helping animals to overcome the presence of such more ef- fectively. Numerous publications have demonstrated the abil- ity of certain extracts to reduce inflammation caused by the pathogen (e.g. capsaicinoids from capsicum oleoresin found in red peppers) or to potentiate the response of the acquired immune system (e.g. curcuminoids which are only found in turmeric root oleoresin).
Including phytomolecules in poultry diets could enable chickens to achieve similar levels of growth and perfor- mance as those on diets supplemented with an antibiotic growth promoter.
The programme focuses on three main objectives: • Making the European Union an example of ‘good practice’. • Promoting research, development and innovation by find- ing new solutions to prevent infectious diseases and con- trol the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
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Stepping-up EU efforts worldwide to provide guidance on AMR and its associated risks in an increasingly interconnected world.
Spanning the globe In the international context, countries have been working to- gether in the Codex Alimentarius since 2006 through an In- tergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). The Codex Alimentarius is a special programme of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Its work involves col- lecting standards, codes of practice and recommendations, and aims to safeguard and improve food safety in the food-processing industry, consumer safety and environmen- tal protection. The purpose of the Intergovernmental Panel on AMR is to provide scientific advice on how to assess and manage human health risks associated with the presence of antimicrobial-resistant micro-organisms in food products. The European Union and the United States also consult each other on issues of antimicrobial resistance through a Transatlantic Action Group.
Developing natural alternatives Given the increase in resistance and the ban on the use of an- tibiotics as growth promoters, it is essential to consider alter- native solutions. To meet this demand many additives on the market have been tested. Among them, plant extracts have shown themselves to be beneficial in efforts to replace these molecules, not by aiming to destroy pathogens but by
Combination of plant extracts Pancosma, an internationally-renowned Swiss company, was a pioneer in the development of additives based on plant ex- tracts. These are classified in the category of ‘sensory addi- tives’ and – further to the evaluation of a dossier demonstrat- ing their ability to improve performance in a target species – may be registered as zootechnical feed additives. Pancosma launched the first zootechnical feed additive, XTRACT Evolu- tion-B, based on standard and finely formulated plant ex- tracts onto the market in 2015. Its positive effects on feeding efficiency and weight gain in broilers were then also officially recognised by the EFSA committee.
New generation of additives Further studies have since shown that this additive (XTRACT Evolution-B), based on a carefully selected mixture of phyto- molecules made up of carvacrol (oregano), cinnamaldehyde (cinnamon) and capsicum oleoresin (red pepper), has the po- tential to provide an alternative to antibiotic growth promot- ers. Based on data collected from field trials over 20 years, in- cluding this additive in poultry diets could enable chickens to achieve similar levels of growth and performance as those on diets supplemented with an antibiotic growth promoter (avil- amcyin, bacitracin, flavophospholipol or enramycin). A me- ta-analysis (see Table 1) provides an overview of the effects of this mixture based on 38 trials with broilers in which negative controls or poultry feed supplemented with AGPs were compared with the natural solution.
Viable alternative AGPs have long been considered to be the most effective solution for minimising production costs. However, their harmful effect on the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria has major health implications and is a cause for concern to both health and consumer authorities. The experience in Europe has shown that simply banning AGPs is not enough to restrict their use in industry. General and multidisciplinary measures are needed to arrive at a com- prehensive solution. Given the total ban on AGPs in Europe, using phytomolecules as an alternative to promote growth as well as improve feed conversion rates, offers a viable and promising economic alternative. In view of the suggested stricter controls or almost total ban on AGPs in other parts of the world, the results of these studies on bioactives could offer a more interesting alternative to AGPs.
▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 3, 2020 13
PHOTO: ARCHIVE
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