specific markets, e.g. Europe have prohibited antibiotic use for productivity enhancement purposes. This ban has, howev- er, led to performance issues and increased levels of certain diseases on poultry farms. Hence, farmers and animal feed companies are still on the lookout for alternatives that guar- antee high performance and profitability without compro- mising animal health. Knowing that one of the best ways to avoid antibiotics overuse is to have healthier and more resil- ient animals, and that gut microbiota plays a key role in gen- eral animal health, led to the emergence of probiotics. For ex- ample, research on live microbial feed supplements showed improved gastrointestinal stability. Moreover, probiotics posi- tively modulate the composition of the intestinal microflora of broilers by stimulating potentially beneficial populations, such as Lactobacillus and/or the reduction of potentially pathogenic bacteria like E coli.


Safeguarding overall animal wellbeing Although health and welfare are not interchangeable concepts, an animals’ good health is the first step to establish and safeguard overall wellbeing. To guarantee a healthy growth with high performance, producers must provide the correct amount of food that meets nutritional requirements, and at the same time avoid disease. Animal health is closely linked with gut health because a correct nutrient absorption depends on the intestine integrity. Promoting a healthy gut and providing a balanced diet benefits the animal’s immune system. In turn, improved immunity lowers the risk of animal loss and morbidity during disease outbreaks. Disease is a central concern to animal welfare and an operational and financial nightmare for farmers. One of the most frequent and prevalent parasitic diseases of domesticated food animals, Coccidiosis, is estimated to cost the poultry industry US$ 3.2 billion per year. Around 80% of those costs are due to losses in zoological performance. Reducing the incidence and impact of diseases such as


Figure 1 - Bone breaking strength (d42, kgF) with 100% replacement of inorganic P (presented at PSA 2020).


50.9a


Coccidiosis is decisive to meet animal welfare standards and avoid economical and sustainability disruptions. This is why the animal feed sector has been consistently partnering up with researchers to develop solutions that tackle these pressing concerns. Natural feed components, such as natural betaine for example, equip the animal with an extra protection against infection. Through its osmolyte and methyl donor functions, betaine protects cells from osmotic stress and supports essential biological functions. Trials on Coccidiosis-challenged broilers show that betaine supplementation improves energy and amino acid digestibility and reduces duodenal lesions, positively influencing nutrient digestion and absorption, and overall animal health. But the benefits do not stop here; betaine also plays an important role as a stress modulator. Broilers fed with a betaine supplement saw their liveability increase significantly even when exposed to heat stress (Figure 2).


Nutribiotic approach The welfare and sustainability challenges faced by the animal production sector are multidisciplinary and ask for a holistic approach focused on environment protection, sustained growth, and animal welfare. To ensure a cost neutral and environmentally sustainable growth a strategy that takes into consideration the way nutrients, digestion and immune function as well as the intestinal microbiome interact and impact each other must be adopted. This nutribiotic approach allows addressing several challenges simultaneously: ensuring a balanced nutrition to support health and performance; promoting a diverse and stable microbiome able to reduce pathogen colonisation; developing a healthy gut that allows nutrients to go where they are most needed, and that helps the immune system deal with upcoming challenges.


References available upon request


Figure 2 - Increased liveability (30-34 weeks of age) in layers exposed to heat stress and fed with a Betafin, a natural betaine supplement.


98.9a


44.9b


97.9b


PC


IPF


IPF: 2000 / 1500 / 1000 FTU Axtra Phy Gold + 2000 U Danisco Xylanase, -71 kcal ME


Control Betafin ▶ SUSTAINABILITY AND WELFARE | OCTOBER 2020 25


20AAX008z025 25


14-10-20 13:33


1.00%


PHOTO: MORTEN LARSEN

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