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Natural raw materials C
BY DEJAN MILADINOVIC, FEED TECHNOLOGY
ommercial feed ingredients are not nutritionally optimal as a bal- anced feed diet. These ingredients can provide essential healthy nutrients, but commercializing novel ingredients is challenging. It needs to meet ethical, environmental and economical criteria.
The feed industry is seeking alternative natural ingredients that will pro- mote growth and maintain heath in domestic animals. A sustainable ingre- dient limits global warming, protects the ecosystem and respects natural resources. The focus is on promoting heath and not just on causing physio- logical changes in the digestive system of the animal. Alternative feed in- gredients may raise the overall costs of feed products because all feed in- gredients are not born equal when it comes to sustainability. Sustainable raw ingredients and health promoters must come from defined sources. Quality feed proteins require alternative ingredients that are palatable, con- sistent, competitively priced and they must not reduce the nutritional value of another nutrient in the feed diet. There have been positive results in ani- mal health when single-celled organisms are used to replace fish meal and soya. Good substitutes are microalgae, bacterial meal and yeasts. It has been scientifically proven that those feed ingredients offer health stimulat- ing benefits in the small intestine of the model animals. Yeast and bacterial proteins are proven to be a good source of nutrients. They grow fast on sub- strates, independent of climate conditions, water resources and soil. Opti- mal chemical composition creates an important effect on nutrient digesti- bility, metabolism and animal growth. Including bacterial meal in feed diets prevented enteritis when compared to soybean meal. Another solution: the high gross energy level of brewer’s yeast gives animals the energy they need. High digestibility of the essential amino acids and high nitrogen re- tention equal to adding fish meal to a diet is expected when adding yeast. No difference was found in acute stress response, also no difference in blood and plasma amino-acid profiles when feeding yeast instead of fish meal. Microalgae, an abundant source of protein, carbohydrates, lipids and antioxidants also promote animal health. Maintaining the health of animals depends on the microbiome during weaning. When solid feed is introduced, the gastrointestinal tract may fail. This may lead to less digestion efficiency. Intake of prebiotics modulates the intestinal microbiota and changes the composition of the microbiota. Prebiotics are indigestible, but they are available as an energy source to the bacteria inhabiting the lower gastrointestinal tract of the animals. Keeping healthy gut bacteria can optimise the uptake of nutrients from sustainable ingredients. Creating value through a sustainable and circular economy is a noble aim, but its success will always depend on profitability. However, the health of farmed animals must become a greater priority.
34 ▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 28, No. 10, 2020
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