Functional amino acids to reduce the use of antibiotics
Recent scientific discoveries around the roles of functional amino acids and their synergies provide evidence that these nutrients increase the resilience of the gut which can translate into reduced use of antibiotics in monogastric animals.
BY TRISTAN CHALVON-DEMERSAY, INNOVATION AND NEW PRODUCTS MANAGER AT METEX NOOVISTAGO
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lear associations between the use of certain antibiotics in farm animals and the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in humans has been shown. This demonstrates that the reduced use of
antibiotics on farm is crucial to limit the outbreak of antimicrobial resistant bacteria both in humans and animals. Currently, the use of antibiotics is already decreasing. Indeed, sales of veterinary antibiotics have shrank by 34% between 2011 and 2018 in Europe (ESVAC, 2020). However, efforts must be carried out to reach a minimal level of use. Furthermore, this decrease in antibiotic use needs to echo the increasing consumer demand for animal products raised without them. In this context, research has focused on the development of different strategies to improve animals health while maintaining or improving performance: biosecurity, farm management, vaccination and nutritional strategies.
Amino acids to support gut health Among the nutritional strategies, the decrease in dietary crude protein combined with the inclusion of feed-grade amino acids is a proven solution to reduce pathogen pressure on the farm. Indeed, feeding low protein diet lowers pH both in the stomach and intestine and reduces substrate availability for pathogenic bacteria to proliferate or to produce harmful metabolites. Feed-grade amino acids are more than a lever to decrease the crude protein level in the diet. It is now time to consider their functions as precursors of molecules and as signalling molecules in animal nutrition to optimise gut health. Indeed, it has been shown that they can directly support or restore the four pillars of gut health. The effects of arginine, glutamine, threonine and cystine on these pillars are illustrated in Figure 1. Therefore, supplementation of functional amino acids can prepare the gut to face a challenge or help the gut to recover from a challenge, increasing its resilience. This can translate into a reduction of the use of antibiotics.
Glutamine: A pivotal amino acid Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid and a major energy source for rapidly dividing cells including enterocytes and lymphocytes. During periods of challenge, the demand for glutamine can exceed its supply due to lesser feed intake and digestibility. In this context, supplementation of feed- grade L-glutamine can translate into consistent improvement of gut integrity. Several studies have reported that supplementing swine nursery diets with 0.2% L-glutamine can improve growth
Figure 1 - Arginine, glutamine, threonine and cystine can support the four pillars of gut health.
Oxidative status
homeostasis Glutathione Gut health Performance
Pathogenic bacteria Beneficial bacteria
Microbiota balance
Immune fitness
Nitric oxide Immunoglobulins Pro-inflammatory cytokines
Epithelial barrier and digestion
ATP production Villus height Number of goblet cells + mucin mTOR phosphorylation Cell apoptosis
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▶ ANTIBIOTIC REDUCTION | DECEMBER 2021
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