, more farmers are stocking them which makes it more difficult to eliminate them, shares Buyoc. 

Still, Cesario Rule, sales director of Agrimate, a local distributor of imported feed additives, said that herbal feed supplements are already on the rise with large-scale livestock integrators as the main users. "The trend now is more on nutritionals, and antibiotics are now being gradually relegated. Commercial raisers such as Bounty and San Miguel are using these supplements because their main clients, the large fast food chains like Jollibee and McDonalds, won't accept meat with antibiotic residues." With the aid of technology and the Internet, Rule says local farms are learning the benefits of using phytogenic feed additives, despite their higher price compared to synthetic counterparts. Hence, sales have been on the rise. "For the four years that we have been handling imported herbal-based feed additives, we can see that our sales have been increasing. Before, we are the only company that distributes phytogenic feed supplements and now, all companies are distributing herbal-based feed additives and the business is still growing."

 

 

With diseases continually hounding the livestock sector, particularly hogs, having safe feed has now become a crucial issue. Despite some reservations on these plant-made supplements, Dr. Sison said that growth promoters like acidifiers, herbs, and spices like oregano and chilli as antibiotic properties, are now being widely used to prevent tissue residue formation in food animals. These herbs are either directly mixed to feeds or are produced in processed form like micro-capsules to fully capture the herbs' nutrients. Aside from chilli which is used to stimulate pig appetite, Rule said that flavonoids are also among the most widely used herbs which have beneficial effects on the digestive and circulation systems of animals.

One interesting fact on oregano that Dr. Sison shared is that even before the EU decided to impose its ban on AGPs, oregano-based feed additives have been used in worldwide poultry production. Proven to increase the performance of poultry production by improving the feed conversion ratio as well as increasing the body weight gain of broilers, oregano oil also helps to reduce mortality caused by gastrointestinal diseases by preventing the occurrences of gastrointestinal pathogen invasion. As the best immune booster for animals, Rule, Dr. Sison, and Buyoc are unanimous in declaring that oregano oil is by far the most popular plant-based feed supplement in the country.

With the sometimes tight supplies of feed grains like corn and soy, local farmers are using copra and banana in their feed formulation and these are being mixed with enzymes for easy digestion. "Enzymes are being utilised to maximise the use of copra meal/palm kernel meal in diet formulations. Beta-mannanase is specifically used in swine and poultry diets containing high levels of copra/palm kernel meal and other beta-mannan-containing feed ingredients," Dr. Sison said. He adds that the enzyme works by cutting off the bond between mannose sugars found in the beta-mannan of feed ingredients which results in the release of 100-150 kilocalorie (kcal) of extra energy.

 

 

While the country doesn't produce feed supplements locally and relies on imports, there have been attempts by some institutions to formulate domestic feed additives. However, the lack of standardisation has hampered the research from fully taking off. The simple gathering of oregano from different areas may become a complicated process. "Since they have different varieties, it is important to have a standard on what oregano species should be used to make a feed supplement because these varieties may produce varied results. Although oregano generally has antibiotic properties, some species may perform well, others may go beyond the standards, or others do not really work so it is quite difficult to do formulations unless there are standards to be followed" explains Rule. For instance, producing essential oils may entail huge costs and local investors aren't ready to gamble unless they see a positive return of investment.

If the country wants to have a solid local feed additive sector, Rule thinks enlisting help from Europe may be a good start. "Local research alone is already expensive so we need Europe's technology to adapt standards in producing our own feed supplements."

Buyoc voices the same sentiment. "Much as our local feed supplements seem promising, the cost still matters. If that is the problem, then there's no way that we can produce it commercially."

 

 

Once thought as an inferior option for swine diets, alternative materials such as DDGS and cassava are the new trends in feed. Dr. Sison says new technologies and improved quality control measures have created more consistent nutrient profiles to formulate cost-effective diets from these two feed substitutes.  "When pigs consume secondary oxidative products, feed intake can drop off, leading to additional concerns because nutrient needs are no longer met. In three studies evaluating the feed intake and palatability impact of DDGS inclusion in diets of growing pigs, researchers from Kansas State University concluded that, regardless of source, feed intake is decreased when DDGS is included in the diets," Dr. Sison illustrated. Although it seems that the metabolisable energy content of DDGS is comparable to that of corn, Dr. Sison says that feed consumption may affect pig performance, even when DDGS is included at low concentrations in diet formulations.
 

Rule and Buyoc both agree that DDGS and cassava are good feed alternatives as livestock raisers and feed millers are already using these substitutes. However, they also advise the use of enzymes to further break down DDGS nutrients and toxin binders to stop toxins especially in locally-produced cassava where local variety is always in question (bark and peels are sometimes included in cassava meal). Buyoc however, does not always use feed additives in cassava meal and DDGS in her feed formulations but she strongly recommends an analysis of raw materials before these are being fed.

 

 

Although natural-based additives are the best, Rule and Buyoc admits that it may take a long time before the country may completely wean away from the traditional AGPs. "If the government does not impose strict regulations against AGPs, its use will still be rampant," laments Rule. "Even if the government has already implemented bans on certain antibiotics such as salbutamol and chloramphenicol, many farmers are still using it because they make the animals look 'bigger'. And these substances pass through the backdoor, meaning they are smuggled. Large-scale integrators are following the regulations, they ask suppliers for the necessary documents from the Bureau of Animal Industry for permits and stuff like that. But other farms, they don't care as long as these additives can be bought cheaply and unscrupulous traders are reaping from it."
 

If farmers will only have their raw materials analysed, Buyoc says there will be no need for AGPs. "Nutritionists also don't have the will power to get rid of AGPs,  so that's another reason why AGPs are still here."

However, Rule believes that a few years from now, the use of plant-based feed additives will increase. "In the span of three years, the use of plant-based supplements will rise by 50% because more farmers are already using it. It is evident in the mushrooming of companies that are selling phytogenic feed additives."