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As a research scientist at Alltech, Dr. Anne Koontz lives out her passion for science communication, outreach and international collaboration by helping farmers become more sustainable and efficient. She joined the Ag Future podcast to discuss how to support farmers by effectively communicating to those outside of the agri-food industry the realities of the environmental impact of animal production and how farmers have worked for more sustainable operations through science and research.
The following is an edited transcript of the Ag Future podcast episode with Dr. Anne Koontz 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. Dr. Anne Koontz is a research scientist for Alltech with a strong interest in science communication, outreach, and international collaboration. We thank you for joining us, Dr. Koontz.
Dr. Koontz: Thank you for having me, Tom.
Tom: So, do people today understand the realities of scientific inquiry? Can science kind of be boiled down to recognizing that the more we know, the more we know we don't know?
Dr. Koontz: That is a fairly accurate statement. The important thing to remember about science and one of the things that's really hard for people who don't work in a scientific field is that science is constantly changing and updating itself whether we're finding new ways to ask a question, new ways to measure response. We're adding to that knowledge base constantly and reevaluating what we know. I have a very good friend who’s a brilliant scientist in her own right, Elizabeth Culprice, who wrote on Facebook not long ago. I have to quote this because it was just so perfect for this conversation. She said, “Perhaps the greatest utterance of the scientist is I don't know. Scientists never know. But upon seeing what we don't know, our next thought is how can I figure it out? How can I get closer to knowing? Formatting the known, creating a testable guess to what we think it could be and testing it, and moving closer to one step of knowing is what we do.” And I couldn't say it any better than she did of what scientists do and how important is to understand that science is all about not knowing and wanting to know what we don't know.
Tom: So, I guess we should filter through that: when we hear that there has been a scientific discovery or finding that, ‘yeah, that's true, but it could change in the future as more scientific inquiry is conducted.’
Dr. Koontz: That's absolutely correct, Tom. And I think the other aspect of that that’s important when we have these kind of conversations and we talk about science communication and science outreach is the idea that we often have to simplify things. The way that I would explain gravity to, you know, my 8-year-old niece is very different than the way that I would discuss gravity with another scientist. So, it is a new onset of understanding that come as we increase things. I'm a big fan of— You’ll see probably through the rest of this conversation as well. But one of my favorite things comes out of The Science of Discworld by Terry Pratchett. And he said that these sorts of simplification are simply lies we tell children and they’re okay types of lies because it's the only way that people at that age can understand that concept, but we need to be— When we’re teaching those simplifications that are constantly reminding people that as you get older, as you have more knowledge and more understanding, those concepts become more and more complex.
Tom: Well, Anne, I know that you think a lot about science communication and I’d like to turn to that with regard to the farm and I’m wondering how have digital media, and broader connection, and social media changed the way farmers communicate what they're doing.
Dr. Koontz: I think it has fundamentally changed the way farmers communicate with the greater audience around them. The ability to go direct to the world and say “look, this is my farm; this is what I'm doing today; here, let me walk you through my barn or take a ride on my tractor together” and show both the good and the bad of farming is really important. These farmers that are willing to do this, this type of communication, are really letting everyone into their everyday lives and showing the good, showing the bad, showing the frustrations and the excitement that come with farming, and making an industry that a very small percentage of our population work in— making that industry much more relatable to those who don't have access to a farm.
Tom: How can scientists like you in the agrifood industry support those narratives that farmers are sharing with consumers through TikTok or Instagram?
Dr. Koontz: That’s a really great question, Tom. And I love this. The most important thing is to like what they're doing, share them with your platform, share them with your followers so you keep getting their message out there. And if you're willing to dive into the conversations— Now, sometimes they can get a bit heated and touchy when you get into the comments on a lot of those farmer’s pages. And I applaud every single one of the farmers who are willing to take that on and be on social media in that way, but the things that we can do as scientists especially is to backup what the farmers are saying. So, show that the farmers aren’t unique cases and link to other farmers who are saying and doing the same thing. And when people start asking, you know, why do they do it this way, why are you making this particular decision, to then link and discuss the science and the research that goes into those decisions that farmers are making and so that it's not just an arbitrary, we've always done it this way or I think this is right for me, but there is actually a huge knowledge base of science and research that is guiding all of these to allow farmers to be both sustainable and productive.
Tom: Climate change and the greenhouse gases contributing to it have never been under as much scrutiny as they are today. And agriculture is often singled out as a culprit, ruminants and cattle in particular. As one whose work focuses on understanding impacts of animal production on the environment, how do you respond to that?
Dr. Koontz: My first answer is always going to be carefully. The most important thing to me is don’t deny and don’t get angry. Absolutely agriculture and cattle in particular contribute to greenhouse gases and global climate change. I like to start with whatever resource or citation the person that I'm talking to is pulling from. So, say someone has said, you know, cows are responsible for 14% of greenhouse gas emission. Let's work with that number. That number comes from the FAO. It's not wrong, but it’s actually the easy global figure for all of animal agriculture. So, if we put that in the context for most of the conversations lately have been in the U.S., so in the United States, the EPA gives the number of greenhouse gas emissions of 10% for all of agriculture with about 35% of that being animal agriculture and ruminant in particular. Now, that 34% sounds like a lot, but 34% of 10%, which means it’s 3.9% of the total U.S. greenhouse gas emission. Now, if we compare that back to other sectors, which I think is absolutely critical, the same EPA says that 29% of greenhouse gases come from transportation sector and 25% are related to energy production. When you put that 3.9% or 3.4% of emissions from ruminants in that context, the 29% for transportation and 25% for electricity, it doesn't seem quite important. But if all you see is that, you know, 34% of agriculture is ruminants or 14.5% of global greenhouse gases are agriculture, those numbers seem scary and big. So, it's really important to have the context and the comparisons for these conversations. And like I said, don’t deny. Do we contribute? Absolutely. Are we constantly working to contribute less? Yes.
Tom: Is it accurate to equate the climate impact of methane emissions with the impact of carbon dioxide? In other words, are there important differences in the nature of these emissions?
Dr. Koontz: So, this is one of those questions where I have to refer back to the beginning of our conversation and say I'm not an expert in this particular thing. And this is a topic that is rapidly evolving in the science community. So, to hit on some of the high points, there's a difference between the carbon dioxide and methane in how they react within the atmosphere. So, carbon dioxide is considered a stock gas, which means it hangs around in the atmosphere once it's produced for a very long time. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000 years. Methane on the other hand is considered a slow gas, which means that it only hangs out in the atmosphere for about 10 years and then it's broken down through a process called hydroxyl oxidation. So, putting that in the context of a big picture and why this has become a hot topic within agriculture in particular is that plants take up carbon dioxide and carbon sources from the environment. That's something we all learned in school generally. And those plants store that carbon and complex types of molecules. Carbohydrates, etc. So, when these plants then are consumed by animals in agriculture, those carbon-based molecules are broken down. And in a cow, some of that is converted to methane and release them again into the atmosphere. But if that methane is then broken down in 10 years into carbon dioxide, some portion of our carbon dioxide is taken up by plant. And this cycle just continues again and again. So, if we’re not significantly increasing the amount of methane we’re putting back into the atmosphere in comparison to the amount we're taking out, then perhaps we're a little more carbon neutral than we thought we were at least in that particular aspect of our carbon footprint. Now, there's a lot more to that discussion than in my very simplified overview right there. It is very much a current topic of debate and discussion within agriculture, within climate science. And it is one that I'll be keeping an eye on for sure for the next few years.
Tom: Well, you're right. I'm wondering if there's a danger that this increasing clamor for a reduction in livestock emissions might upstage the effort to reduce the use of fossil fuels.
Dr. Koontz: I think that's a very good conversation to have and it's a touchy topic, Tom. I mean in true scientific fashion, again, I'm going to say it depends. So, as I said before, does agriculture contribute?
Absolutely. Do we need to reduce that contribution? If we can, yes. Do fossil fuels contribute? Again, absolutely. Do they need to reduce their contribution? Certainly. But when we start equating those things by simply saying they're both contributors, that’s where it gets difficult because, as I said before, the contribution coming from livestock and agriculture is significantly less than the contribution that’s coming from transportation and energy sectors that are largely fossil fuel based. But when you put that to someone as far as what they can do in their everyday life to reduce their personal impact, it's much easier to say “well, I'm just not going to eat meat one day a week” than it is to say “well, I’m gonna stop using my car one day a week.” Those are two very different lifestyle changes and one is going to be far more approachable to most people.
Tom: Pollution from the really large farm operations runs off into streams that feed into major waterways like the Chesapeake Bay, the Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico. And that contributes to algal blooms, dead zones that impact drinking water supplies, aquatic ecosystems, recreation, people's livelihoods. What's your perspective on these large scale operations?
Dr. Koontz: I think this is another one of those areas, Tom, that is a touchy subject, but an incredibly important subject. There is no doubt that agricultural runoffs contribute to all of these dead zones and issues with our water quality throughout the world But it is one of those places where it is very important, again, to look at contribution. And unfortunately, I don’t have those numbers right in front of me because I’ve not seen them. This is not an area that I’ve spent a lot of time looking into as a scientist, but I do know that, well, agricultural runoff is significant. There is the more recent research coming out of especially Duke University in North Carolina that's looking at dead zones in urban streams and what they're finding is that those exist there as well. And so, we have to really start examining not only agriculture's contribution to these issues, but also our urban footprint, you know. One thing I paid attention to for years and tried to look at on my own property is the use of salt and ice melt ‘cause I could use salt as a weed killer. But when I use salt as an ice melt in the winter, that salt is staying in the environment, contributing to my grass not growing or contamination of my soil around my own property. And when we think about that scaled up to a global issue of how much salt and other ice melt type products we put on to roadways and where does that ultimately end up and what is it affecting as far as the environmental around us, again, I don’t wanna downplay agricultural contribution because we absolutely do have an agricultural contribution. But there are other factors that come into this issue of dead zones, water quality, and soil loss. And I know that within agriculture, farmers are constantly looking at adding buffer zones, changing the way they plant, changing the way they kill, using precision farming to really only get the nutrients where they need to be when they need to be there so that we are minimizing that loss or leaching. And I think they’re doing everything they can as the information and technology becomes available. And that’s really all we can ask.
Tom: Well, how do you think agriculture can improve not just the perception, but the reality of its environmental sustainability?
Dr. Koontz: Those are two very different questions. I think the reality about environmental sustainability is very much already there. I've never met a farmer who didn't absolutely love the land they worked with and care about it and want it be there for multiple generations down the road. And because of that, they're generally very aware of what they're doing and how it affects the world around them. Now, whether or not that's been accurately communicated, that's an issue, but I think as we mentioned before, getting access directly to consumers and the rest of the world, your social media and other interaction capabilities is really changing. The ability to know that a farmer is person and not just someone who is, you know, essentially looking at the land like it’s a factory floor and trying to get more and more out of it as best they can, but genuinely cares and wants to do the best they can to produce safe healthy food while also taking care of the land they work with is really critical. And so, I think it's a balance. I think the reality is already there and we are continuing to push that reality forward with the science that’s done by researchers like myself and then the implementation of that science by the farmers and ranchers around the world. It's really a focus on that perception through communications that is critical.
Tom: Okay. Big change of subject here, but this is a question I’ve been looking forward to asking. Are doors opening to women in the agrisciences?
Dr. Koontz: You know, Tom, that's not a terrible question. But at the same time, I want to rephrase it and look at it— You know, I'm a woman who's been in agriscience in some way, shape, or form my entire life. I grew up with access to farm through my grandparents, knew I wanted to be in agriculture fairly early on in my life, knew I wanted to be a scientist fairly early on in life. And I honestly personally never had a lot of pushback to being a woman in science. You always run into the odd person that proves you wrong. But you know, they're manageable. And so, I think not only are doors opening, but they are open. And I see that because more and more of the scientists I collaborate with around the world are women. And more and more of the farmers I talk to are women. And women are no doubt a driving force in agriscience. And we're going to hear more and more of us out there talking, and communicating, and showing you what our lives are like, and why you should also be in agriscience.
Tom: Okay. Let's talk about Alltech’s Planet of Plenty mission, and tell me how science informs or plays a role in that mission.
Dr. Koontz: Absolutely. So, the three leaves that are in the Planet of Plenty logo are really critical. And we’ve given meaning to each of those 3 leaves. Science, sustainability, and storytelling. So, from that, you obviously can see that science is very much at the core of Planet of Plenty. Science is guiding the development of sustainability solutions. The science is guiding the changes we’re making and supporting farmers in farming options and ranching management. And science underpins all of the stories that are being showcased in the Planet of Plenty ongoing activities. And so, it’s really all about making that science applicable and communicating it very well to the world.
Tom: Why would you say it's important not just to the ag industry, but to consumers as well, that events such as the ONE Ideas Conference are held annually?
Dr. Koontz: And here, we're right back to the beginning, aren’t we, Tom? Knowledge is constantly growing and everything else is changing. And honestly, I don't think the speed of change is going to slow down. If anything, it's just going to continue to increase. Because that change has been so rapidly, there's so much technology, and knowledge, and ideas that are generated every year, and so having these kinds of ability to get together, and talk, and discuss, and see what's new around the world on an annual basis really just gives you that one-stop shop for new ideas and new concepts. The other aspect that is absolutely one of my favorite things about Alltech’s One Conference is the international diversity. Well, in non-COVID times, I get to travel a fair bit for my job and see how things are done in a lot of different places and that gives me so many connections because, you know, someone encounters a problem— the same problem in different places. But because of their available resources, and cultural differences, and climate, and everything else, they solve that problem in a different way. And so, when you can start bringing those different solutions to the same problem and in discussing those things on an international level, you really start to find some of the key things that tie together and you can make those solutions stronger in each different location.
Tom: You know, it's been several years now, but I remember when we discussed CRISPR technology at the ONE Ideas Conference. And at that time, it seemed novel. It seemed exotic, but here we are today with evidently a breakthrough in CRISPR technology that might lead to restoring the vision of the blind.
Dr. Koontz: It is absolutely amazing. I have so many stunning scientist friends who work in cutting-edge technology. And if I could just communicate what they're doing to the public on a daily basis, I would be overwhelmed. Science is moving so fast. We're seeing new things every day. And there's no doubt that Alltech has made it and absolutely key point to be on the forefront of that change in technology and knowledge and make sure that we're presenting the best of those changes and knowledge update to the people that come to our conferences and that’s just fun.
Tom: I tend to agree with you. That’s Alltech research scientist, Anne Koontz. Thanks for talking with us, Dr. Koontz.
Dr. Koontz: Thank you for having me.
Tom: And I'm Tom Martin. Thanks for listening.
Dr. Anne Koontz believes that social media has fundamentally changed the way farmers communicate with the audience around them which gives them an opportunity to become more relatable to consumers.
Alltech ONE Simpósio de Ideias será realizado virtualmente entre os dias 25 e 27 de maio e contará com tradução simultânea
Alimentada pela crescente demanda e pela alta de preços do arroba, a perspectiva do futuro é brilhante para o mercado de bovinos de corte. Durante o Alltech ONE Simpósio de Ideias, que será realizado de 25 a 27 de maio, os participantes poderão assistir especialistas do setor discutindo como manter a qualidade e produtividade, ao mesmo tempo que atende às necessidades de consumidores conscientes com as questões ambientais atuais.
Em sua 37ª edição, o encontro da indústria agroalimentícia global, conduzido pela Alltech, mantém seu objetivo de ser uma referência valiosa para informações atualizadas do setor. Pelo segundo ano na versão virtual, a plataforma do evento fornecerá ainda acesso a sessões temáticas sob demanda e transmissão de palestras e conversas ao vivo, com perguntas e respostas, pelos principais palestrantes. Além disso, este ano, os participantes poderão acessar uma rede interativa de contatos, que permitirá conexão com colegas de todo o mundo.
Sobre a pecuária de corte, será possível avaliar estratégias para aumentar a sustentabilidade e a lucratividade para garantir um futuro de sucesso; tecnologias para o período de desmame; a relação entre carne bovina e saúde humana; sustentabilidade; e a aposta de investidores no mercado de carne bovina.
De acordo com o gerente de vendas para ruminantes da Alltech, Carlos Zilioti, essa será uma oportunidade que os produtores de bovinos de corte no Brasil terão para conhecer as novas tendências globais na produção de carne e as tecnologias aplicadas em fases críticas da produção para maximizar os resultados.
“A participação de palestrantes internacionais trará oportunidade dos produtores ampliarem os conhecimentos sobre os mercados mais exigentes, discutindo assuntos que estão em pauta sobre sustentabilidade, novas demandas dos consumidores e como ser competitivo na cadeia produtiva. A sessão de bovinos de corte fará você repensar sobre o futuro da cadeia produtiva de carne”, afirma.
Mantendo o compromisso da Alltech com as comunidades em que atua, o Alltech ONE Simpósio de Ideias promove pela segunda vez o “ONE Solidário”. Nesta modalidade, a participação no evento será mediante doações em valores a partir de R$ 200, e toda a arrecadação será revertida para instituições de caridade como auxílio aos impactos causados pela pandemia de Covid-19.
Os participantes terão acesso às apresentações do evento, networking, perguntas e respostas com palestrantes selecionados, acesso aos conteúdos sob demanda, podcast do ONE, salão de exposições virtuais e mais de 100 vídeos, conteúdo novo e premium publicado regularmente, além de ofertas exclusivas para o próximo ONE. Os interessados em realizar as doações e saber mais sobre o evento podem acessar aqui: go.alltech.com/pt-br/one21.
Alltech ONE Simpósio de Ideias será realizado virtualmente entre os dias 22 e 24 de junho e contará com tradução simultânea
Tendo a transparência como prioridade para os consumidores, a indústria avícola deve encontrar soluções que atendam às necessidades das pessoas, do planeta e dos negócios. Diante destes desafios, lideranças e especialistas do setor se reunirão no Alltech ONE Simpósio de Ideias, que ocorre virtualmente de 22 e 24 de junho de 2021 para explorar oportunidades para inovar, ampliar a consciência do consumidor e construir um futuro mais sustentável.
Em sua 37ª edição, o encontro da indústria agroalimentícia global, conduzido pela Alltech, mantém seu objetivo de ser uma referência valiosa para informações atualizadas do setor. Pelo segundo ano na versão virtual, a plataforma do evento fornecerá ainda acesso a sessões temáticas sob demanda e transmissão de palestras e conversas ao vivo, com perguntas e respostas, pelos principais palestrantes. Além disso, este ano, os participantes poderão acessar uma rede interativa de contatos, que permitirá conexão com colegas de todo o mundo.
Sobre avicultura, haverá discussões sobre os mitos que rondam as discussões sobre avicultura, cases sobre educação e sustentabilidade, além de novas maneiras de comercializar os produtos avícolas.
De acordo com o gerente de vendas para avicultura da Alltech do Brasil, Anderson Lima, o mundo não é mais o mesmo de antes em todos os aspectos e não seria diferente com o setor de avicultura.
“O Simpósio será uma oportunidade única para entender as principais transformações que vem ocorrendo no mundo avícola, desde a produção dos animais, passando pela nova forma de comercialização dos produtos, o futuro pautado na sustentabilidade e como empresas parceiras estão enxergando tudo isso e já reorientando seus negócios. Esse é um evento de participação obrigatória para todas as pessoas ligadas à avicultura que buscam informações atualizadas e realmente agregadoras para gestão de seus negócios”, afirma.
Mantendo o compromisso da Alltech com as comunidades em que atua, o Alltech ONE Simpósio de Ideias promove pela segunda vez o “ONE Solidário”. Nesta modalidade, a participação no evento será mediante doações em valores a partir de R$ 200, e toda a arrecadação será revertida para instituições de caridade como auxílio aos impactos causados pela pandemia de Covid-19.
Os participantes terão acesso às apresentações do evento, networking, perguntas e respostas com palestrantes selecionados, acesso aos conteúdos sob demanda, podcast do ONE, salão de exposições virtuais e mais de 100 vídeos, conteúdo novo e premium publicado regularmente, além de ofertas exclusivas para o próximo ONE. Os interessados em realizar as doações e saber mais sobre o evento podem acessar aqui: go.alltech.com/pt-br/one21.
Confira os temas das palestras sobre avicultura:
Alltech ONE Simpósio de Ideias será realizado virtualmente entre os dias 22 e 24 de junho e contará com tradução simultânea
Inovações em tecnologia e nutrição de suínos estão capacitando os produtores a proteger não apenas a saúde de seus animais, mas da população e de nosso planeta. Durante o Alltech ONE Simpósio de Ideias, que será realizado de 22 e 24 de junho, os participantes poderão conhecer as orientações de especialistas sobre como os produtores podem melhorar sua produtividade, lucratividade e a biossegurança de suas fazendas em um cenário de constante mudança.
Em sua 37ª edição, o encontro da indústria agroalimentícia global, conduzido pela Alltech, mantém seu objetivo de ser uma referência valiosa para informações atualizadas do setor. Pelo segundo ano na versão virtual, a plataforma do evento fornecerá ainda acesso a sessões temáticas sob demanda e transmissão de palestras e conversas ao vivo, com perguntas e respostas, pelos principais palestrantes. Além disso, este ano, os participantes poderão acessar uma rede interativa de contatos, que permitirá conexão com colegas de todo o mundo.
Sobre suinocultura, haverá discussões relacionadas à sucessão familiar, tendências tecnológicas, granjas em edifícios, o papel da nutrição na sustentabilidade e como proteínas podem preparar seus leitões recém-desmamados para uma vida de excelente desempenho.
De acordo com a gerente de vendas para suinocultura da Alltech, Sarah Antunes, essa será uma oportunidade que o produtor brasileiro terá para adquirir conhecimento técnico e se conectar com a suinocultura mundial, de uma forma inovadora e dinâmica.
“O Simpósio contribui com informações práticas e aplicáveis para a capacitação de profissionais da suinocultura brasileira e, consequentemente, o desenvolvimento e alinhamento do nosso mercado de carnes à demanda mundial."
Mantendo o compromisso da Alltech com as comunidades em que atua, o Alltech ONE Simpósio de Ideias promove pela segunda vez o “ONE Solidário”. Nesta modalidade, a participação no evento será mediante doações em valores a partir de R$ 200, e toda a arrecadação será revertida para instituições de caridade como auxílio aos impactos causados pela pandemia de Covid-19.
Os participantes terão acesso às apresentações do evento, networking, perguntas e respostas com palestrantes selecionados, acesso aos conteúdos sob demanda, podcast do ONE, salão de exposições virtuais e mais de 100 vídeos, conteúdo novo e premium publicado regularmente, além de ofertas exclusivas para o próximo ONE. Os interessados em realizar as doações e saber mais sobre o evento podem acessar aqui: go.alltech.com/pt-br/one21.
Confira os temas das palestras sobre suinocultura:
• Melhor nutrição, suínos mais seguros
• Ninhadas com longevidade: otimizando a nutrição dos leitões
• Granjas mais inteligentes, animais mais saudáveis
• Granjas em um arranha-céu: o futuro da produção de suínos
• Fold-down tray
• Risers (increased machine height)
• Relined, shot blasted and painted
• New heavy-duty body blades, paddle rubbers and seals
https://video.citnow.com/vpg-TrMjYlq
Type: Approved
Hőstressz ideje alatt különösen fontos figyelemmel követni a takarmányozás folyamatát. Egy kiegyensúlyozott adag, ami az állat minden tápanyagigényét kielégíti, alapvető fontosságú. Hőstressz alatt az állatok takarmányfelvétele lecsökken, így az energia és a tápanyag ellátás nem elegendő.
Ahhoz, hogy ezt elkerüljük, növelnünk kell az adag tápanyag és energia töménységét. Így egy kisebb mennyiségű takarmányból is hozzájutnak a tehenek ahhoz a tápanyaghoz, amire szükségük van. A fehérjeellátás optimalizálása szintén lényeges szempont. Az Alltech® Protein Menedzsment program olyan megoldást kínál, ami segíthet csökkenteni az adag nyersfehérjéjét és növelni a mikrobiális fehérjetermelést, így az adagba más energia- vagy tápanyag koncentráció növelő alapanyagok is beférnek.
Kiváló minőségű nátrium-hidrogén-karbonátot tartalmaz, amely bizonyítottan elősegíti a bendő pufferolását és segít megbírkózni a hőstresszel.
Legjobb minőségű magnézium-oxid tartalma bizonyítottan javítja a bendő pufferkapacitását, támogatja az állat anyagcseréjét és stressztűrő képességét. A kálium sók az ásványi anyagok egyensúlyának fenntartásában játszanak szerepet. Yea-Sacc tartalmának köszönhetően segíti a bendő egészséges működését hőstressz idején, jótékony hatással van a szárazanyag felvételre és ebből következően a tejtermelése is. A termékben lévő De-Odorase pedig szabályozza az emésztőrendszerben megjelenő többlet nitrogén mennyiségét, így segíti a rossz szagok mértékének csökkentését az istállóban.
A megfelelően alkalmazott takarmányozási technológiával megelőzhető a TMR melegedése és javítható az íze a forró napokon is. Minden nap végén meg kell tisztítani az etető utakat és jászlakat. Ez segít frissen tartani a takarmányt, csökkenti a melegedés vagy a romlás lehetséges hatásait, valamint csökkenti a másodlagos erjedés kockázatát.
Az optimális hőmérséklet a legtöbb penészgomba fejlődéséhez 21-33 °C között van, a TMR stabilitását a Mold-Zap® nevű készítmény bekeverésével lehet fokozni. Mold-Zap® az Alltech egyedülálló terméke, mely pufferelt propion és egyéb szerves savak keveréke, amelyek együttesen alkotnak egy erős, nem maró és biztonságos penész gátló hatást a TMR-ben és a tárolt takarmányokban. Együtt adagolt propionsav, ecetsav, benzoesav, szorbinsav és borkősav a Mold-Zap®-ban gátolják a különböző széles spektrumú penész fajok szaporodását. Természetes citrus izének köszönhetően a TMR ízletesebbé válik.
A Mold-Zap® bekeverése a TMR-be és a tárolt takarmányokba javítja a takarmányfelvételt és segít fenntartani az állatok gazdaságos teljesítményét.
Az izzadás, lihegés és fokozott nyáladzás miatt elvesztett egyes ásványi anyagokat (kálium, nátrium és magnézium) az étrenden keresztül kell pótolni. Az anion/kation egyensúlyát szorosan ellenőrizni kell. Számos takarmány adalékanyagok - mint például az élő élesztő kultúrák, pufferek, zsírban oldódó vitaminok (A, D, E), Niacin és szelén - kiváló hatékonysággal javítják a bendő működését, támogatják az immunrendszert és elősegítik az energiafelhasználást.
Élő élesztők, mint például a Yea-Sacc®, jótékony hatással vannak a szárazanyag felvételre, illetve a hőstresszes időszakokban a tejtermelésre. A portugál tanulmányban a nyár folyamán végzett vizsgálatban – ahol a hőmérséklet 18–28 °C között volt– a Yea-Sacc® étrendhez való hozzáadásával a szárazanyag felvétel és a tejtermelés szignifikáns növekedése figyelhető meg (1. táblázat).
1. táblázat: A Yea-Sacc ® élesztőkultúra hatása a tejelő tehén teljesítményére, hőstresszes időszakban (Novais et al., 2008)
A tehenek hőstressze nem az egyetlen probléma a magas hőmérséklet, a páratartalom és az aszály idején. A tartósított takarmányok és a TMR is nagyon érzékeny az aerob romlásra, ami súlyosbíthatja a melegebb, párásabb időjárás hatását. A növények is stresszessé válnak, fokozódik a mikotoxin-termelés kockázata mind a szántóföldön, mind a nyersanyagok tárolása és a tartósítási folyamata során. Nem valószínű, hogy elkerülhető a szennyeződés, ezért olyan védekezési, megelőzési programot kell alkalmazni, amely csökkenti a kockázatot. A kockázati tényezők felmérése és ellenőrzése, valamint a mikotoxinok jelenlétére szolgáló takarmány elemzés segít minimalizálni a mikotoxin-termelés negatív hatását. Ezenkívül egy bizonyítottan gyorsan ható és széles spektrumú toxinkötő, a Mycosorb A+® használata tovább csökkenti az állatra gyakorolt negatív hatások valószínűségét.
Mivel a tehenek kevesebb szárazanyagot fogyasztanak, így szükségük van megfelelő mennyiségű ásványi anyag felvételre. Erre tökéletes megoldást nyújtanak az Alltech un. Bioplex® készítményei. Ezekben a készítményekben aminosavakhoz kötve alkalmazzuk az elemeket, hatékonyabb felszívódás és hasznosulás érdekében. Sőt, az ellés előtti időszakban a Bioplex® és a Sel-Plex® magasabb szintje jelentősen támogatja a tehenek megfelelő immunállapotának kialakulását, az immunhiányos időszakok elkerülhetőek.
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Desde hace algunos años, el sector avícola está experimentado un constante crecimiento debido a su papel cada vez más importante en la alimentación mundial. Esta mayor demanda puede ser atendida gracias a los avances en la tecnología, la genética, el manejo, el ambiente, la nutrición o la sanidad; que buscan reducir costos, aumentar la productividad y hacer que los productores sean más competitivos a nivel global.
Noy y Sklan (2001) han identificado que aproximadamente de 4 a 5 días después de la eclosión, el tracto gastrointestinal se desarrolla más rápido que cualquier otro órgano; coincidiendo con Iji et al. (2001), quienes además concluyeron que el acceso restringido a los nutrientes y al agua influye adversamente en el desarrollo de las vellosidades y de las criptas, así como en la longitud del duodeno. Esto puede reducir la secreción de las enzimas digestivas y alterar la secreción de mucina. En conclusión, este retraso en la alimentación puede tener efectos perjudiciales en el crecimiento inicial, la inmunidad y el desarrollo intestinal de los pollos.
Otro factor que requiere una especial atención en el ecosistema intestinal de las aves es el crecimiento de los microorganismos patógenos. Una de las causas principales de este desafío es los altos niveles de algunos nutrientes: sobre todo la proteína y la grasa en el intestino grueso. Por lo general, la proteína y la grasa que no se digieren ni se absorben de manera eficiente, generan una alteración en la relación huésped-microbiota. Esto aumenta la proliferación de bacterias, hongos, protozoarios o virus, y conlleva a una respuesta inmune y al cambio en el metabolismo microbiano.
Fisiológicamente al presentarse retroperistalsis se produce la migración de las bacterias del ciego al íleon y al yeyuno; lo que causa disbacteriosis y enteritis necrótica (Oviedo-Rondón, 2019). La disbacteriosis es una alteración en la microbiota benéfica del intestino delgado que disminuye la digestibilidad, reduce la función de la barrera intestinal y aumenta la respuesta inflamatoria del intestino. Mientras que la enteritis necrótica es causada por el Clostridium perfringens, y generalmente está asociada a los coccidios y a enterobacterias específicas (como la E. coli o la Salmonella spp). Los coccidios dañan las mucosas del intestino delgado y liberan proteínas que sirven como sustrato para las enterobacterias, lo que induce a una necrosis hemorrágica de la pared intestinal (Oviedo-Rondón, 2019).
Durante las últimas décadas, la mayor parte de las investigaciones en la avicultura se han enfocado en el aspecto de la salud intestinal en las aves, especialmente a través del uso de otras posibles alternativas; que son una solución para mantener un equilibrio en la integridad del tracto gastrointestinal.
¿Cómo equilibrar el ecosistema intestinal?
La principal estrategia utilizada por muchos productores, durante varias décadas, ha sido el uso de antibióticos promotores de crecimiento; para controlar los agentes patógenos que pueden alterar la integridad del intestino, y así maximizar el desempeño animal. Sin embargo, cada vez más países están restringiendo o prohibiendo su aplicación debido a que favorece la resistencia bacteriana y potencialmente produce algunas alergias (por su presencia residual en la canal). Por esto, ha sido necesario desarrollar nuevas tecnologías como los prebióticos, los probióticos y sus combinaciones para producir efectos adicionales o sinérgicos, lo que permite a los avicultores reemplazar los antibióticos y no dejar residuos en la canal, ni provocar una resistencia bacteriana.
Una de las soluciones más eficaces para prevenir el crecimiento de microorganismos patógenos la representa los productos basados en prebióticos; como Bio-Mos® (un extracto de la pared de la levadura) o Actigen® (una tecnología que actúa en la microbiota intestinal benéfica como modulador del sistema inmune y adsorbente de los microorganismos patógenos). Actigen® es un prebiótico desarrollado en base a los estudios sobre la nutrigenómica, que permiten identificar compuestos bioactivos aislados de una cepa específica de la levadura. Actualmente, Actigen® cuenta con 128 estudios –revisados por pares– que están publicados en revistas científicas, en los que se ratifica que esta solución mejora el estado sanitario general de las aves, especialmente:
La suplementación con Actigen® a lo largo del ciclo productivo y, en especial, durante las primeras semanas de vida de las aves ayuda a reducir los problemas digestivos y a contribuir en el desarrollo del tracto intestinal. Numerosos estudios han demostrado que la primera semana de vida del animal es clave para su supervivencia, debido a que a veces no tiene un rápido acceso al alimento ni al agua durante las 24 a 48 horas después del nacimiento (por la variabilidad en el tiempo de incubación o por el transporte a su destino final).
Para contrarrestar la disbacteriosis y la enteritis necrótica también se puede utilizar los probióticos, que son microorganismos vivos que generan beneficios en el tracto gastrointestinal; al competir con los agentes patógenos por los nutrientes y por los sitios de adhesión en el epitelio intestinal, y porque sintetizan los metabolitos que son ácidos orgánicos que a su vez crean resistencia al crecimiento de estos patógenos (Ahmad, 2006; Patterson y Burkholder, 2003).
Asimismo, existen productos que utilizan una mezcla de prebióticos, ácidos grasos de cadena corta y minerales de alta biodisponibilidad que pueden ayudar a la salud intestinal. Recientemente Alltech ha introducido al mercado Viligen™, un producto que mezcla ácidos grasos de cadena corta, prebióticos y minerales. Algunos de los beneficios demostrados de Viligen™ son:
En resumen: la inclusión de prebióticos, probióticos y sus combinaciones con un efecto sinérgico con otros principios antimicrobianos en las dietas para las aves, ayuda a mantener un equilibrio en la integridad del tracto gastrointestinal; lo que favorece principalmente a la microbiota intestinal benéfica. De este modo se permite que las aves sean más eficientes en los procesos de absorción de nutrientes e inhibición del crecimiento de agentes patógenos.
Referencias bibliográficas
[GUELPH, Canada] – Alltech believes that agriculture has the greatest potential to positively shape the future of our planet, but it will take all of us working together. As part of their commitment to this vision, Alltech created the Planet of Plenty™ Awards to reward those who are furthering a world of abundance through nutritional and digital technologies, innovation and sustainable management practices in the agri-food sector. In the inaugural year of the Alltech Canada Planet of Plenty Awards, Alltech is pleased to announce that the recipients of the award for 2021 are Burnbrae Farms of Lyn, Ontario, and Shipwheel Cattle Feeders of Taber, Alberta.
“Through partnerships and storytelling, we hope to elevate the agri-food sector so it is recognized for its ability to address several of the most significant issues that our planet faces: nutrition, human and animal well-being and the preservation of natural resources,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “It is our privilege to honour Burnbrae Farms and Shipwheel Cattle Feeders as role models in sustainable agriculture.”
Burnbrae Farms are among Canada's leading egg producers and thriving participants in the agriculture, and local, communities they serve. Their vision is to provide nutritious food for Canadians while respecting their employees, the animals entrusted in their care and the environment. Sustainability, community engagement and social responsibility have been a part of the Burnbrae Farms’ culture for generations. Their commitment to innovation and the environment has allowed the company to achieve significant milestones on its mission to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and goal of continuously reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The business also has strong community foundations and provides support in the areas in which they do business, including egg and food donations and Earth Day roadside clean-ups. Six generations of the Hudson family have been involved in Burnbrae Farms for over 130 years.
Over several generations, Shipwheel Cattle Feeders have maintained an unwavering dedication to their goal of continually improving their land base, the animals entrusted to their care and the community around them. All management decisions are made through the lens of their holistic goal: any actions must be congruent with their purpose while also building their future resource base and improving quality of life. Shipwheel is a place of continual learning, where curiosity and innovation are tempered with thoughtfulness and proper planning, thereby setting the stage for expanding our understanding of regenerative agriculture practices.
Join Margaret Hudson, CEO and president of Burnbrae Farms and Andrea Stroeve-Sawa, manager of Shipwheel Cattle Feeders on May 25 at 11 a.m. ET for the Awarding Sustainability workshop during the Alltech ONE Ideas Conference, a virtual global agri-food event that will be held on May 25–27, 2021. Streaming keynote and on-demand presentations will be released and will focus on the power of science, sustainability and storytelling. To learn more about the Alltech ONE Ideas Conference and to register, visit one.alltech.com. Join the conversation across social media with #ONEbigidea.
Alltech is pleased to recognize Burnbrae Farms of Lyn, Ontario (left) and Shipwheel Cattle Feeders of Taber, Alberta (right) as recipients of the Alltech Canada Planet of Plenty Award.
