Ten most frequently asked animal nutrition questions - part 1
Our team talks to customers every day. The people that use our products and see the results. Obviously they sometimes want to know more about the product they are using, one they are interested in, or even the subject on which it has an effect. So which are the questions we get from our customers most often? We’ve talked to our team and gathered 10 of the most frequently asked questions in order to answer them here. We have published these answers on our social media channels. Here is a rundown in case you missed some:
How do I dose ProPhorce™ Water Solutions?
After cleaning the water lines, dose the product in the water until you reach pH 4.0 or just below (3.8-3.9). The water pH should be measured where the animals drink, at the water nipples or drinkers. A pH of 4.0 will stop the growth of most pathogenic bacteria in the water. Remember, most molds and yeasts can tolerate a pH range of pH 1.5 to pH 10.0. The concentration of the organic acids is what controls the growth of molds and yeasts in the water, not primarily the pH.
The advantage of using a buffered organic acid-based product is that the equivalence points for the organic acids used, usually coincide with the desired pH range of 4.0 or just below. In practice this means that when you have reached your target pH you can continue to increase the dose and get a higher concentration of organic acids in the water, enhancing the microbial control, with only minor impact on the water pH.
To get the best effect of our water application products we generally recommend to dose them at 1 kg/1000L water even if you reach your water target pH with a lower dose.
How to compare butyric acid products on concentration
One subject we get a lot of questions about is the concentration of butyric acid solutions and of course our star tributyrin product ProPhorce™ SR’s position within that subject. The most common question in that category is ‘how can we compare coated butyrate salt products with ProPhorce™ SR in terms of actual butyric acid content?’.
We talked to one of our experts Jose M Ros Felip about this subject. His immediate response: ‘the main difference revolves around how the salts have been coated. These concepts try to find a balance between efficiency and handleability. Products that are coated well and don’t have any smell or other issues, often consist of a higher amount of coating than butyric acid salts (calcium or sodium butyrate). That high percentage of coating also improves the likelihood that the acid actually reaches the intestinal tract where butyric acid exerts its best effects. Products with less coating may cause handling issues AND may not be as effective.’
About the comparison of concentration with ProPhorce™ SR tributyrins he states: ‘assuming that you’re using a product with a good coating, you can dose roughly half as much of ProPhorce™ SR 130 to get to the same amount of butyric acid. But please note that this is a rough estimate. There is a wide variety of coated salts in the market, so always talk to one of our colleagues if you want to know for sure. We are always here to answer those questions. We just need to know what ProPhorce™ SR is being compared with for a good answer’.
Click here if you want to know more about our tributyrins product ProPhorce™ SR?
Is there a cumulative organic acid dose effect or risk of overdosing?
At Perstorp Animal Nutrition we focus our efforts and resources to the application of organic acid solutions in animal nutrition. One of the questions we received in our ‘frequently asked questions’ survey took an interesting twist on that: “Perstorp proposes to use organic acids almost in all steps from feed to water and also for gut health. Is there a cumulative organic acid dose effect? Is there any risk of overdosing?”
To get an answer on this we talked to Technical Manager Burak Ruperez. He starts very clearly “the risk of overdosing organic acids is very small. There is an EU regulation however that states that no more than 10 kg of formic acid may be used in animal feed in total. That includes formic acid used as an acidifier and potentially also formic acid that is used for hygiene purposes. Acids used for hygiene purposes will dissipate while doing their job, however they still need to be counted. Feed production professionals should be aware of these levels. If feed would actually have 10 kg of formic acid in it, animals would probably simply reduce consumption. To make breaking this EU regulation even less likely: most formic acid in the market is 85% so dosage would have to be almost 12 kg of a finished product entirely based on only formic acid. Water products based on short chain fatty acids are not counted, nor are esters of organic acids”.
He continues “in practice we don’t see, nor advise anyone dose this much. Especially not of one single acid. The science also shows that most of the time using several organic acids together greatly improves the effects that you’re after and gives a more well-rounded approach”. About the actual safety risk in overdosing he continues: “trials have been done in the past with much higher levels of organic acids in feed with no reported negative effects.
What is the role of valeric acid in poultry nutrition?
This year we launched Gastrivix™ Avi, our newest innovation and the only product combining the power of valeric acid with the well-known benefits of butyric acid both in form of esters. Many of our readers had not heard about the use valeric acid before and asked us “What’s the role of valeric acid in poultry nutrition? How it’s different than butyric acid?” This top frequently asked questions series is a great opportunity to address that question.
In a study run with the University of Ghent it could be shown that valeric acid plays important role in modulation of the immune system and immune response in broilers showing positive effects to support the animal against necrotic enteritis issues. The use of both butyric acid and valeric acid is a key to optimal performance and economical gain.
What is the difference between gut health and gut wealth?
One of the responses we received recently when taking inventory with our colleagues all over the world of the questions they most often receive is that the difference between gut wealth and gut health is not entirely clear. An attempt to clarify: GUT HEALTH has several definitions that are being used and deserves its own article altogether if we are to get very specific. There is no need for us to go into that much detail here. What is important to realize in this context is that gut health is about striking an optimal balance in the gastro intestinal tract and the absence of any symptoms, diseases or conditions INSIDE THE BODY. In our industry context usually the body of a production animal. Some consequences associated with a healthy gut could be strong performance, animal welfare and a resilience against challenges for example.
We all want that for our animals, right? Knowing that our animals’ guts are healthy gives peace of mind. After all you know that they will feel well and perform well. GUT WEALTH is that peace of mind. The feeling that gut health is completely under control. Your animals are healthy, happy and achieving their full potential. That will give peace of mind, right? The way we defined gut wealth even goes so far as to include HOW we get there. Did we do so with consideration for people and planet? Gut wealth is a state of mind that we are hoping to help you achieve that is caused by knowing that the gut health of your animals is solid. It is not physical state or a product we’re selling or a promise we’re making. It’s a goal that we want to help you reach.
Follow this link if you’d like to know more about gut wealth.