Micro-managing animal health

By Dag Andersen, Rubinum Animal Health

Dag Andersen explains how using micro-organisms in animal feed can help improve animal health and reduce the spread of foodborne diseases.

“Probiotics, which are also used in human food, are becoming an important element in animal nutrition.”
-Dag Andersen

What positive impacts can the use of micro-organisms in animal feed have on overall animal health?

Dag Andersen. Animal nutrition has experienced many changes in the last few decades, not only in the private sector, but in the public sector as well. Technology and science has permitted the industry to improve the limits of growth and performance of the animals. Today, the next step that needs to be taken care of is the products that are used. They must still achieve the highest performance parameters, but they must be from a natural origin.

Firstly, micro-organisms fulfil the natural origin and have shown growth and performance improvement in many scientific and field trials. Secondly, micro-organisms have other advantages besides being natural and having positive effects on growth and performance; they also support the immune response system and therefore can reduce the emergence of diseases in animals.

Another aspect that has worried society recently is the use of antibiotics. By using micro-organisms, there is a reduction of potential diseases, and therefore, less use of antibiotics. It is very important to point out that between micro-organisms, many modes of action are described, and even if they all claim to reduce pathogen bacteria in the gut, which is responsible for many of the diseases, not so many of them can prove exactly which one. In this case, B. Toyoi is one of the most studied micro-organisms and with more studied effects among micro-organisms.

Does the growing interest in organic food products have any effect on your business or are you able to align your products with consumers desire for 'natural' products?

DA. Definitely, the growing interest in organic food has a very positive effect on our business. Our micro-organism B. Toyoi is a natural product and therefore the use of it in organically fed animals means that all the positive effects of the product will be shown without any interference from other side effects that might mask the effect.

Can the use of micro-organisms in animal feed present real ROI for animal producers?

DA. B. Toyoi has demonstrated through many trials, both in-vivo and in-vitro, that the growth and performance parameters are improved, by improvement of nutrient absorption, reduction of IgG, mortality reduction, production of some digestible enzymes etc. In addition, a reduction in the incidence of disease is observed, therefore, medication costs are reduced, and last but not least, studies have shown a better response to vaccination due to the improvement of the immune response.

B. Toyoi is the micro-organism that has been registered in the European Union for the longest time and is also the one that has more registrations in different categories and species. Today, Toyocerin is registered in all main animal production categories: in all swine categories; in poultry for fattening turkey and chicken; in game for fattening rabbits; and in ruminants for fattening cattle.

What are your key areas of focus at the moment? Are there particular health challenges that you are currently devoting your energies towards?

DA. As a producer of a feed additive that will be ingested by an animal that will later be consumed by people, it is our first priority to study if B. Toyoi can reduce the possibility of transferring any zoonotic agent to humans through animal products. In this regard, today we know that B.Toyoi has a positive effect reducing Salmonella, E.Coli and many other pathogen bacteria. Our next step is to study Campylobacter reduction.

In conclusion, probiotics, which are also used in human food, are becoming an important role in animal nutrition and all the positive effects and knowledge about them are investigated today both on the animal and on the human side. It is very encouraging that both industries are heading in the same direction.

Dag Andersen is the General Manager of Rubinum Animal Health. Since 2005 he has been in charge of the international expansion of Toyocerin for the European market and since 2008 for the worldwide market. He is also the Export Manager of Andersen S.A. and is in charge of the international expansion of vet drugs for animal production.