More antibodies To test the hypothesis that alpha-monolaurin indeed boosts the immune response in broilers after vaccination, the re- searchers determined the antibody titer against IBV in blood samples. The birds acquired immunity against IBV as specific antibody titers gradually increased from day 15 to day 40 af- ter vaccination. As expected, significantly higher amounts of antibodies were found in birds receiving FRA C12 Dry com- pared to the vaccinated control birds (Figure 2). Together with the observation that more birds were able to establish faster clearance of vaccine-derived IBV, this suggests that al- pha-monolaurin indeed strengthens the immune response. The researchers considered that this may result in better protection against future infections.
Dedicated biochemical process The main component of FRA C12 Dry is alpha-monolaurin, the result of a dedicated biochemical process: esterification of lauric acid (a medium chain fatty acid with 12 C-atoms) to the first position of a glycerol molecule. It is this specific molecular structure that enables it to exert strong antipathogenic effects, likely by attacking bacterial cell membranes as well as viral fat-envelopes, resulting in serious damage to a great range of pathogens. Research has further shown the inflammation- inhibiting properties of alpha-monolaurin. A closer look at its mechanisms reveals several interesting facts. Alpha-monolaurin has been proven to be biologically more ac- tive in neutralising viruses and bacteria compared to ‘free’ lauric acid as commonly found in commercial products. In addition, alpha-monolaurin is not affected by the pH range found in the gastrointestinal tract and hence is stable throughout the com- plete intestinal tract and resistant to enzymatic breakdown.
Both its anti-pathogenic effect and specific characteristics mean that FRA C12 Dry is gaining in popularity on poultry farms facing viral challenges like Newcastle disease and IB.
Interesting tool Infectious bronchitis is still one of the most prevalent diseas- es impacting poultry production. Poultry farmers constantly have to deal with uncertainty about the effectiveness of their vaccination programme. Now, FRA C12 Dry could offer a useful tool in the fight against IB. Beside its scientifically proven antipathogenic effects, this study shows that this feed additive can stimulate the immune response elicited by IB vaccination in broilers.
References available on request.
Figure 2 - The IBV antibody titer in serum samples acquired on days 15, 30, and 40.
10000 12000
2000 4000 6000 8000
0 Day 15 Day 30 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 8, 2021 Day 40 19 Control FRA® C12 Dry
P = 0.01 *
Birds fed alpha- monolaurin showed a positive effect on the animal’s immune re- sponse, thereby reducing the risk of secondary infections and decreasing the negative impact of infections on growth performance.
P = 0.48 P = 0.47
Anti-IBV antibody titer
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