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Seja qual for a região do Brasil, os desafios fazem parte da produção de batata. Clima, preço, solo, ou outros obstáculos estão presentes no dia a dia do agricultor e a atenção ao longo do processo produtivo faz toda a diferença na hora de entregar um tubérculo de qualidade ao mercado e melhorar a rentabilidade. Nesse sentido, a biotecnologia tem auxiliado estes produtores a encontrarem bons resultados no campo.

“A planta se desenvolve melhor, resultando em maior produtividade e melhor calibre de tubérculos”, afirma.

Ele ainda destaca uma sanidade melhor nas plantas, sendo mais resistentes e vigorosas. Além disso, o agricultor acrescenta a padronização das batatas e a pele sempre boa.

Os produtos são usados em 100% da lavoura, que possui 23 alqueires e uma produtividade entre 2.300 e 2.400 sacas por alqueire. O produtor ainda ressalta que com a mercadoria de qualidade, é possível uma rentabilidade melhor, tornando a batata mais valorizada. Os produtos utilizados por Souza, ao longo do manejo da cultura são: Compost-Aid, Soil-Set, Crop-Set, Bulk, Initiate, Liqui-Plex Bonder e CopperCrop.

Produção o ano todo

“A nossa busca pela Alltech Crop Science, nesse tempo de dificuldade, foi justamente para encontrar uma tecnologia de aplicação, em que tivéssemos produtos que pudessem nos ajudar na questão de melhorias do nosso solo”, detalha.

Entre os ganhos, Aguiar cita melhoria na decomposição de material orgânico e maior tolerância a estresses, principalmente hídricos.

Os resultados em produtividade também vieram, conforme relata o agricultor. Foi possível constatar incremento de 30 a 40 sacas de batata por hectare em algumas áreas. “Quando começamos a usar os produtos da Alltech Crop Science, percebemos uma melhora na qualidade da fisiologia da planta. E, assim, você tem uma formação de tubérculos, de um sistema radicular, que consequentemente melhora a colheita, do produto final”, diz. As tecnologias utilizadas pelo produtor no manejo são: Compost-Aid, Soil-Set, Soil-Plex Active e Nem-Out.

Deseja conferir outras reportagens especiais? Preencha o formulário abaixo para fazer download das edições mais recentes da Revista Em Folha

From June 2022, a zinc oxide ban, prohibiting the use of therapeutic doses of zinc oxide (ZnO) in animal feeds to control post-weaning diarrhea in piglets will come into effect in the European Union (EU). What does that mean for pig producers in Europe and beyond? Dr. Jules Taylor-Pickard, director of Alltech Gut Health Management, joins us on Ag Future to discuss what pig producers need to know about the ban, the impacts of ZnO on the environment and solutions that help replace ZnO in piglets' diets.

The following is an edited transcript of the Ag Future podcast episode with Dr. Jules Taylor-Pickard hosted by Tom Martin. Click below to hear the full audio or listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Tom:                        I’m Tom Martin, and in this edition of Ag Future, we’re discussing the use of zinc oxide, (which is) set to be banned by the European Union as a veterinary medicinal product in 2022. Joining us from Dunboyne, Ireland, is Jules Taylor-Pickard, director of Alltech Gut Health Management. Dr. Taylor-Pickard is a nutritionist, obtaining her Ph.D. specializing in piglet gut health, physiology and immunity. In her role at Alltech, she focuses on providing solutions to optimize animal performance and efficiency.

                                 Welcome, Jules.

Dr. Pickard:              Thank you, Tom.

Tom:                        Was zinc oxide seen as a solution after the use of antibiotics was banned in Europe over concerns about increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance?

Dr. Pickard:              Absolutely, yes. So, producers discovered that antibiotics have the ability to promote growth as early as the 1940s. And then, in the decades that followed, producers actually relied quite heavily on antibiotic growth promoters — particularly pre-starter and starter feeds for piglets — to control those pathogenic infections. And so, it’s common practice. And so, various governmental bodies banned the use of antibiotic growth promotors (in) the European Union. That was in 2006.

                                So, that was brought into practice. And they banned the antibiotic growth promoters because of concerns around microbial resistance. And what was interesting, in the European Union — when they banned them in 2006, a lot of producers, they carried on using the antibiotics to what we would call the eleventh hour. So, they used it right off until they were banned, and the stocks have diminished. And all they simply did, really, was move to zinc oxide, then. It would work. It was readily available. So, they didn’t have to deal with as big of a problem as what they are going to have to now, when we look at zinc oxide, because they (won’t) have something that they could just easily switch over to.

Tom:                        Well, why has the use of high levels of zinc oxide in swine nutritional diets increased so dramatically in recent years?

Dr. Pickard:              Quite simply, it works. It helps to decrease the incidents of scouring that we typically see in the post-weaning period, helps to maintain daily liveweight gain (and) reduce susceptibility to disease. It’s relatively inexpensive. It’s readily available. And of course, we’re seeing increasing regulation just around normal antibiotic use — so not just antibiotic growth promotor, which is obviously banned in the European Union.

                                And there’s many beneficial effects of zinc oxide — so, improvements in digestion, immunity. It has antibacterial actions, (is linked to) improvement in intestinal morphology and integrity and enhanced antioxidant capability — all those things that help to get that piglet through that critical post-weaning period.

Tom:                        And now, there is this EU ban, beginning next summer, on the use of high levels of zinc oxide in piglet diets. What’s the problem with zinc oxide in piglet growth and health?

Dr. Pickard:              So, there’s a number of issues. (The) first one will be toxicity. We don’t actually see that too much, but you can get toxic effects of zinc in the pig if it’s fed for too long. Now, typically, they’d feed it for two weeks, which isn’t too bad.

                                 And I should also say, when we’re talking about high levels of zinc oxide, we’re talking about around 2,000, 2,500, 3,000 ppm, whereas the requirement for zinc to the pig is 150 ppm. So, we’re not talking about meeting the nutritional requirements of the piglets for zinc, which will slightly be elevated levels. So, if you fed them for a prolonged period of time, you can get toxicity in the pigs, which we don’t see too much of.

                                But of course, there’s environmental issues, because you’re getting zinc secretion into the manure, which is then applied to the land. There’s also issues with zinc oxide accelerating antibiotic-resistant genes and the spread of antibiotic resistance. And there’s an increase in heavy metal-intolerant genes and the spread of that. And you also get modification of the microbiotic or the microbial population. So, there’s a number of concerns that are genuine around use of zinc oxide.

Tom:                        You just touched on this: There have been recent reports highlighting the environmental impact of zinc oxide. Can you expand on that for us?

Dr. Pickard:              Yeah. Yeah. So, I like to say the main issue is related to the environment because the pig will just — for itself, it will just utilize the zinc that’s required for maintenance and growth, which I’ve said is about 150 ppm. So, anything that it doesn’t use is then excreted into manure. And obviously, we have to get rid of that manure. So, we apply it to the land. And due to the nonvolatile or non-degradable physical, chemical properties of zinc, the long-term continuous application of manure onto crops and land progressively increases the concentration of zinc into the soil, and then you also, obviously, get that into the groundwater.

                                There was an interesting study that was published that looks at zinc levels between the period of 1986 and 2014 from lands that have had the application of slurries and pig farms where they’ve been using zinc oxide. Now, they saw a great soil zinc concentration of 2–5%, which doesn't seem very much, but when you look at the latter period between 1998 and 2014, there was an average increase of over 24%. And obviously, there’s, there’s a risk, as I’ve said, of it getting into the water, affecting aquatic species as well.

                                Now, we do have risk mitigation measures in place, which are implemented, such as manure dilution, ensuring that any manure is spread from a safe distance from surface waters. But the European Medicines Agency concluded that these precautions just simply delay the inevitable, really, which is why we’re seeing the ban next year.

Tom:                        How has zinc oxide turned out to contribute to the spread of antimicrobial resistance?

Dr. Pickard:              So, there’s quite a few studies and reports showing that zinc oxide does contribute to antimicrobial resistance, and that’s because the high levels of zinc oxide can increase the proportion of multi-resistant E. coli in the intestines of pigs, for example. So, a lot of studies have shown that you can get an increase in the persistence and prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus, for example. That’s probably due to the co-localization of zinc and methicillin in resistant genes.

                                And you also get a diffusion of resistant genes amongst E. coli in the intestine of the pig. So, you’re enhancing it in the pig, which is a reservoir, if you will, to enhance that resistance even further. So then, you see more resistance in the feces, in the digesta, and in the colon. And you also have an issue with heavy metal-tolerant E. coli. I mean, a lot of those have been identified, which can further jeopardize the efficacy of zinc oxide. So, there’s quite a few concerns, now, with this whole resistance issue.

Tom:                        Can pharmaceutical-level doses of zinc oxide in the early post-weaning period suppress the growth of beneficial bacteria?

Dr. Pickard:              Yeah. No, again, this is interesting, because the actual mode of action of zinc oxide is really poorly understood. We just know that it works, and it helps get that baby pig through that post-weaning period, but the impact on the intestinal microbiota isn’t that clear-cut. So, there is some data that suggests that in minor or transient modifications to the hindgut bacterial population, whereas other studies get a remarkable effect on those populations — and some do show a suppression of the growth of the beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacilli, showing that you get a reduction.

                                But the modulatory activity of zinc oxide on the commensal microbiota, it’s thought, resembled the activity of growth-promoting antibiotics — so, suppressing the Gram-positive species without actually directly affecting the Gram-negative strains, bringing that effect to lower the bacterial activity, the ATP or the energy concentration in the guts of piglets, which makes more energy available to the host at the cost of losing some beneficial bacteria.

                                 So, although you might be losing some beneficial bacteria, we do ultimately see the improvements in performance in the pig. So, even though you are getting that suppression, the beneficial bacteria is thought to be short-term and transient — another loss of performance.

Tom:                        Will the EU ban on zinc oxide apply to all animal feeds, or is it specific to feeds intended for piglets?

Dr. Pickard:              It’s specific to feeds intended for piglets, because being able to use these high pharmacological levels of zinc oxide is (only done) under veterinary prescription, but what they found is that the veterinary prescriptions are used quite broadly. And that only applies to the pig sector. So, it is purely for the pigs.

Tom:                        Why is it essential to optimize gut structures in microbial populations in piglets?

Dr. Pickard:              So, as you probably know, most weaning piglets are subject to a multitude of stresses over a short period, (and) that contributes to disturbances within the gastrointestinal tract and immune system — but some of those stresses, it could be nutritional. So, you’re changing the diet from cow’s milk to a dry, solid, pelleted diet that they’re not used to. You’re changing their environment, so they’re moving from being in the farrowing house with the sow to nursery accommodation.

                                 (With) that mixing of litter mates, you’ve got health-based issues. So, you’ve lost that passive immunity from the sow that’s found in the milk. They tend to be immunocompromised because of stress and, then, maternal separation, mixing with other pigs. But what you do tend to get is you get a lower feed intake during that immediate post-weaning period. And when you get that low feed intake, you get significant changes in the structure of the villi in the gastrointestinal tract.

                                So, many of you have seen the structure of a good gut. The villi — the nice, tall, finger-like villi — they have quite a thin wall over which to absorb nutrients. The nutrient digestion and absorption is quite efficient. But when they don’t eat and they don’t have the nutrients, these nice, tall, finger-like villi change to fat, thick, thumb-like villi. So, the surface area through which to absorb nutrients is reduced. And because they’re thicker, the efficiency of that nutrient absorption and digestion is reduced. So, in effect, you have a multiplying effect. They’re not eating enough, but then that efficiency of nutrient digestion and absorption is reduced. So, that gives you your poor growth performance. And that’s when we also see this increased susceptibility or incidence to post-weaning diarrhea.

                                 Anything that we can do to optimize gut health in those early days is really critical to the whole functionality of that young piglet and will have an impact on (its) subsequent health performance. A recent study actually said that producers experiencing an issue with post-weaning diarrhea, which is normally due to enterotoxigenic E. coli, costs about $680 per year. And in the present time, that’s money that our producers can’t afford to lose.

Tom:                        Do piglets have very specific needs to establish good gut health and functions and to limit disease?

Dr. Pickard:              Early-life nutrition is critical. The only thing I would add is that 70% of the new system tissues are found in the gastrointestinal tract. So, I think that helps put it into context as to how important gut health is, because, obviously, if 70% of the new system cells are based in the gut, if it’s not going to work properly, then you are going to see increased disease and mortality, comorbidities, things like that.

Tom:                        In a swine market without zinc oxide, what are some nutritional approaches that could be used to potentially reduce the incidences of post-weaning diarrhea?

Dr. Pickard:              So, there’s a number of things that you can look at. There’s obviously nutrition management and health. But if we just focus on nutrition, we can adjust the diet composition. So, for example, we’re looking at feeding lower crude protein levels. And the aim of that is to reduce the amount of undigested protein reaching the large intestine, so that reduces the incidence of post-weaning diarrhea and improves intestinal health.

                                We can increase the dietary fiber level post-weaning. That helps to reduce shedding. It also affects the retention time of digesta along the gastrointestinal tract. You can use things like organic acid, acid secretion in the gut of the piglet. It takes time to adapt to those dry-pellet diets; those can add acid. It helps to promote good gastrointestinal conditions and healthy digestion and helps to reduce post-weaning diarrhea.

Tom:                        Well, Dr. Taylor-Pickard, what is your recommended nutritional approach for these early nursery diets?

Dr. Pickard:              I think it’s important to be able to understand that there isn’t a silver bullet to removing zinc oxide from diets. We’ve done a lot of work in this area. You have to take a holistic approach. I would always start with the sow. And if we can clean the sow up — and when I say that, I mean, for example, we’ve been feeding some of our technologies to the sows so that we can reduce the pathogen load in sows. So that, in turn, reduces the maternal transfer of pathogens to that baby pig both in utero and at birth. And that also influences the microbiome or the microflora of that baby pig at birth. So, as soon as it’s born, it’s got the favorable microorganisms that we want, and you’ve got a better gut microflora.

                                 We also see things like increased colostrum quantity, increased colostrum quality — so, a higher level of immunoglobulin, so you’re getting back the passive transfer of immunity to that baby pig. So, we typically see less infections, less piglet mortality, high weaning rates. Look at the creep feeding. Make sure that — we’re trying to get at least 200 g of creep feeding to that baby pig while he’s still suckling the sow, because that also aids the transition to those solid diets, because he’s used to eating solid diets. And that, further, helps to get that higher-weight weaning. So, when the piglets are older or heavier at weaning, it makes that whole post-weaning transition process a lot easier.

                                Typically, a lot of our producers forget about water. So, we do spend time looking at water quality (and) water flow rate to make sure that they drink — because if piglets drink, they will then eat. So, that helps to get the pigs eating. A lot of the problem with the post-weaning growth check starts (with the fact) that the pigs don’t eat. So, if we can get them to eat, it does have a huge impact.

                                You need to look at things like vaccination program, biosecurity and hygiene, and look at any stress factors in the environment. So, obviously, it really is a holistic approach. You have to look at everything. And the earlier you can start it — so, I would say, if you start with the sow, the better chances you have of getting that piglet through that post-weaning growth-check period.

Tom:                        What about insoluble fibers such as oat and soybean hulls, wheat bran (or) wheat middlings?

Dr. Pickard:              Yeah. There’s a lot of emphasis on fiber at the moment. So, we know that dietary fiber can improve gut health. It promotes bacterial community and increases hindgut fermentation. If we increase hindgut fermentation, we can prevent diarrhea or disease. So, if we look specifically at the insoluble fiber sources that you just mentioned, these are relatively resistant to fermentation in the hindgut. They accelerate the passage rate of the digesta. So, that prevents the proliferation and colonization of pathogens. So, yes, there’s a huge role for insoluble fiber sources in post-weaning diets to help us to reduce the incidence of post-weaning diarrhea.

Tom:                        How do you think this ban on zinc oxide will affect pig-producing countries outside of the EU? For example, do you anticipate future regulatory restrictions on the use of zinc oxide in the U.S.?

Dr. Pickard:              Absolutely. If we look at some of the things that are already happening — with Canada, for example. Until recently, they’ve typically included zinc oxide at between 2,500 to 5,000 ppm, but Canada is now in the process of imposing similar restrictions to that of the EU. And they will lower their levels, we’re thinking, to around 350 ppm. China actually reduced their levels in 2018. They were using around 2,200 ppm, and they dropped it to 1,600. So, not quite at the levels that we’re at; they’re still quite high. But I know that they’re looking to Europe again, with a view to reduce them even more.

                                For the United States and for some Asian countries, it's definitely not a case of “if”; it’s a case of “when”. And it’s very clear that they’re watching Europe to see what happens. So, it will definitely come into play. As I say, it’s just a case of “when” — and not knowing.

Tom:                        Alltech has a Seed, Feed, Weed solution that can help remove zinc oxide from piglet diets. Tell us about that approach.

Dr. Pickard:              So, as we talked about, a healthy gut is really important, with a good microbial population that allows us to maximize the health and lifetime performance of pigs and, obviously, to help our producers to profit still. Therefore, that’s why we look at nutritional strategies that can promote gut health. And that’s one of the things that’s our core competency on the monogastric side.

                                 So, the Seed, Feed, Weed concept is one of our gut health programs, and it’s designed to modify the gut microbial population. So, we’re looking at establishing a more diverse and favorable microbial population as quickly as possible after this. So, we work with pig producers to implement the Seed, Feed, Weed program. And it’s basically got three components. The first one is “seeding” the guts with favorable organisms to give us good performance. We then “feed” those favorable organisms, which helps to further create a favorable environment, which provides a competitive advantage to those favorable organisms that’s tolerant to acidic environments, unlike pathogens. So, yes, we’ve taken the balance toward the good guys, the favorable bacteria. And then, finally, using Actigen, we “weed” out the unfavorable bacteria by selective exclusion.

                                 So, (we) incorporate natural feed materials — for example, Actigen — that are proven to maintain a healthy gut for the normalizing of gut microflora in both sows and piglets. And as I mentioned earlier, (the) maternal gut health of the sow is intrinsically linked to that of the offspring, which, again, is why our goal is start with the sow. So, it’s all about getting the piglets off to the best possible start, but Seed, Feed, Weed is just that: It’s seeding the gut with favorable organisms, it’s feeding those favorable organisms, and it’s weeding out the unfavorable or the bad organisms.

Tom:                        All right. We've been talking with Jules Taylor-Pickard, director of Alltech Gut Health Management. We thank you for joining us.

Dr. Pickard:              Thank you, Tom. And thank you for having me.

Tom:                        And for Ag Future, I'm Tom Martin. Thanks for listening.

                                This has been Ag Future, presented by Alltech. Thank you                                     for joining us. Be sure to subscribe to Ag Future wherever                                   you listen to podcasts.

Cães e gatos senis exigem maior atenção dos tutores para manutenção da qualidade de vida

Conforme os pets realizam a transição da fase adulta para a idosa, eles passam a apresentar diminuição na sua imunidade. Dessa forma, ficam mais suscetíveis a doenças, podendo ter problemas como queda de pelo, dermatite, neoplasia, vômitos, diarreia, entre outros. Por isso, a atenção do tutor neste momento é fundamental para que os animais tenham segurança imunológica, além de bem-estar e qualidade de vida. 

De acordo com o médico veterinário Rafael França, gerente Técnico de Vendas na área de Pet Food da Alltech, existem quatro pontos-chave para a melhoria da imunidade. Um deles é o aporte nutricional mais intenso e cuidados na alimentação. “A escolha certa da ração é essencial. Existe a ideal para cada fase do pet. No caso dos animais idosos, é preciso ter atenção aos nutrientes e aditivos naturais que auxiliam na manutenção da imunidade”, afirma.

Entre os ingredientes que devem compor a ração nesta fase de vida dos pets, França destaca o DHA, que consiste em um ômega-3 fundamental para a parte imunológica e função cerebral. Além do DHA, o uso de prebióticos como o MOS também é recomendado. Ele melhora a saúde intestinal colaborando com maior absorção de nutrientes, fezes consistentes e redução do risco de diarreias. Além disso, a vitamina E e o selênio orgânico, que ajudam a combater os radicais livres, o que resulta em menor queda de imunidade. O especialista ainda orienta o uso de leveduras, pois auxiliam no desenvolvimento de tecidos. 

“Em rações de linhas premium e super premium, por exemplo, você consegue oferecer ao pet uma alimentação com altos níveis nutricionais, com ingredientes e aditivos funcionais. Aqui também reforço a importância do uso de minerais na forma orgânica na formulação destes produtos, pois esses elementos são biodisponíveis, ou seja, facilitam a absorção e o aproveitamento por parte do animal”, explica o médico veterinário.

Outros pontos de atenção

Para fechar os quatro pontos essenciais para a manutenção da imunidade, França recomenda a realização de atividades físicas pelos pets, além da vacinação e a vermifugação em dia, para manter as defesas do animal prontas para ataques de vírus ou bactérias, além do enriquecimento ambiental, que consiste em colocar brinquedos interativos à disposição dos cães e gatos, estimulando a inteligência dos mesmos. Segundo o especialista, estes aspectos, trabalhados em conjunto, são fundamentais para a melhora da imunidade. 

Orgânicos e biodisponíveis

Para auxiliar o mercado na formulação de rações com alta nutrição, a Alltech conta em seu portfólio com diversas soluções naturais. Nesse caso, Rafael França indica o uso do Bioplex Zinco, mineral orgânico que é cofator de enzimas importantes que auxiliam o sistema imune, além do Sel-Plex, que contém selênio na forma orgânica de selênio-levedura, eficaz no auxílio da defesa celular e que pode colaborar na imunidade do animal. 

Sobre a Alltech:

Fundada em 1980 pelo empresário e cientista irlandês Dr. Pearse Lyons, a Alltech oferece tecnologias inteligentes e sustentáveis para o agronegócio. Nossas soluções melhoram a saúde e a nutrição de plantas e animais, oferecendo como resultado produtos mais nutritivos para as pessoas, assim como um menor impacto ao meio ambiente.

Líder global na indústria de saúde animal, produzimos aditivos de leveduras, minerais orgânicos e ingredientes para a alimentação animal. Com o respaldo de mais de 40 anos de pesquisa científica, levamos adiante um legado de inovação e uma cultura única que enxerga desafios por meio de lentes empreendedoras.

Os mais de 5.000 talentosos membros de nossa equipe compartilham da visão Planet of Plenty™ (“Planeta de Abundância”). Nós acreditamos que o agronegócio tem grande potencial de construir o futuro de nosso planeta, com um trabalho conjunto de todos, guiados pela ciência, tecnologia e o desejo compartilhado de fazer a diferença.

A Alltech é uma empresa de propriedade privada e familiar, o que permite nos adaptarmos rapidamente às necessidades de nossos clientes e nos concentrarmos em avançadas inovações. A empresa tem uma forte presença em todos os continentes, com sua matriz nos arredores de Lexington, Kentucky, Estados Unidos. Para mais informações visite www.alltech.com.br.
 

Aquaculture, in contrast with capture fisheries, has remained stable over the last few decades. The industry continues to grow and contribute to the increasing food supply for human consumption, reaching worldwide production of 80 million metric tons (Mt) in 2016. To sustain its growth, the aquaculture industry is highly dependent on commercial feed sources. The inclusion rate of traditionally used finite and expensive marine protein and fat sources from wild-caught fish (i.e., fishmeal and fish oil) in the diets of farm-raised fish species will continue to decline, and the industry has already shifted to crop-based raw materials to meet the rising demand for aquafeeds.

Fish require several carefully chosen raw materials to provide them with a healthy diet, but fish-based proteins are not essential. The industry has recognized this, and there are now many fish feeds with 0% fish-based protein ingredients and an industry average (FIFO Factor). Plant-based feed ingredients increasingly replace marine-based components, and therefore, an enhanced level of understanding of the nutritional quality of raw materials derived from plant sources is becoming increasingly crucial for aquafeeds. Moreover, the higher inclusion of less-expensive plant sources may introduce a series of anti-nutritional factors (e.g., protease inhibitors, phytates, saponins, glucosinolates, tannins, non-starch polysaccharides) and/or increase the occurrence of mycotoxins in fish feed; factors that may affect the quality and safety of aquafeeds.

Mycotoxins in aquaculture feed

Mycotoxins are fungi that can grow on crops during growth, harvest, processing or storage. The development of these fungi is climate-dependent and most commonly seen in tropical regions. In these climates, the fungi produce chemical compounds known as mycotoxins and can have a greater impact on animal health.

Fish farming is a diverse industry, and each aquaculture species will have different sensitivities to the impacts of mycotoxins. These can cause a reduction in performance — reduced growth and increased feed conversion ratio (FCR) — and increased disease susceptibility and mortality rates. As these issues can be attributed to other concerns, the risk can often be overlooked and underestimated in aquaculture.

Mycotoxins are mainly detected in plant-based feedstuffs, readily present in corn, wheat and soybean meal. Increasingly, the occurrence of mycotoxins has been reported in aquafeeds. There are over 50 different types of mycotoxins, but the most commonly known and most prevalent is deoxynivalenol (DON).

Effects of deoxynivalenol on the health and growth of farmed fish species

Accumulation of DON in fish can be harmful and impact their performance. In terms of occurrence and toxicity, DON has been characterized as the most high-risk mycotoxin in aquafeeds. Its effects include:

1. Ribotoxic stress response: DON binds to ribosomes, inducing a “ribotoxic stress response” that activates mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs).

2. Oxidative stress: DON causes oxidative stress in cells by damaging mitochondria function, either through the excessive release of free radicals — including reactive oxygen species (ROS), which induce lipid peroxidation — or by decreasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes.

3. Impacting epithelial cells in the digestive tract: Predominantly, rapidly proliferating cells with a high protein turnover, such as immune cells, hepatocytes and epithelial cells of the digestive tract, are affected by DON.

4. Reduced growth rate: In Atlantic salmon diets, 3.7 mg/kg of DON resulted in a 20% reduction in feed intake, an 18% increase in FCR and a 31% reduction in specific growth rate. In white shrimp, DON levels of 0.5 and 1.0 ppm in the diet significantly reduced body weight and growth rate, while FCR and survival were not affected.

5. Decreased immune system response: Mycotoxins impair optimum animal performance by affecting intestinal, organ and immune systems. These, in turn, negatively impact overall performance and profitability.

6. Reduced feed intake: A study conducted by Woodward et al. (1983) showed that rainbow trout had a sharp taste acuity for DON. Their feed intake declined as the concentration of DON increased from 1–13 ppm of the diet, resulting in reduced growth and feed efficiency

The impacts will vary on many factors, including the quantity, feeding level, duration of exposure and aquatic species. A recent meta-analysis completed by Koletsi et al. (2021) highlights the risk of DON on feed intake and growth performance. In parallel, data was collected to quantify the risk of exposure in fish. The extent to which DON affects feed intake and growth performance was evaluated by employing a meta-analytical approach.

Having completed a full meta-analysis of the current research and trial data available for the aquaculture species, Koletsi et al. concluded that the current recommendation for the limit of DON in fish diets is too high and needs to be reviewed in order to protect the welfare of fish and maintain an economic advantage.

Preventing mycotoxins in aquaculture

Maintaining a good management system will help to control the mycotoxin risk. However, some mycotoxins remain stable, even after high-temperature extrusion processing. For this reason, additional steps should be taken to mitigate the risk. Alltech mycotoxin management tools, such as Alltech 37+® and Alltech® RAPIREAD, help farmers and feed producers identify their total mycotoxin risk (REQ). Evaluating risks associated with mycotoxins on animal performance and financial losses can be more rapid than ever before. Additionally, to further manage mycotoxin risk and understand what you can do for your business, you can visit knowmycotoxins.com.

References available on request.

I want to learn more about aquaculture nutrition.

In the dairy industry, successfully implementing solutions that “kill two birds with one stone” requires innovation and usable data. Finding ways to reduce the carbon footprint on dairy cattle operations while also maintaining high milk production is just that kind of situation.

It is important to understand that dairy production is on a continuous path of growth. Some insightful data provided by the IFCN shows that global milk production is projected to increase by 35% between 2017 and 2030. This level of growth is promising for the industry but will also present many challenges and raise questions about our ability to provide more with fewer resources while adopting practices that are environmentally sound. To top everything off, all of this must be achieved while also continuing to increase transparency for consumers about how their milk is produced.

The main question is: Can we reduce the carbon footprint of milk while also improving our production and profitability?

Greenhouse gases have been a trending topic among consumers for several years, and this topic is now resonating more with dairy farmers across the world, as new regulations and initiatives are being presented. To achieve reduced emissions, we must look at ways to optimize production — including via nutritional solutions, which will play a very big role as we go forward.

Dairy producers can utilize nutritional solutions as tools for reducing methane emissions from dairy cows, but technologies that offer environmental benefits cannot compromise on animal performance, as doing so would mean requiring more animals to meet the growing demand for food. However, before looking to implement any of these solutions, dairy producers will need to measure their carbon footprint.

TOOL ONE: Alltech E-CO₂

To successfully reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, we must first know where these emissions come from. Analytical services, such as Alltech E-CO₂, identify and quantify these hotspots through accredited environmental assessments. Over the past 10 years and more than 10,000 assessments, Alltech E-CO₂ has found that the two largest sources of emissions on dairy farms are enteric emissions (i.e., methane from the rumen) and feed use. Together, these two sources contribute more than 60% of all emissions on dairy operations. These sources relate to rumen health and an animal’s ability to best maximize the feed it is being fed. By ensuring the production of a healthy and productive cow, we are helping operations improve their production efficiency while also enabling energy to be utilized for milk production and regular body maintenance, rather than being wasted by fighting health challenges. This type of information is critical for identifying targeted solutions that will enhance our methane mitigation strategies.

To successfully reduce a farm’s carbon footprint, we must look beyond one gas in one area and consider the balance of emissions across the entire farm. A lifecycle observation is one way of doing that, and it’s all about identifying opportunities to reduce waste and improve farm efficiency, which will translate to more money for the producer.

Learn more about Alltech E-CO₂ here.

Read on to learn more about two nutritional solutions that work to target the areas where there is room for improvement, as identified by Alltech E-CO₂.

TOOL TWO: Optigen^®

Optigen is a feed ingredient backed by years of robust research data that works to support production efficiency and sustainability. Optigen, a concentrated source of non-protein nitrogen, releases nitrogen into the rumen in a slow-release form. This provides a sustained release of ammonia in the rumen in sync with fermented carbohydrate digestion, thus allowing for efficient microbial protein synthesis in the rumen.  

In order to gather clear evidence that shows how we can use feed strategies to reduce our carbon footprint, the FAO developed a standard guideline for the environmental performance of feed additives in the livestock supply chain. These standards recommend the use of data from meta-analyses and life cycle analyses. Meta-analyses make it possible to combine data from years of multiple studies to arrive at an evidence-based conclusion by using comprehensive statistical procedures. Life-cycle analyses allow us to quantify the greenhouse gas emissions along the entire supply chain or in the production cycle of a particular product. Combining these two approaches demonstrates how feeding technologies can contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and/or better sustainability credentials.

Included here is an example of a meta-analysis of Optigen. The data from this meta-analysis indicate that, over the course of around two decades, research has shown that using Optigen is associated with a 23% reduction, on average, of plant protein sources in the diet. Soybean meal, specifically, can be reduced by about 21%, and an increase in feed efficiency of around 3% has also been documented. Additionally, diets that include Optigen and use reduced amounts of plant protein sources have been shown to improve nitrogen utilization efficiency by 4%, leading to a 14% reduction in the total carbon footprint of the diets of animals used in milk production.

 Read the full meta-analysis here.

TOOL 3: Yea-Sacc^®

There are some products on the market — like yeast cultures — that can help improve production efficiency while also reducing the carbon footprint of an operation. Yea-Sacc is a yeast culture based on the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain of yeast. Yea-Sacc modifies rumen activity by supporting a consistent improvement in the growth and activity of lactic acid-utilizing bacteria, which helps stabilize the rumen pH. At the same time, it also works to improve the digestion and utilization of nutrients. Thanks to these types of improvements, cows can absorb more nutrients for higher milk production.

Utilizing a meta-analysis approach once again, a collection of 31 studies has shown that feeding Yea-Sacc to dairy cows can lead to an increased milk yield of 1 kg/head/day, on average, and can reduce the carbon footprint and nitrogen emission intensity by around 3% and 5.4%, respectively. These numbers demonstrate that it is possible for milk production efficiency to increase and for the carbon footprint and nitrogen excretion intensity to decrease simultaneously.

Explore the additional benefits of Yea-Sacc here.

At the beginning of this blog, we posed a question: Can we reduce the carbon footprint of milk while also improving our production and profitability? With proven tools like the ones outlined here, the answer to that question is yes: It is possible to reduce the carbon footprint of dairy production and to improve our economic returns and performance at the same time. Based on the data compiled in various meta-analyses, it is clear that there are feeding solutions on the market that farmers can use to reduce their emissions and increase their productivity and profitability in conjunction with nutritional strategies that will help improve production efficiency in dairy systems.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my dairy.

Antibiotic-free poultry production has been a hot topic in recent years. Many countries have banned the use of antibiotics in animal feed as growth promoters due to concerns about antimicrobial resistance. In other countries, antibiotics that are medically important for humans have been voluntarily or regulated to be removed or significantly reduced in poultry production. There are also places where veterinarians prescribe antibiotics, and sick poultry can still be treated if a veterinarian deems it necessary.

With the reduced use of antibiotics in poultry production, many countries have decided to allow the use of chemical and ionophore anticoccidials to help offset some of the common challenges that arise in poultry production. Chemical and ionophore anticoccidials help manage a common and costly parasitic disease in poultry, coccidiosis.

Some restaurants and retailers have chosen to only use antibiotic-free poultry (e.g., “raised without antibiotics,” “no antibiotics ever,” etc.), in which no antibiotics can be used during poultry production.

Whether antibiotics are reduced or eliminated in poultry production, producers who manage poultry in these systems share the major goals of:

1. Ensuring good intestinal health in poultry to optimize growth performance as well as prevent poultry diseases, such as necrotic enteritis and coccidia.

2. Producing safe, healthy food for the growing global population.

How are antibiotics used in global poultry production?

The three main programs regarding antibiotic use in global poultry production are:

1. “No antibiotics ever” or “raised without antibiotics”: Poultry that has never been fed any antibiotics (including ionophore anticoccidials). Products from these systems are clearly labeled to differentiate them from other production systems.

2. Reduced antibiotic use: Allows antibiotics not used in human medicine (e.g., chemical and ionophore anticoccidials), excluding medically important antibiotics. This type of production may label the meat in some countries, while it may be the standard production system in others. 

3. Antibiotics used as growth promoters (AGP): Some countries still use antibiotics at lower levels with the intent to support poultry growth. However, if producers from these countries are exporting to markets with reduced antibiotic use/“no antibiotics ever” production policies, then they must meet those specific criteria.

Why is antibiotic-free poultry production becoming increasingly popular?

Consumer concerns about antibiotic resistance:

Decades after the invention of penicillin by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928, antimicrobials came into wide use in the global poultry industry in the 1940s to treat parasitic diseases and specific bacterial infections, as well as to improve growth and efficiency.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, but misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals accelerates the process.

Antimicrobial resistance can impact both animals as well as humans. Antimicrobial resistance (to anticoccidials and antibiotics) can be found in the poultry flock and create issues when managing or treating an illness within the flock. There is still a debate as to whether antibiotic resistance in agriculture or companion animals strongly influences antibiotic resistance in humans. 

There is an acknowledgment that human medicine is the primary driver of antibiotic-resistant infections in humans. However, “no antibiotics ever” poultry production in many developed countries has become increasingly popular due to a consumer perception that antibiotic-free produced poultry is superior to conventionally raised poultry, even if that poultry is raised with reduced antibiotic use.

Recent regulations to ensure human safety:

From a regulatory standpoint, many countries across the globe have introduced policies regarding AGP due to antimicrobial resistance concerns.

Some countries brought in overall regulatory change for all poultry production practices; several have made some regulatory changes, while in other countries, the industry voluntarily made changes. Some retailers and restaurant chains around the globe have chosen to produce or purchase poultry meat raised with reduced or no use of antibiotics. Overall, these examples show that the poultry industry continues to do what is needed to meet consumer demands. 

What are common challenges of antibiotic-reduced or antibiotic-free poultry production?

Common challenges that poultry producers face when switching to antibiotic-free are poor gut health, reduced bird immunity and a decrease in growth performance.

1. Gut health

One of the producers’ top concerns about not using AGP is leaving the birds more susceptible to gut health issues. A healthy gut is more than just the absence of clinical diseases; it is about sustainably producing birds to reach their full genetic potential.

Below is an infographic of a healthy gut that efficiently absorbs nutrients (top image) compared to an unhealthy gut (bottom two images).

2. Poultry immunity and growth performance

Another challenge when considering switching from traditional to antibiotic-free poultry production is poultry diseases, especially enteric diseases such as coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis (NE), caused by species of Eimeria and Clostridium perfringens, respectively. Consideration must also go to viral challenges, which may lead to secondary bacterial issues that take advantage of the weakened immune system. 

In addition to disease, overall poultry health, growth and immune function can be negatively impacted by other stressors, such as feed, water, environmental and behavioral. These stressors, if significant, can themselves create issues. But problems can also develop if there are many small stressors, especially if these are combined with a low, moderate, or high disease challenge.

Depending on the challenge levels, the bird’s natural immunity will not be enough to manage the threat. Because of this, it is always better to work on a preventative rather than reactive basis. Prevention must be a holistic approach that considers feed, water, environment and bird management, as well as an implementable feed additive program. Typically, in antibiotic-reduced or antibiotic-free poultry production programs, a combination of non-antibiotic additives are included in the feed or water as alternatives to antibiotics.

Examples of alternatives to antibiotics: non-antibiotic feed additives

• Probiotics (“direct-fed microbials,” “viable microbial products”): Live microbial supplements with defined microorganisms that beneficially affect the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance.  
• Enzymes: Substances produced by a living organism that help convert a less digestible component of feed (e.g., sugar, fiber, protein) into a more easily absorbed form for animals to utilize.
• Prebiotics: “A selectively fermented ingredient that results in specific changes in the composition and/or activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, thus conferring benefit(s) upon host health” (ISAPP, 2008). 
• Yeasts: There are 1,500 different yeast species, with a few being used as agriculture feed additives. Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be used in many different forms, including a whole live yeast, the outer yeast cell wall, the inner yeast cell wall and the yeast extract.
• Mannan Rich Fraction (MRF): A second-generation form derived from nutrigenomics analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannan oligosaccharides. Research has demonstrated that MRF can support immune defense, gut microbial health, gut function and development.
• Organic acids: Acids with weak acidic properties that do not separate completely in the presence of water. Some examples of organic acids are citric acid, short-chain fatty acids (e.g., acetic, butyric acid) and medium-chain fatty acids (e.g., lauric, caproic acid). Each type of organic acid has unique properties and can be used for different purposes in poultry production.
• Inorganic acids: Mineral acids that contain no carbon atoms and break down completely in the presence of water (e.g., phosphoric acid). Often used to make the pH of water or feed more acidic quickly.
• Phytobiotics: Plant compounds and extracts from herbs and spices with multiple benefits, including antimicrobial, anticoccidial and immune support.
• Postbiotics: Soluble, non-viable metabolites produced by a bacterial or probiotic metabolic process that can reduce the gut pH, prohibit opportunistic pathogen proliferation and enhance host health (Aguilar-Toalá et al., 2018).

How can producers address the challenges of antibiotic-reduced or antibiotic-free poultry production?

Reducing antibiotic use with the Seed, Feed, Weed concept

Imagine sowing seeds of crops you want to grow, fertilizing the crops for optimal growth and weeding out other plants that may prevent your crop from growing optimally.

Applying this concept to poultry, the Alltech Seed, Feed, Weed (SFW) program aids in reducing antibiotic usage by:

• Seeding the gut with favorable organisms for improved performance in young poultry. It is crucial to first seed the intestine with the correct bacteria as soon as possible after hatch.
• Feeding a favorable environment to provide a competitive advantage to favorable bacteria, which are tolerant to acidic environments, unlike most pathogens. Once a beneficial microflora community and intestinal ecology are established, the villi will flourish. The healthier the villi a bird has, the more efficiently nutrients are absorbed, which leads to a better feed conversion rate.
• Weeding out unfavorable bacteria by selective exclusion. The gut can also contain harmful pathogenic microbes, which can damage the villi. It is necessary to weed them out before they can attach to the gut lining and replicate enough to cause disease. 

While antibiotics still have a crucial role in disease outbreak incidences, effective gut health management using the SFW program has been shown to reduce the need for antibiotic use in many commercial flocks, as well as enhance performance across several measures. Ultimately, the SFW program helps ensure poultry producers achieve more efficient, profitable and sustainable production.

As some producers have demonstrated, focusing on gut health is the foundation for performance and profitability in poultry production.

Paired with effective biosecurity, bird, water and farm management, the Alltech SFW solution helps producers get one step further on the path of improved performance and reduced antibiotic use.

References are available upon request.

I want to learn more about poultry nutrition.

La apertura de la oficina de Alltech en Costa Rica, en 2001, supuso el inicio de la consolidación de la compañía en el sector de los agronegocios de Centroamérica y el Caribe.

[San José, Costa Rica] – Con el objetivo de atender directamente las necesidades del sector agropecuario local, Alltech inauguró en 2001, en la ciudad de San José, su primera oficina en Costa Rica. A partir de entonces, la compañía reforzó su presencia en el país –y en Centroamérica y el Caribe– a través de innovadoras soluciones nutricionales para la producción animal, cuya eficacia ha sido comprobada en todo el mundo.

La ciencia y la innovación son las principales características de Alltech, y 2 tecnologías a base de levadura fueron clave para su incursión en el mercado costarricense: Bio-Mos® (una solución formulada para apoyar la integridad intestinal) y Mycosorb® (secuestrante de micotoxinas que cuenta con el respaldo de más de 100 investigaciones). A partir de la efectividad de estos 2 productos, la presencia de Alltech en Costa Rica ha trascendido con la apertura de otras 4 oficinas en la zona: en Guatemala, El Salvador, Panamá y República Dominicana. Paralelamente, la empresa ha ampliado su portafolio comercial tanto para la industria pecuaria, como para la de los cultivos.

“Centroamérica y el Caribe son una de las regiones con mayor proyección en los agronegocios; y nuestras oficinas cuentan con equipos de profesionales capacitados para atenderla”, señaló Cristian Salazar (Gerente General de Alltech para Centroamérica y el Caribe). “Nuestro compromiso es hacer más competitivo y sostenible el sector agropecuario costarricense y centroamericano; a través de soluciones nutricionales rentables, la transferencia de conocimientos, mejores prácticas de manejo, y alianzas con productores y empresas”.

Uno de los ejemplos de cooperación más relevantes es el que se realizó con rumiantes a través de Sel-Plex®, levadura de selenio orgánico –primera en su tipo en ser revisada por la FDA y aprobada por la Unión Europea–, que apoyó los índices de fertilidad de una de las cooperativas más grandes del país. Asimismo, la inclusión de Sel-Plex® en las dietas de ponedoras de una importante avícola, permite ofrecer huevos enriquecidos con selenio a un gran número de costarricenses.

A lo largo de estos 20 años, Alltech ha promovido también el conocimiento a través de iniciativas educativas. Costa Rica ha destacado en la competición Alltech Young Scientist –uno de los concursos a nivel universitario más importantes del mundo en el área de las agrociencias–. Estudiantes de la Universidad de Costa Rica y de la Universidad EARTH obtuvieron el primer lugar a nivel de América Latina en los años 2013, 2015 y 2018.

En el sector de cultivos, Alltech lideró en 2015 un proyecto para reducir el uso de fungicidas químicos en el manejo de la Sigatoka negra, enfermedad que afecta el cultivo de banano en Costa Rica y América Latina; y que representa hasta el 27% de los costos de producción. Así, Alltech, la Universidad EARTH y la Corporación Bananera Nacional iniciaron el control biológico de esta enfermedad con microorganismos o compuestos derivados de estos. Para 2017, las tecnologías de Alltech Crop Science redujeron en un 25% el uso de pesticidas químicos y se descubrió una forma exitosa para controlar la enfermedad.

“Comprobamos que podemos tener un impacto positivo sobre los cultivos y producir de manera sostenible y rentable”, remarcó el Dr. Kyle McKinney (líder del proyecto Sigatoka negra en Costa Rica). “Esta iniciativa representa el compromiso con la sostenibilidad y la responsabilidad social de Alltech con las localidades en las que opera, con los productores y, sobre todo, con los consumidores”.

En estos 20 años de operaciones en Costa Rica se ha llevado adelante de distintas maneras el legado del Dr. Pearse Lyons, fundador de la compañía –como optimizar la salud y el desempeño de las plantas y los animales; para beneficiar finalmente la nutrición humana–. Esto se ha logrado siguiendo, además, el reciente compromiso de Alltech: construir un Planeta de Abundancia™, un mundo con más alimentos nutritivos para todos; disminuyendo el impacto ambiental de la industria.

Hoy con el respaldo de un equipo de 20 profesionales de primer nivel, que cubren la región de Centroamérica y el Caribe –compuesta por 7 países–, Alltech busca reforzar su apoyo al productor local y a la industria, en general, para que continúen creciendo a través de la ciencia y la innovación.

Kanatlı üretiminde antibiyotik kullanımının azalmasıyla birlikte birçok ülke, kanatlı üretiminde ortaya çıkan bazı ortak zorlukların dengelenmesine yardımcı olmak için kimyasal ve iyonofor antikoksidiyallerin kullanımına izin vermeye karar verdi. Kimyasal ve iyonofor antikoksidiyaller, kümes hayvanlarında yaygın ve maliyetli bir paraziter hastalık olan koksidiyozun yönetilmesine yardımcı olur.

Bazı restoranlar ve perakendeciler, kümes hayvanı üretimi sırasında antibiyotik kullanılamayan yalnızca antibiyotik içermeyen kümes hayvanları (örneğin, "antibiyotiksiz yetiştirilmiş", "hiç antibiyotik yok" vb.) kullanmayı seçmiştir.

Kanatlı üretiminde antibiyotikler azaltılsa da veya ortadan kaldırılsa da, bu sistemlerde kanatlı hayvanlarını yöneten üreticiler şu ana hedefleri paylaşır:

1. Büyüme performansını optimize etmek ve nekrotik enterit ve koksidia gibi kanatlı hastalıklarını önlemek için kümes hayvanlarında iyi bağırsak sağlığının sağlanması.

2. Artan küresel nüfus için güvenli, sağlıklı gıda üretmek.

Küresel kanatlı üretiminde antibiyotikler nasıl kullanılıyor?

Küresel kanatlı üretiminde antibiyotik kullanımına ilişkin üç ana program şunlardır:

1. “Hiç antibiyotik yok” veya “antibiyotiksiz yetiştirildi”:Hiç antibiyotik verilmemiş kümes hayvanlarıdır (iyonofor antikoksidiyaller dahil). Bu sistemlerden elde edilen ürünler, diğer üretim sistemlerinden ayırt edilmeleri için açık bir şekilde etiketlenmiştir.

2. Azaltılmış antibiyotik kullanımı:Tıbbi açıdan önemli antibiyotikler hariç, insan tıbbında kullanılmayan antibiyotiklere (örneğin, kimyasal ve iyonofor antikoksidiyaller) izin verir. Bu üretim şeklinde bazı ülkelerde et etiketlenebilirken, bazılarında standart üretim sistemi olabilir.

3. Büyüme destekleyici (AGP) olarak kullanılan antibiyotikler:Bazı ülkeler, kümes hayvanlarının büyümesini desteklemek amacıyla hala daha düşük seviyelerde antibiyotik kullanıyor. Ancak bu ülkelerden üreticiler, antibiyotik kullanımı azaltılmış/“hiç antibiyotik yok” üretim politikaları olan pazarlara ihracat yapıyorsa, o zaman bu spesifik kriterleri karşılamaları gerekir.

Antibiyotiksiz kanatlı üretimi neden giderek daha popüler hale geliyor?

Tüketicilerin antibiyotik direnciyle ilgili endişeleri:

1928'de Sir Alexander Fleming tarafından penisilinin icadından on yıllar sonra, antimikrobiyaller 1940'larda küresel kümes hayvanı endüstrisinde paraziter hastalıkları ve spesifik bakteriyel enfeksiyonları tedavi etmek ve ayrıca büyüme ve verimliliği artırmak için yaygın olarak kullanılmaya başlandı.

Dünya Sağlık Örgütü'ne (WHO) göre antibiyotik direnci doğal olarak oluşur, ancak antibiyotiklerin insanlarda ve hayvanlarda yanlış kullanılması süreci hızlandırır.

Antimikrobiyal direnç hem hayvanları hem de insanları etkileyebilir. Kanatlı sürüsünde antimikrobiyal direnç (antikoksidiyallere ve antibiyotiklere karşı) bulunabilir ve sürü içindeki bir hastalığı yönetirken veya tedavi ederken sorunlar yaratabilir. Tarımdaki antibiyotik direncinin mi, yoksa evcil hayvanlardaki antibiyotik direncinin mi insanlardaki antibiyotik direncini güçlü bir şekilde etkilediği konusunda hala bir tartışma vardır.

İnsan tıbbının, insanlarda antibiyotiğe dirençli enfeksiyonların birincil itici gücü olduğuna dair bir kabul var. Bununla birlikte, birçok gelişmiş ülkede "hiç antibiyotik yok" kanatlı üretimi, antibiyotiksiz üretilen kanatlıların geleneksel olarak yetiştirilen kanatlılardan daha üstün olduğuna dair tüketici algısı nedeniyle, kümes hayvanları azaltılmış antibiyotik kullanımıyla yetiştirilse bile giderek daha popüler hale geldi.

İnsan güvenliğini sağlamak için son mevzuat düzenlemeleri:

Mevzuat açısından, dünya çapında birçok ülke, antimikrobiyal direnç endişeleri nedeniyle AGP ile ilgili politikalar uygulamaya koymuştur.

Bazı ülkeler, tüm kanatlı üretim uygulamaları için genel resmi yönetmelik değişiklikleri getirdi; bir çok ülke bazı yönetmelik değişiklikleri yaparken, diğer ülkelerde endüstri gönüllü olarak değişiklik yaptı. Dünyanın dört bir yanındaki bazı perakendeciler ve restoran zincirleri, azaltılmış veya hiç antibiyotik kullanılmadan yetiştirilen kümes hayvanı eti üretmeyi veya satın almayı seçmiştir. Genel olarak, bu örnekler kümes hayvanı endüstrisinin tüketici taleplerini karşılamak için gerekeni yapmaya devam ettiğini göstermektedir.

Antibiyotiği azaltılmış veya antibiyotiksiz kanatlı üretiminin ortak zorlukları nelerdir?

Kümes hayvanı üreticilerinin antibiyotiksiz ürünlere geçiş yaparken karşılaştıkları yaygın zorluklar, zayıf bağırsak sağlığı, azalan kanatlı bağışıklığı ve büyüme performansındaki düşüştür.

1. Bağırsak sağlığı

Üreticilerin AGP kullanmama konusundaki en büyük endişelerinden biri, tavukları bağırsak sağlığı sorunlarına daha duyarlı hale getirmektir. Sağlıklı bir bağırsak, klinik hastalıkların olmamasından daha fazlasıdır; tam genetik potansiyellerine ulaşmak için sürdürülebilir şekilde kanatlı hayvan üretmekle ilgilidir.

Aşağıda, sağlıksız bir bağırsakla (alttaki iki görüntü) karşılaştırıldığında besinleri verimli bir şekilde emen sağlıklı bir bağırsağın infografiği (üstteki resim) yer almaktadır.

2. Kanatlı bağışıklığı ve büyüme performansı

Geleneksel kanatlı üretiminden antibiyotik içermeyen kanatlı üretimine geçiş düşünüldüğünde bir diğer zorluk, kanatlı hastalıkları, özellikle sırasıyla Eimeria ve Clostridium perfringens türlerinin neden olduğu koksidiyoz ve nekrotik enterit (NE) gibi bağırsak hastalıklarıdır. Ayrıca, zayıflamış bağışıklık sisteminden yararlanan ikincil bakteriyel sorunlara yol açabilecek viral zorluklara da dikkat edilmelidir.

Hastalığa ek olarak, genel kanatlı sağlığı, büyümesi ve bağışıklık fonksiyonu, yem, su, çevresel ve davranışsal gibi diğer stres faktörlerinden olumsuz etkilenebilir. Bu stres faktörleri, eğer önemliyse, tek başına sorun yaratabilir. Ancak, çok sayıda küçük stres etkeni varsa, özellikle bunlar düşük, orta veya yüksek hastalık tehdidiyle birleşirse sorunlar da gelişebilir.

Hastalık seviyelerine bağlı olarak, tavuğun doğal bağışıklığı tehdidi yönetmek için yeterli olmayabilir. Bu nedenle, tepkisel bir temelden ziyade önleyici bir temelde çalışmak her zaman daha iyidir. Önleme, uygulanabilir bir yem katkı programı kadar yem, su, çevre ve hayvan yönetimini de dikkate alan bütünsel bir yaklaşım olmalıdır. Tipik olarak, antibiyotiği azaltılmış veya antibiyotik içermeyen kanatlı üretim programlarında, antibiyotiklere alternatif olarak yem veya suya antibiyotik olmayan katkı maddelerinin bir kombinasyonu dahil edilir.

Antibiyotiklere alternatif örnekler: antibiyotik olmayan yem katkı maddeleri

• Probiyotikler ("doğrudan beslenen mikrobiyaller", "canlı mikrobiyal ürünler"): Bağırsak mikrobiyal dengesini geliştirerek, konakçıyı faydalı şekilde etkileyen tanımlanmış mikroorganizmalar içeren canlı mikrobiyal takviyelerdir.
• Enzimler: Yemin daha az sindirilebilir bir bileşenini (örneğin şeker, selüloz, protein) hayvanların kullanması için daha kolay emilen bir forma dönüştürmeye yardımcı olan canlı bir organizma tarafından üretilen maddelerdir.
• Prebiyotikler: “Gastrointestinal mikrobiyotanın bileşiminde ve/veya aktivitesinde spesifik değişikliklere neden olan, böylece konakçı sağlığına fayda(lar) sağlayan, seçici olarak fermente edilmiş bir bileşen” (ISAPP, 2008).
• Mayalar: 1.500 farklı maya türü vardır ve bunlardan birkaçı tarımda yem katkı maddesi olarak kullanılmaktadır. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, bütün bir canlı maya, dış maya hücre duvarı, iç maya hücre duvarı ve maya özü dahil olmak üzere birçok farklı biçimde kullanılabilir.
• Mannan Bakımından Zengin Bölüm (MRF): Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannan oligosakkaritlerinin nutrigenomik analizinden türetilen ikinci nesil bir formdur. Araştırmalar, MRF'nin bağışıklık savunmasını, bağırsak mikrobiyal sağlığını, bağırsak fonksiyonunu ve gelişimini destekleyebileceğini göstermiştir.
• Organik asitler: Su varlığında tamamen ayrılmayan zayıf asidik özelliklere sahip asitlerdir. Organik asitlerin bazı örnekleri sitrik asit, kısa zincirli yağ asitleri (ör. asetik, butirik asit) ve orta zincirli yağ asitleridir (ör. laurik, kaproik asit). Her tür organik asit kendine has özelliklere sahiptir ve kanatlı üretiminde farklı amaçlar için kullanılabilir.
• İnorganik asitler: Karbon atomu içermeyen ve su varlığında tamamen parçalanan mineral asitlerdir (örn. fosforik asit). Genellikle suyun pH'ını veya yemi hızlı bir şekilde daha asidik yapmak için kullanılır.
• Fitobiyotikler: Antimikrobiyal, antikoksidiyal ve bağışıklık desteği de dahil olmak üzere birçok faydası olan bitki bileşikleri ve bitkilerden,baharatlardan elde edilen özlerdir.
• Postbiyotikler: Bağırsak pH'ını azaltabilen, fırsatçı patojen proliferasyonunu engelleyebilen ve konakçı sağlığını iyileştirebilen bakteriyel veya probiyotik metabolik bir süreç tarafından üretilen çözünür, canlı olmayan metabolitlerdir (Aguilar-Toalá ve diğerleri, 2018).

Üreticiler, antibiyotiği azaltılmış veya antibiyotiksiz kanatlı üretiminin zorluklarını nasıl ele alabilir?

Ek, Besle, Ayıkla kavramı ile antibiyotik kullanımının azaltılması

Yetiştirmek istediğiniz mahsulün tohumlarını ektiğinizi, mahsulleri optimum büyüme için gübrelediğinizi ve mahsulünüzün en iyi şekilde büyümesini engelleyebilecek diğer bitkileri ayıkladığınızı hayal edin.

Bu konsepti kümes hayvanlarına uygulayan Alltech Ek, Besle, Ayıkla (SFW) programı, antibiyotik kullanımının azaltılmasına şu şekilde yardımcı olur:

• Genç kümes hayvanlarında geliştirilmiş performans için bağırsaklara uygun organizmaların ekimini yapmak. Yumurtadan çıktıktan sonra mümkün olan en kısa sürede bağırsağa doğru bakterileri ekmek çok önemlidir.
• Çoğu patojenden farklı olarak asidik ortamlara toleranslı olan uygun bakterilere rekabet avantajı sağlamak için uygun ortamı beslemek. Yararlı bir mikroflora topluluğu ve bağırsak ekolojisi kurulduğunda, villuslar gelişecektir. Bir tavuğun villusları ne kadar sağlıklı olursa, besinler o kadar verimli bir şekilde emilir ve bu da daha iyi bir yem dönüşüm oranına yol açar.
• Dışlama ile olumsuz bakterilerin ayıklanması. Bağırsak ayrıca villusa zarar verebilecek zararlı patojenik mikroplar içerebilir. Bağırsak astarına yapışmadan ve hastalığa neden olacak kadar çoğalmadan önce onları ayıklamak gerekir.

Antibiyotiklerin hastalık salgın vakalarında hala çok önemli bir rolü olsa da, SFW programını kullanan etkili bağırsak sağlığı yönetiminin birçok ticari sürüde antibiyotik kullanımına olan ihtiyacı azalttığı ve aynı zamanda çeşitli önlemlerde performansı arttırdığı gösterilmiştir. Sonuç olarak, SFW programı, kümes hayvanı üreticilerinin daha verimli, karlı ve sürdürülebilir üretim elde etmesini sağlamaya yardımcı olur.

Bazı üreticilerin gösterdiği gibi, bağırsak sağlığına odaklanmak kanatlı üretiminde performans ve karlılığın temelidir.

Etkili biyogüvenlik, kanatlı, su ve çiftlik yönetimi ile eşleştirilen Alltech SFW çözümü, üreticilerin iyileştirilmiş performans ve azaltılmış antibiyotik kullanımı yolunda bir adım daha ilerlemelerine yardımcı olur.

İstek üzerine referanslar sunulabilir: turkey@alltech.com