The Greek physician Hippocrates, often considered the father of medicine, was the first person recorded to suggest a relationship between nutrition and maintaining good health. In the thousands of years since, the effect of nutrition on health has gained a whole new perspective through a scientific area of study called “nutrigenomics.”

What is nutrigenomics?

Your pet’s genome consists of all of its genetic material, or DNA. It provides the basic information for your pet’s life. You can think of it as a blueprint, providing carefully drawn out plans for your pet’s healthy life. However, outside influences, such as the environment and nutrition, can have a strong impact on the expression of this genetic information, or essentially how that blueprint is read.

The canine and feline genome sequences were first reported in 2005 and 2007, respectively. These breakthroughs opened the door for cutting-edge research approaches to understand the molecular mechanisms behind everyday life. While knowing the DNA sequence of a genome is an essential first step, the real breakthroughs come from understanding how each of the genes in that sequence responds to outside influences and how this relates to health and disease.

By up-regulating (“turning on”) or down-regulating (“turning off”) genes, the body changes the levels of the proteins that make up structures and functions in the cells. This, in turn, alters physiological processes like energy production or immune response. Nutrigenomics is the field of research we use to study if changes in genes occur with changes in the animal’s diet. By understanding nutritional influences on the genome, we can understand how these responses impact animal health. Using DNA microarrays, the basis for nutrigenomic studies, allows researchers to evaluate the activity of thousands of genes at a time. These studies provide us with new tools for understanding how nutrients precisely work, why different forms of nutrients have different effects and how such nutrients can be optimized for health.

Nutrigenomics is disrupting the classical view of animal nutrition, allowing us to look at “you are what you eat” in a whole new light.

How can we use nutrigenomics in pet nutrition?

A vast amount of data is generated from nutrigenomic studies. From a single experiment, we find out how thousands of genes respond to a diet change. This slew of information can help elucidate the complex interactions between nutrition, an individual animal’s genetic code, and the onset or prevention of diseases and disorders. By considering these aspects of nutrient-gene interactions, we can ultimately design diets for the treatment or prevention of specific diseases. For instance, if we can understand the molecular changes that occur prior to the onset of joint inflammation and arthritis, we can potentially use nutrition to diminish these changes and prevent this disorder.

Nutrigenomics can also help us focus on the area of “precision nutrition.” This is especially important when considering the unique nutritional challenges of different breeds and life stages of pets. For instance, if a breed of dog is predisposed to a disease like obesity, researchers can use genomics to determine what changes occur in gene activity with the onset of disease. They can then test different diets to see what nutritional strategies can prevent these changes in gene expression.

Even further, we can use nutrigenomics to identify the unique nutrient requirements of different breeds, life stages or activity levels of pets. We can then use the information gathered to design appropriate and precise diets to these specific aspects, which will help ensure our pets experience optimal health and well-being.

Is this the future of nutrition?

The more we understand about nutrition, the more we can use it in the way Hippocrates envisioned, as a tool to fight disease and maintain good health. While the idea of personalized nutrition for pets is still a long way off, research in the field of nutrigenomics makes steps toward this ultimate goal every day. Even more important is that every bit of data generated in this quest helps us feed our pets better and make steps toward optimal health through nutrition.

Want to learn more?

“Having me on staff, a registered dietitian, working at an animal nutrition and crop science company is really unheard of.”

In one sentence, nutrition specialist Nikki Putnam spoke volumes about what distinguishes Alltech in the world of agriculture.

Yes, it’s an animal nutrition and crop science company, but it’s actually much more. And the reason for that is the three-decade guidance of its ACE principle: Alltech’s belief that new technologies and their adoption throughout the food chain will contribute to a more sustainable world. The principle mandates that any such technologies “must improve the health and welfare of Animals, satisfy Consumer demands and protect the Environment.”

This installment of our ACE series highlights Alltech’s quest to address the rise of the socially conscious consumer and their demand for healthy, safe and sustainably produced food.

Following through to the end of the food chain

We begin at the end. The end of the food chain, that is, and Putnam’s dot-connecting role at Alltech.

“It’s very rare in this industry to have someone who is solely focused on human nutrition helping to bridge the gap between what we’re doing in crop science research and production, what we’re doing with animal nutrition and animal science, and bringing that around to ‘How is this applicable to human health, nutrition and increasing well-being?’” said Putnam.

Accommodating the expectations of an evolving consumer culture presents its challenges.

“That culture has been changing a lot in the last five years, and we’re well-adapted to address it because we can say, ‘This is an organic product that is traceable through an organic production system. This is a product that is non-GMO; this is an antibiotic-free product,’” said Dr. Karl Dawson, vice president and chief scientific officer at Alltech.

“These types of products are arriving on grocery shelves now and in the restaurant,” he said. “Even fast food chains are using these terms. We try to build our sales and research programs around that.”

In fact, Alltech has partnered with the leading third-party audit for Whole Foods, Where Food Comes From, to become the flagship company for their Feed Verified program. This verification is important to Alltech because it provides clear, traceable assurance for claims, such as antibiotic-free, so consumers can trust and understand how their food was raised.

Listening to the consumer

Dr. Steven Borst, general manager of Alltech’s crop science division, would have enough on his plate focusing on the myriad issues associated with growing plants, but he also keeps in mind the needs and desires of the ultimate consumers of crops: humans.

“Consumers want to know that what they’re picking up in the supermarket is completely safe, is being grown in a manner that would be sustainable,” he said. “Consumers are demanding more accountability and more and more traceability. We’ve helped strengthen the ability for the consumer to know that.”

Alltech Crop Science is focused on providing natural inputs as viable alternatives to the synthetic chemicals that inspire consumer concerns and resistance.

“We’re improving our soil, increasing the nutrient availability by allowing the plant to uptake more nutrients,” said Dr. Kyle McKinney, Alltech Crop Science development manager for Central America and the Caribbean.

Agriculture is undergoing a mindset change

Borst finds farmers and producers increasingly sensitive to how their products are received in the marketplace. They are gravitating to a new, more expansive way of thinking.

“The mindset that says, ‘I need to spray X to kill Y in order to achieve excess yields,’ that silver bullet mentality has completely shifted,” he said. “Farmers are looking not just at boosting yields, but for ways to mitigate, say, a weed problem, and how does that impact the entire holistic system? That’s a major shift that we’ve started to see. It’s driven by farmers wanting to take better care of their land and come up with alternative ways to maximize profits, as well as the potential of their croplands and systems.”

No one, Borst said, cares more about the land and the environment than the farmer.

“There’s no more of a scientist than a farmer,” he explained. “We’re seeing continual management program and thought-process changes. That’s a relatively new phenomenon that’s occurred over the past 10 years. I would argue that when we started Alltech Crop Science, we were 30 years ahead of the curve in regard to this mentality. Now it’s starting to catch up.”

Banana growers are listening

Banana production in Costa Rica offers a clear example of how Alltech technology is replacing unsustainable practices.

The banana plantations of Costa Rica have been plagued by black sigatoka, also known as “black leaf streak,” a disease spread by the fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensis. For plantation owners, battling this disease has been a choice between frequent application of chemical fungicides or losing their crops.

“Producers want to reduce this (dependency on chemicals),” said McKinney, who is currently stationed in Costa Rica, working on solutions. “Consumers are demanding it and buyers are demanding it, so they’re looking for alternatives.”

The focus of McKinney’s current work is on two products from the Alltech Crop Science portfolio: Soil-Set® and Agro-Mos®.

Trials of the products transitioned early this year to commercial application.

“Starting in January of 2017, we went from zero hectares to over 3,000 hectares in one month,” said McKinney. “Producers saw and believed in the results and took the steps to reduce their chemical usage because here’s something that allows them to do it naturally, and they can feel good about it.”

Going to the source of a dietary imbalance

Consuming omega-3 fatty acids, mostly by eating fish, is associated with the prevention or reduction in severity of a multitude of ailments, from heart and kidney diseases and diabetes to Alzheimer’s disease and osteoarthritis, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

But in the Western world in particular, consumption of foods that deliver adequate levels of omega-3 is woefully low.

Human beings evolved on a diet with a ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids of approximately 1:1. But, in Western diets, the ratio is 15:1, according to the NCBI.

Numerous diseases are linked to this imbalance and a resulting serious deficiency of DHA, a compound contained in omega-3 fatty acids that, while essential to human health, is not produced by vertebrates.

“We’re trying to increase the amount of omega-3s that consumers are eating because when that ratio is out of whack, we see a lot of inflammation in the body,” said Putnam. "Inflammation is the root cause of all chronic disease — heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, etc.”

But, there’s a catch.

Omega-3 historically has been obtained from fish oil. Increasing demand, however, has pushed the world’s fisheries to or beyond capacity, with many of these ecosystems at risk of collapse.

The alternative to overfishing in the ocean is aquaculture. The fish farming industry’s own demand for fish oil and meal to feed its stocks, however, has only added to the pressure on ocean fisheries.

Alltech researchers have found a solution in Aurantiochytrium limacinum, one among the tens of thousands of named species of algae.

“We’re growing our own algae — the same algae that those fatty fish are consuming through their diets in the ocean,” said Putnam. “That’s what gives them their DHA and total omega-3 content in their tissues.

“So, instead of relying on those fatty fish in the ocean to provide us that fish oil or those omega-3 fatty acids, we’re growing that same strain ourselves,” she continued. “That way we can preserve the fish for protein sources and use our algae as the omega-3 or DHA source in aquaculture and livestock diets.”

These algal-based products are being produced at the Alltech Algae plant in Winchester, Kentucky, USA, one of the largest commercial algae production sites in the world.

Dr. Sasha Tozzi, the facility’s technical manager, said studies have found that balancing the omega-6/omega-3 ratio is associated with decreased mortality and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancer and inflammation among rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.

The benefits of the balance don’t stop there.

“It’s good for pregnant women and the early development of children to have a high-DHA diet because what mommy eats is what the baby eats,” said Tozzi. “You improve hand-eye coordination, visual acuity, motor skills, attention spans, verbal and social skills. And there are a lot of studies that show how different concentrations of intake of DHA at different ages really improves cognitive ability and behavior in children.”

Alltech’s growing portfolio of algae-derived products and applications are being marketed worldwide. The products are currently undergoing U.S. Food and Drug Administration registration and trials required for sales in the United States.

Reducing antibiotics in the food chain

The use of antibiotics in livestock has become a hot-button issue for consumers concerned about the effects to human health as well as the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

“Consumers are looking for alternatives,” noted Dr. Kristen Brennan, a research project manager at the Alltech Center for Animal Nutrigenomics and Applied Animal Nutrition in Nicholasville, Kentucky. “Some don’t want antibiotics to have been given to the animal proteins they buy. With our work, we can provide not just alternatives to antibiotics, but more viable alternatives.”

And, in a nod to the ACE principle, the goal has been to develop solutions that are beneficial to the animal, the producer and the consumer, said Brennan.

Simply eliminating antibiotics from production animals will not in and of itself solve the problem of antimicrobial resistance.

“We have created the problem over the past 70 years, and we can’t expect to resolve it overnight,” said Dawson. “We must turn the tables and address eliminating antibiotic resistance from the environment.”

In Dawson’s view, that means being forward-thinking by developing and implementing practices that keep production animals healthy, which reduces a need for antibiotics. This can be as basic as improved farm hygiene and more biosecure animal housing, bearing in mind that even the cleanest operations can still experience disease.

Strategic nutritional management programs are an important component as well. Among the alternatives to antibiotics are direct-fed microbials, prebiotics and plant extracts. Alltech is ahead of the curve, having pioneered antibiotic-free technologies since the company was founded in 1980. This has led to new innovations backed by 733 published trials, resulting in multiple developments in the area of antibiotic-free production.

The Alltech® Antibiotic-Free program starts by supporting the animal’s immune and digestive system and allows for periods of adjustment. As the producer advances to the next level, the program helps provide a gut health management approach. This includes seeding the gut with favorable gut microflora, feeding the beneficial bacteria and maintaining a proper intestinal environment, and weeding out unfavorable microorganisms to support immune defense.

The next step is the full Alltech Antibiotic-Free program, which provides a complete approach to animal well-being, including management, nutrition and technical support. The program supports animals with maximum health benefits through Alltech’s full range of technologies, allowing them to reach their genetic potential and helping producers to attain a sustainable and profitable future.

“Our goal is to make sure producers have the right tools and resources necessary to make this transition as safely and profitably as possible while still getting the consumer the quality product they want for themselves and their families,” said Aidan Connolly, Alltech vice president and chief innovation officer.

Environmentally friendly livestock

Today’s consumers also express worries about the environmental impacts of livestock.

“We look at the efficiency with which these animals produce food for humans,” said Alltech research project manager Dr. Amanda Gehman. “If we can have an efficient animal, that animal is by nature a more environmentally sustainable animal.”

Dawson agrees.

“The environmental impact follows,” he noted. “If you are putting less feed into an animal and having less waste material, then you’re talking about an immediate environmental impact, whether that’s the manure that is spread on the land or the methane that escapes from the cow or the pig.”

This attention to sustainability in livestock production matters not only to grocery store shoppers, but also to many restaurant executive chefs, including Jonathan Searle of the Louisville, Kentucky-based boutique hotel chain 21C Museum Hotels.

“Along with looking for the highest quality locally sourced beef, we’re actively looking for a provider that is environmentally aware and taking steps to lower their carbon footprint,” he said.

Alltech has harnessed the innovative power of biotechnology to offer a variety of solutions to many of the farm-level issues becoming of interest to consumers. Examples include:

• Alltech E-CO2 provides environmental assessment services to livestock producers, enabling them to closely monitor the carbon footprints of their operations.

• Optigen® is Alltech's non-protein nitrogen source for ruminants. It concentrates the nitrogen fraction of the diet, creating dry matter space for more fiber and energy. Optigen has become a solution to feed and environmental problems.

• Allzyme® SSF is based on an ancient process called solid state fermentation (SSF). A selected strain of (non-GMO) is used to work in synergy with the animal’s digestive system in breaking down layers of the feed that were previously inaccessible through digestion. With the increasing global population and need for food, it is essential that producers get optimal performance from their animals and their diets.

• Alltech® In Vitro Fermentation Model (IFM) is a diagnostic tool that simulates rumen fermentation and evaluates the nutritive value of total mixed rations in terms of digestibility and end-products formation. IFM can help nutritionists determine if protein supply may be limiting microbial protein production and help make recommendations to address that issue. In addition, IFM researchers can identify opportunities in the ration to take advantage of reformulation.

• Total Replacement Technology™ provides organic forms of trace minerals (zinc, copper, manganese and selenium) that are more bioavailable to the animal, reducing waste and heavy metal pollution.

• The BioBarrel®, an edible feed supplement container manufactured by Alltech’s Ridley Block Operations, is providing producers with an effective land management tool that can be used to regulate the movement of herds and prevent overgrazing.

• KEENAN, the Alltech-owned manufacturer of diet feeders, is increasing farm efficiency by producing an advanced optimal physical mix of feed that improves yield, quality and returns. The company’s InTouch service provides producers with live support from skilled nutritionists who offer key advice for better data-driven decision-making.

• Yea-Sacc® is a yeast culture based on a proprietary strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a yeast strain specifically selected for its influence on animal performance. Yea-Sacc helps stabilize the rumen environment for improved feed efficiency and is ideal for beef, dairy, calf and equine feeds.

Helping producers ACE the consumer connection

Today’s farmers are looking for technologies and products that help them provide consumers with quality meats, eggs, milk, fruit and vegetables, as well as information about the origins of foods and how it was produced.

Alltech, with a corporate culture that considers the entire food chain, from seed to steak and salad, is enabling the integration of innovative technologies with on-farm practices.

In our fourth and final installment, we will take a look at how ACE has evolved since its inception some 30 years ago and how it might be expected to carry the company and its customers forward into the future.

Take a look back at our ACE-ing sustainability series

“A” is for animal

“E” is for the environment

Americans sure do love their pets. With 68 percent of U.S. households owning a pet, we collectively spent $66.75 billion on our best friends in 2016. It goes without saying how much we care about them, and our concerns certainly include their health and the health of our family members who interact with them on a daily basis.

Because we have made our pets a part of our family, we want them to have the best we can offer in food and nutrition, always considering the source of the food, its ingredients and its quality. But the actual safety of their food goes beyond these important considerations.

When we think of pet food safety, there are two sides to this issue: the potential that the food could cause harm to our pets, and the possibility that the food could cause harm to family members who interact with them and their food.

If we consider food safety for the pet, then we could certainly mention the melamine scare of 2007. In that instance, pet foods were produced with vegetable protein tainted with melamine, an industrial chemical not approved as an ingredient in animal or human food in the United States. The tainted food led to renal failure in many cats and dogs, with some unfortunately dying from their illness. More information about this incident can be found at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website.

Another example of contaminants that may sicken our best friends is mycotoxins. These are naturally occurring toxins produced by molds. Mycotoxins can be associated with many plant products as a result of toxigenic molds growing on them. Even though the FDA has regulations and guidelines related to maximum allowed levels for some of these toxins in pet food, once in a while we have issues related to these compounds. One example would be from 2005, when aflatoxin-contaminated dog food was shipped to 22 different states and at least 29 different countries. Nineteen different types of pet foods had to be recalled.

The other aspect related to pet food safety is the safety of family members who interact with pets. In more than one instance, human illnesses have been associated with the handling of contaminated pet food. In one of these situations, in 2012, 49 individuals were infected with Salmonella infantis, and investigations found the source of the bacteria was the dry dog food offered by those individuals to their pets. This outbreak also triggered a recall of 17 product brands, representing more than 30,000 tons of dry dog food.

Lessons learned for better safety

All these incidents have served as painful lessons for the pet food industry, government and pet owners. Much has changed in regard to the implementation of pet food safety management systems by the industry: pet owners have become aware of the potential hazards associated with their pet’s food and guidelines have been promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help prevent outbreaks associated with Salmonella. In an effort to further increase the safety of foods for humans and animals, the FDA has also recently implemented a series of rules, known as the Food Safety Modernization Act, related to the processing of foods that will certainly contribute to reducing the occurrence of these incidents in the U.S.

If you would like to learn more about the hazards associated with pet foods, the tools used by the pet food industry to control them, new regulations that will support efforts to produce wholesome and safe pet foods, as well as some guidelines to keep your family safe while feeding your pets, be sure to check back on this blog. Future entries will be dedicated to each of these topics.

I want to learn more about pet nutrition.

What does it mean to “support the good guys” in relation to eggshell quality?

Dr. Kayla Price, poultry technical manager for Alltech Canada, discussed how eggshell quality is directly impacted by gut health and balancing our good microbes and potentially bad bacteria.

In the webinar “Egg-cellent shell quality: Learn the basics,” Price explained the essentials for a premium egg and the many different factors affecting eggshell quality. According to Price, producers must start thinking about egg development and quality as soon as the birds are in the pullet barn, where the skeleton, immune and digestive systems are developed. Proper development of these key systems creates a consistent growth pattern, maximizing the production from the layer.

Calcium: 94% of the eggshell

Price discussed the importance of calcium for a hen that is expected to lay almost an egg a day. Different feeding programs will have different calcium particle sizes, which directly affect how well calcium is absorbed. To get good performance out of the bird, we have to make sure we are maintaining the health of the gut to allow for proper calcium absorption. To do this, producers must supplement enough calcium in the feed for the bird to maintain her own health and produce an egg a day.

What about the minerals?

Price discussed how minerals contribute to the different stages of egg synthesis. Selenium protects the cells and integrity of the reproductive tract. Copper is important for eggshell development, pigments and collagen formation. Manganese aids the formation of the bone and organic matrix of eggshells and is a co-factor in glycoprotein enzyme for shell formation. And, finally, zinc helps bone and eggshell calcification, keratin shell membrane formation and eggshell carbonate production.

What else affects eggshell quality?

Click here to view the entire webinar and learn how nutrition, management, health, age, environment and genetics play a role.

Key takeaways from the webinar:

• How an egg is made and the role gut health plays in the creation of an egg
• The factors that influence a quality egg
• Programs to enhance eggshell quality

I would like a FREE Egg Shell Quality poster.

A 20th century vision that was ahead of its time remains so today, some 30 years after its conception: The Alltech ACE principle is a corporate “North Star,” serving as a guide to a more sustainable, healthier world.

The “A” in ACE is all about the animal and innovating ways to balance highly efficient and profitable livestock production with the seemingly conflicting imperatives of environmental stewardship and consumer demand.

A focus on precision nutrition

Alltech’s animal health and nutrition business revolves around the science of nutrigenomics — how diet impacts genetics — and a quest for a better understanding of how to feed an animal to its specific genetic potential.

An Alltech researcher reviews markers of gene expression, which provide a better understanding of how changes in the diet affect animals at the genetic level.

“The more efficient that we can make these animals, the better off we are because we can get more meat, milk or eggs per pound of feed,” noted Dr. Kristen Brennan, a research project manager at the Alltech Center for Animal Nutrigenomics and Applied Animal Nutrition. “The focus of the nutrigenomics that we do is to understand how nutrition influences animals on a molecular level and how that can lead to changes that we see in production, health and well-being.”

Good for the animal, producer, environment and us

Intensive livestock operations produce large quantities of animal waste, which can include high levels of ammonia, nitrogen, phosphate and trace minerals. However, proper animal nutrition can minimize the levels and impacts of these pollutants.

Alltech scientists are working to develop products that reduce methane emissions while improving the efficiency of the animal.

“These products must reduce methane emissions from the rumen without negatively impacting rumen fermentation and negatively impacting either the milk production or growth of beef animals,” said Dr. Amanda Gehman, Alltech research project director.

Finding that balance is also a focus at Alltech-owned KEENAN, the Ireland-based manufacturer of advanced diet feeders and software products.

“What we’re all trying to do is to increase feed conversion efficiency (FCE) on the farm,” said Conan Condon, director of KEENAN's InTouch live review and support service. “We want to increase production while decreasing the intake of the animals. By doing that, you will increase your FCE and reduce your carbon footprint.”

For Alltech Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Karl Dawson, a significant and all-encompassing ACE milestone was reached when the company introduced Optigen®, a non-protein nitrogen source for ruminants.

“That had a tremendous impact in terms of what it would do for animal feeds,” said Dawson. “It not only improved animal performance, it changed the way nitrogen is utilized in cattle. It made nitrogen efficiency much greater, and you have less nitrogen in waste.

“Nitrogen in waste is the precursor to one of the major greenhouse gases, nitrous oxide, which is a stronger greenhouse gas than methane,” he continued. “You can reduce greenhouses gases using that technology.”

Healthy animals, healthy humans

Dawson is equally focused on addressing today’s widely held consumer concerns about the use of antibiotics in livestock production as a growth promotant. Alternative solutions are being found in enzyme technologies that are becoming the backbone of Alltech nutritional programs and technologies.

“We have systems that can induce the same types of changes that antimicrobials have induced using these enzymes and manipulating what’s going on in the digestion process,” he said. “As time goes on, that is going to be a real game-changer.”

The potential for using low levels of these enzymes as additions to feed can be as powerful as any of today’s antimicrobials, according to Alltech researchers.

“We’re producing alternatives to antibiotics in the diet that satisfy both the needs of the farmer and the production needs of the animal and also make the consumer happy because those compounds are omitted from the diet,” noted Brennan.

Environment and economics — must they be at odds?

Environmental sustainability has appeared to be at cross purposes with economic growth and development. Achieving high efficiency has been thought to come at the expense of the food-producing animal and the environment.

“In general business, those two things can be at odds, but in cattle — and in animal agriculture, in general — efficiency really is the name of the game as far as producing less waste, less environmental pollutants per unit of milk, beef or eggs,” said Gehman. “But it’s also the same efficiency that can be applied to profitability.

“In cattle, methane is an indicator of waste, not just to the animal but also to profitability, so if that animal is burning off energy as a waste product and we can make the animal more efficient so that she retains more of that energy, that can be environmentally sustainable as well as profitable for the farm,” she continued.

Dr. Amanda Gehman, Alltech research project director, evaluates a total mixed ration using the Alltech® In Vitro Fermentation Model, or IFM. Improving digestibility of the diet can have a significant effect on producer profitability and environmental sustainability.

Gehman is now investigating in vitro testing (using the Alltech® In Vitro Fermentation Model, or IFM) as a means of evaluating the digestibility of various forages.

“We’re making that a regular test in order to fine-tune the rations, to address problems as they come and also address any opportunities to use an undervalued feed,” she said.

Minerally minded

While Gehman and her colleagues study ways to optimize ruminant digestion, other Alltech researchers have been focusing on how producers can feed substantially fewer organic trace minerals than inorganic trace minerals and get similar, if not better, performance.

Dr. Karl Dawson, vice president and chief scientific officer at Alltech, works with ICP-MS, instrumentation used to measure the proportion of minerals in feed or food samples and their distribution in biological matrices, animal tissues or human biological fluids. Methods such as ICP-MS are routinely used by Alltech researchers as they seek to define the true mineral requirements of animals.

The company’s mineral management program, Total Replacement Technology™ (TRT), has been at the forefront of a transition from inorganic trace minerals that are not efficiently digested — and even banned in some countries — to feeding reduced levels of organic minerals that animals can better utilize, reducing environmental pollution.

Steve Elliott, global director of the Alltech® Mineral Management team, said the company’s scientists are also looking at the interaction of trace minerals with other components in the diet, such as enzymes, vitamins and antioxidants.

“We’ve found that trace minerals can have a very negative impact on those other diet components,” said Elliott. “Research has now shown that, by using organic trace minerals, we avoid some of that conflict or interaction, thus allowing those other components to do what they’re put into the diet to do.”

Ending the reliance on fish oil and fish meal

Some methods of aquaculture have a very high environmental impact. A common sustainability problem in animal and aquaculture diets is the nutritional requirement of fish oil or fish meal, which is typically from wild fish.

The problem with fish oil — and this really goes to sustainability and the ACE principle — is that fish oil and fish meal demand have been increasing. Fisheries around the world are at capacity, and fishing more out of them risks collapsing them. The alternative is aquaculture, but in that case, there is not enough algae in the spaces that the fish occupy. You’re feeding the fish, and at this point, the ratio of conversion is that you have to 'squeeze' one fish to get enough fish oil to feed one fish. With demand increasing, that’s not sustainable, long-term.

Dr. Jorge Arias, Alltech’s global director for aquaculture, is optimistic about algae as an answer.

“We believe we have a real solution in our algae that will reduce reliance on fish oil while increasing the amount of DHA available to farmed fish and, ultimately, to consumers,” he said.

Sustainable seafood

To further address issues of fish farming, the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre recently opened in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands.

“This is a brand-new knowledge hub for the development of innovative fish nutrition solutions to tackle both the present and future challenges facing the aquaculture industry,” said John Sweetman, Alltech's European technical manager for aquaculture.

Those methods include products derived from microalgae that are fully safe, sustainable and traceable, while providing the nutritious DHA previously supplied by fish oils.

ACE-ing animal health and nutrition

Alltech takes a holistic approach to animal health and nutrition, mindful of what is best not only for the producer, but also the ruminant, fowl or fish that feed a growing population and the planet they all call home. This article has touched on but a few of the many products, programs and concepts provided by the global Alltech research and development community to live out its ACE principle commitment

Next in our series will be the “C” in ACE: the consumer. We’ll look at the many ways Alltech strives to respond to the expectations of the information-seeking “prosumer” of the 21st century.

Read ACE-ing sustainability: Part I, the environment.

Growth in poultry farming has been relentless. In fact, despite the continued preference for pork in Asia, current growth means that global chicken meat consumption will exceed that of pork by 2022. Egg consumption continues to grow as well because eggs are inexpensive, mild-tasting and easy to process and include in other foods. Universal acceptance by almost all cultures and all religions ensures that poultry will continue to prosper.

Although touted as the world’s most efficient protein, poultry producers actually manage their flocks with very limited information. Today, it takes 1.4 kilograms of feed to produce 1 kilogram of live-weight meat, and genetics offer the opportunity to reach a 1:1 ratio. Chicken producers know the birds’ weights when coming in and going out as well as average feed and water consumption. Egg farms at least have the daily data point of average egg production for a group of birds, but managing for averages makes production inefficiencies inevitable.

What would make for better poultry production?

• From a production standpoint, individual real-time body weights, feed and water consumption.
• From a husbandry and welfare perspective, knowing the stress levels in the bird and bird comfort assessed through body temperatures and air quality factors, such as carbon dioxide and ammonia.
• From a disease management outlook, the ability to spot disease or find morbid birds before the entire flock is affected.
• From a food safety perspective, enhanced Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli detection.
• From a food processing perspective, increased yield.

In the next 30 years, we will see another 3 billion people inhabit the Earth, and the middle class of urban dwellers will continue to rise. Poultry farming must respond. Farmers must farm data, not just chickens, and in doing so, harness new digital technologies and information to improve efficiencies and respond to the growing requirements of proactively engaged consumers (“prosumers”). These eight digital technologies provide a useful framework to describe the plethora of novel technologies arriving in the marketplace that can help producers manage their flocks in a more efficient and sustainable way.

3D printing prosthetics

What is the realistic future of 3D printing in the poultry industry? Poultry operations would benefit from the on-site printing of plastic or metal parts when the ones on the farm require replacing. The University of Western Australia’s head of mechanical and chemical engineering, Tim Sercombe, has developed a printer that would use a metal powder that represents about 20 percent of the total cost of the part. Smaller part sizes might take a day to complete, but when compared to ordering and waiting for delivery of a part, the potential to save downtime on a farm could be considerable. Aurora Labs is focusing its efforts on agriculture, citing the opportunity for rural or remote farmers in Australia to come to their own rescue!

One of the more inventive ways in which 3D printing can affect the poultry industry is through life-saving techniques. Reproducing feet, legs and even beaks has already been applied for pet birds. One example includes researchers from the University of Calgary, who created prosthetic feet for Foghorn the rooster after he lost both of his feet, most likely an unfortunate result of severe frostbite. Then there’s Dudley the duck, who received an entire prosthetic leg (including the knee joint!) from the combined efforts of a 32-year-old mechanical engineer and architect who worked with Proto3000, a 3D printing company based out of Ontario. Imagine the opportunity for preserving high-value breeding stock such as parents, grandparents or great-grandparents, where continuing the genetic line is critical.

Foghorn the rooster gets new feet! Picture courtesy of Riley Brandt/University of Calgary.

Robots doing the dirty work

One of the most practical applications of digital technology in the poultry industry is that of robots. There are a multitudinous number of repetitive tasks that robots could assist with. Poultry houses require nearly constant attention — cleaning and sanitizing, collecting eggs and checking birds. This is time-consuming, monotonous work, but it would not bother a robot. Additionally, robots are more precise, thorough and honest about the work they do compared to their human counterparts. An article by Benjamin Ruiz also points out how robots can help from a human welfare standpoint.

Check out Wageningen University’s video demonstrating a robot that detects and picks up each egg with great care.

France-based Octopus Robots designs entirely autonomous robots to prevent and control disease and infection in poultry houses. The bots also evaluate environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, ammonia, sound and brightness.

Image courtesy of Tibot Robotics.

Another French robotic company, Tibot, explains that robots can discourage chickens from laying eggs on the floor and also keep the birds moving for an added health benefit. These attributes can result in cost-savings for producers in product and labor while appealing to welfare advocates.

For more specialized tasks, including feeding and monitoring, Metabolic Robots designed robotic feeders that can increase feed efficiencies, lower mortality rates and alert the producer to potential disease concerns. “Nanny robots” are used by Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group) to maintain healthy flocks of around 3 million laying hens. If the robots detect an ill bird, humans are alerted and the bird is removed immediately. These automations will reduce outbreaks of bird flu and foodborne illnesses, improving the safety of the entire supply chain from producer to consumer. Also with safety in mind, Tyson recently announced the opening of its high-tech hatchery in Springdale, Arkansas. The operation spans 75,000 square feet (7,500 square miles) and hosts six robotic arms designed to replicate tasks that would otherwise result in worker fatigue.

Drones

The opportunity for drones in chicken houses may seem a little farfetched. There is concern that the drone could make the flock nervous and cause undue stress. To this point, an experiment by Georgia Tech in 2015 showed the birds were not yet ready for this technology, compared to robots, which are probably better suited for indoor tasks anyway.

Free-range or yard-kept chickens and turkeys that roam fields freely would be a better application for drone technology, which could herd, protect and monitor them. Adaptation of avian species to drones would probably require training but will most likely succeed outdoors.

Sensors

Sensors probably represent the easiest of the eight technologies to implement. This is partly due to lower implementation costs, but also because the benefits are immediately recognized. Big Dutchman is one of the top names in modern poultry housing. Its DOL 53 is a sensor designed to measure ammonia, a common problem in many hen houses. Both SKOV and Filipino Poultry use sensors to regulate and control the climate in the house, including ventilation and temperature. Rotem’s sensor is designed for carbon dioxide monitoring, which can reduce the negative effects high carbon dioxide concentrations can have on layers and breeders, resulting in significant cost savings. Greengage has a unique lighting system using sensors and LED bulbs to create a consistent lighting environment that stimulates better growth efficiencies in birds and also reduces costs.

From a wearable sensor perspective, researchers — and even farmers — could gain a lot of insight into the health and well-being of broilers, layers, turkeys and ducks. Fitted with RFID tags, poultry could then be observed in a more natural environment, giving researchers the opportunity to learn from the animals. This information could be evaluated to determine everything from natural behaviors to inefficiencies in diet, greatly increasing the opportunity to help with production efficiencies. Studies conducted at the University of Michigan have used sensors to analyze how chickens use space in their pens in order to better understand how to design non-cage systems for the comfort and well-being of the hens.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

AI technologies have become the backbone of many other technologies. Robots, for example, use AI in the processing plant to improve efficiencies. Through a collaboration of efforts, iPoultry is a high-tech automated processing system first demonstrated at VIV Europe. Automating a procedure such as chicken deboning requires recognition of the shape and size of each chicken and individual adaptation. Artificial intelligence is the perfect technology for this application. Consider that a computer can analyze the difference in density and structure of meat versus bone, thereby making the most precise cut possible. This is a great example of combined technologies: robots perform the work that AI instructs them to do based on the data that sensors collect. The Gribbot by SINTEF is one such robot that can debone a chicken in two to three seconds, replacing up to 30 human operators! When combined with machine vision, companies like Gainco are also creating processors to achieve high productivity.

Companies such as Porphyrio, PMSI, Impex Barneveld and Intelia all use AI to monitor and control the environment of the house. Sensors collect the information, software tracks it and AI adjusts the conditions of the house or alerts the farmer if there is a potential issue, such as an ill bird. All this information can be transferred to the farmer’s iPad or smartphone. This is all done in real time and can curb concerns and small issues before they become disastrous to the entire flock. Aside from saving humans from doing these tasks, there are opportunities for cost savings, such as optimized feed consumption and climate control, increased production through healthier flocks because of cleaner water and better systems management. All of this information can be stored and analyzed to increase uniformity in production, which will ultimately increase performance and overall flock health.

Another AI application? Chicken translators! Many a poultry producer will attest that the sounds of the flock indicate health, comfort and overall well-being. By listening to and understanding the sounds of a healthy flock, producers can be tuned in to signals of distress and have a better chance of reducing stress or distress early on.

A form of AI, machine vision, has been used to grade eggs as well as determine defects such as cracking or internal blood spots. It can also be used in assessing infertility in incubation by scanning eggs and learning which are fertile and which are not. An algorithm is then created, enabling the machine to determine the accuracy of fertility by over 98 percent by day five of incubation.

A research study in Brazil used AI to better understand hen behavior and the difference in interactions when under thermal stress versus a comfortable environment. Specifically, they tapped into an area of research known as artificial neural networks, which makes it possible to “teach” computers how to do tasks using visual references and understand patterns. This was important because it reduced the chances that a researcher’s presence would alter the hen’s behavior, removed any subjectivity or misconception from the researcher’s standpoint, and allowed for a more precise calculation of the overall well-being of the hens.

This technology has allowed a significant challenge within the layer industry to be overcome. Layers, of course, are designed to produce eggs for consumption. To replace laying hens, farmers have to incubate some eggs, but they cannot tell until they are hatched which are male and which are female. The ability to sex the eggs was the undertaking of Vital Farms, which has teamed up with Israeli technology company Novatrans to create Ovabrite. Using terahertz spectroscopy, the system can identify male eggs immediately after laying and sell them as unfertilized eggs for the farmer, allowing for significant cost savings within the layer industry.

Augmented reality

Augmented (or enhanced) reality is the ability to see things that the human eye cannot, using the non-visible spectrums of light, or to overlay information, including data interpretation, alongside what the person sees. The possible uses of the technology are wide-ranging, but so far, there are a few examples of real commercial applications.

Georgia Tech had a student project in which it investigated the use of AR in the processing plant. The application of AR allows trimmers in factories to see how to cut the chicken carcass and accurately remove defective parts of the meat. Two methods are being tried. One is using a head-mounted display in which the trimmer could see a graphical overlay on each bird indicating the best location for cutting. Alternatively, the project also tested a laser scanner that was mounted near the processing line and indicated directly onto each bird where to make the cuts. The latter was generally considered more cost-effective, as all workers could use the same equipment.

Apart from the benefits for farmers or processors, consumers may be the key to implementation. Transparency is becoming critical, as is having the ability to know where and how food is produced. Australian-based CHOICE offers all iPhone and Android users a free app that allows consumers to scan a code on the egg carton and download detailed information on where the eggs are from and information relating to their welfare conditions.

Virtual reality (VR)

The most obvious application for VR in the poultry industry is training, particularly processing. It could teach line workers in the processing plant the ideal way to trim meat from birds. Applied to free-range layer houses, it could teach employees how to walk through the house without frightening the birds, find errant eggs and check on hens. An example of VR is how McDonald’s has teamed up with The Lakes Free Range Egg Company to give customers an immersive virtual tour of the farm’s hen houses, ranges and pack houses. This technology is, however, expensive, and implementation is likely to be slow.

Another eccentric option is to give the virtual reality experience to the chickens. Created by professor Austin Stewart at the University of Iowa, Second Livestock is a conceptual company that allows chickens to enjoy the free-range experience while remaining contained within the safety of the poultry house. The idea is that chickens are equipped with a virtual headset and see through a screen projection using goggles. In this way, chickens can be raised anywhere, even in urban areas, and feel the freedom of their virtual world, free from predators. While this company may not actually be producing these products, it is important to recognize that the technology is there and is on its way to becoming increasingly more affordable.

Is this the future of chicken farming? Image courtesy of Second Livestock.

Blockchain

Blockchain’s opportunity in the poultry industry is its ability to resolve food safety and transparency issues. Walmart, Unilever, Nestlé and other food giants are working with IBM using blockchain technology to secure digital records and monitor supply chain management, ensuring traceability of the poultry products sold in stores. Blockchain can be used to monitor all aspects of the food supply chain, from farmers and producers to processors and distributors. This is Walmart’s third experiment with blockchain, and the increasing interest of other large food conglomerates demonstrates the unique capabilities of this technology.

ZhongAn Technology has launched a technology incubator to develop blockchain technologies, citing that there is an expectation of specific applications within the poultry industry. The Chinese consume about 5 billion chickens a year but prefer dark meat rather than the breast meat favored by American consumers. Recently, the country has been allowed to export cooked chicken to the United States, and blockchain could be a way to alleviate any concerns about sourcing and production methods, eventually opening the way for raw exports.

Internet of things (IoT)

The internet of things is listed separately from the other eight technologies because it is the technology that connects all the others. For example, ZhongAn is working to make chicken production safer and will utilize a collaboration with Wopu, a company that specializes in the internet of things. IoT connects many of the sensors in a hen house to a smartphone, iPad or other devices, which is the case with SmartPoultry.

A paper by Rupali Bhagwan Mahale gives detailed insight into the applications of IoT in farm monitoring with a focus on the poultry industry.

LX IoT Cores offers technologies for improved efficiencies within the poultry sector through the use of combined sensor applications using cloud-based technologies and smart farming applications. M-Tech Systems offers a software package to track and trace all elements of the farm, including information gathered from sensors, but also potentially from various sources, from robots to veterinary activity and upstream supplier information. This overall management of the entire chain offers incredible advancements to traceability, which is becoming increasingly important to all food production worldwide. Cargill’s TechBro Flex takes a producer’s own data and creates predictive analytic options, allowing the customer to choose their path based on a choice of strategic scenarios.

The big data advantage

As we can collect more information on animals, including the bacteria in their digestive tract and how they respond to nutrition at the gene level, it becomes clear that farmers are learning how to manage vast amounts of data as much as they previously understood how to manage their animals. "Farming the data" to predict an individual animal’s growth requires the ability to interpret "big data." Alltech has been creating complex algorithms to interpret the information they are collecting regarding the microbiome, nutrigenomics and pathogens, such as campylobacter or antibiotic resistant bacteria. Nutrigenomics allows us to generate information to feed the animal precisely, and DNA profiling helps us know exactly what specific bacteria are present. Without powerful data analysis, there is no way to take advantage of this.

As we can collect more information on animals including the bacteria in their digestive tract and how they respond to nutrition at the gene level, it becomes clear that farmers are learning how to manage vast amounts of data as much as they previously understood how to manage their animals. ‘Farming the data’ to predict an individual animal’s growth requires the ability to interpret ‘Big data’. Alltech has been creating complex algorithms to interpret information they are collecting of the microbiome, nutrigenomics and track pathogens, such as campylobacter or antibiotic resistant bacteria. While nutrigenomics allows us to generate information to feed the animal precisely, and DNA profiling to know exactly what specific bacteria are present. Without powerful data analysis there is no way to take advantage of this.

It is estimated that the world poultry production will increase 120 percent from 2010 to 2050. In order to meet this demand, feed conversion ratios and other production efficiencies must continue to improve. The incorporation of digital technologies, such as those listed above, will greatly aid in these efficiencies and help poultry producers to rise to the demands and meet the increasing needs of a global population.

The framework for these eight technologies was first proposed in a PwC article.

It was several decades ago when Alltech founder Dr. Pearse Lyons established the agricultural biotechnology company’s “ACE principle.” He believed the future of profitably growing food to feed the planet would depend on an approach that would be beneficial, efficient, safe and sustainable for the animal, consumer and environment alike. Each element of ACE would need to be kept in mind and in balance with one another.

“Dr. Lyons decided from the beginning that it was not going to be a chemical or antibiotic-based approach to food-animal nutrition,” said Dr. Kate Jacques, Alltech's director of nutrition, recalling what persuaded her to join the company more than 30 years ago. “They were going to dump money into research to find new ways around it. Thirty years ago, that was a very radical idea.”

Part one of this four-part series on the Alltech ACE principle focuses on the “E” portion of ACE and how the needs of the agriculture industry can be addressed while reducing farming’s impact on the environment.

It began with yeast

“The ability to use live yeast in beef and dairy cattle diets to improve efficiency is probably the number one driving force that got the company started,” recalled Dr. Karl Dawson, vice president and chief scientific officer at Alltech, another early recruit.

“The next thing that came out of that was the realization that we could take yeast apart and produce derivatives that led to a series of materials that improve animal performance and growth,” he continued. “They’re not antibiotics; they’re not chemicals; they are a natural material that promotes growth, improving efficiency and impacting the way livestock are influencing the environment.”

Walk the talk

The belief that the company itself should embody an ethos of sustainability has inspired the development of company-wide environmental criteria.

“The Alltech Environmental Management System is structured to the requirements of ISO 14001, the international standard for environmental management,” said Mark Jones, health, safety and environment systems manager in the Alltech office in Stamford, England. “The requirements of ISO 14001 talk about your environmental policy, your objectives and targets, and communication. But, mainly, it talks about your commitment and leadership across the business.”

Alltech’s European headquarters in Dunboyne, Ireland, is working on achieving ISO 14001 certification.

At Alltech’s European headquarters in Dunboyne, Ireland, Jones is working with a sustainability committee through the process of achieving ISO 14001 certification. The Dunboyne office began pursuing this cerfication as it was becoming more common for other companies or customers to inquire if they were ISO 14001-certified when choosing to work with them. They believe that having this quality standard in place will demonstrate their commitment to improving environmental performance.

The National Standards Authority of Ireland recently granted this prestigious status to the Alltech-owned KEENAN, the Ireland-based manufacturer of advanced diet feeders and software products. The company is focusing on four areas that it wants to bring under control, including transport, procurement, air emissions and waste management.

KEENAN has been awarded ISO 14001 certification.

Corralling carbon

Another important certification has come from Europe’s Carbon Trust for Alltech E-CO2, an agri-environmental farm efficiency software and consultancy company specializing in farm-level environmental carbon and water assessments.

While the degree of agricultural contribution to greenhouse gases remains in debate, Alltech E-CO2 is working with farmers to help them know exactly where their operations fit into the emissions picture. The company provides comprehensive carbon audits and calculates total farm carbon footprint.

“If you want to look at a carbon footprint, you need to have an accurate estimate of what’s going to happen when you feed alfalfa hay or grain to the animal,” said Dawson. “This allows you to do that.”

Alltech E-CO2 recently surveyed 58 dairy farms in Europe to gather carbon footprint information. The audit identified areas for improvement in milk production, animal health and reproduction. As a result, the farms made recommended changes in management and nutritional programs.

Six months later, Alltech E-CO2 revisited the farms for follow-up evaluations. Greenhouse gas emissions had been reduced by 2.8 pounds per cow per day. In addition, the audit found the farms were averaging a 2-pound increase in milk, with reduced incidence of mastitis, metritis and lameness. Between increased milk yield and improved fertility and health, farm profits were estimated to have increased by $253 per cow per year.

Alltech E-CO2 clients are provided with an interactive tool that lets them determine on their own the amount of greenhouse gas emissions being produced by their operations.

“The What If tool offers a quick point in time,” said Andrew Wynne, general business manager at Alltech E-CO2. “You have a conversation with a farmer, and within five minutes, they have information on where they have the best chances of making improvements. It’s really quite visual and quick.”

The tool is also available in versions designed for beef and lamb producers.

Just eat the whole thing

Even the matter of how feed supplements are provided to cattle hasn’t escaped environmental consideration.

The Alltech-owned Ridley Block Operations manufactures the BioBarrel®, an edible feed supplement container that is literally eaten along with the supplements. Think of it as an ice cream cone for cows.

The BioBarrel is made from 100 percent renewable materials and is designed to degrade as livestock consume the low-moisture block it contains.

The low-moisture block supplement is manufactured by heating up molasses and then cooling it into a very hard block that can only be licked, providing additional protein, vitamins and minerals to grazing herds. Low-moisture blocks feed the rumen’s microbes, giving the microbes the ability to break down mature/dry forage efficiently and convert it into energy.

The product is also beneficial to the producer.

Additionally, the BioBarrel can have a significant impact on land management and conservation. The barrels can be strategically placed to attract cattle to areas that were previously unused, giving them an incentive to remain there long enough that a good share of the forage is utilized.

A solution to increasing regulations on mineral pollution

Livestock in many parts of the world have been overfed inorganic forms of trace minerals, such as copper, manganese and zinc, to offset their inefficient digestibility. As a result, the excess ends up in manure.

“Many countries around the world have already passed legislation restricting the use of trace minerals because this overfortification has led to pollution,” noted Steve Elliott, global director of the mineral management team at Alltech.

“Some of the levels of trace minerals, particularly zinc and copper, have gotten so high that it’s actually above the legal limit to spread out into fields for use of growth of forages and/or grain, and now we’re stuck with it,” he continued. “It’s many, many tons of excretion that are above the legal limit to actually spread for fertilizer. That’s becoming a big issue all around the world.”

Alltech is a leading producer of organic trace minerals for livestock. These organic minerals can be fed in much lower levels than inorganic minerals because they are more efficiently and thoroughly digested by the animal.

The company’s Total Replacement Technology™ (TRT) is helping producers comply with increasing anti-pollution regulations by offering a way to feed fewer minerals to their livestock and get optimal performance results.

“We’re talking about 75 percent less of these environmental contaminants being produced by a cow or a pig,” said Dawson. “That is a tremendous impact. And, in places like the Netherlands, where they have a cap on the levels of copper and zinc that can spread on the soil, it allows you to grow about three times as many animals on the same amount of feed and land.”

TRT has been used in most production species: swine, poultry, cattle, as well as in many different phases of poultry production, whether egg-producing layer birds, broilers or breeders.

This same concern about how trace minerals impact the environment is shared in Alltech’s crop science division.

“We are extremely concerned with sustainability,” said Dr. Steven Borst, general manager of Alltech Crop Science. “The minerals that we incorporate into the plant nutrient side of the business meet the same quality standards that we adhere to on the Alltech feed and animal side.

“No one cares more about land and the environment than a farmer,” he continued. “They understand what’s occurring from a biological perspective. Their cropland is like another child to them. They want to produce as much as they possibly can without compromising their soil for the future."

Supporting China’s ag revolution

China is turning its attention to the impact of livestock production on the environment, and on soil in particular.

One-fifth of Chinese soil is fallow, “a consequence of exposure to heavy metal contaminants,” according to a bulletin issued by China’s Ministries of Environmental Protection and Land and Resources.

In recent years, hundreds of thousands of small farms across China have been forced out of operation as Beijing has carried out a campaign to clean up the world's biggest livestock sector, according to Reuters.

Alltech is engaged in a survey project in China to investigate pollution levels of minerals and heavy metals in animal manure. Current levels of copper, iron, manganese and zinc are very high. But the application of Alltech’s Bioplex® trace minerals has not only significantly reduced mineral release in manure — it has also decreased levels of heavy metals such as chromium, according to Alltech researchers.

And in March of 2017, the company signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Soil and Fertilizer Alliance of China (SFAC) to improve soil quality and protect the environment from further degradation.

Dr. Mark Lyons, Alltech’s global vice president and head of Greater China, is vice president of the Soil and Fertilizer Alliance of China (SFAC), which aims to improve soil quality and protect the environment from further degradation.

Under the agreement, Alltech is sharing its expertise in microbiology, enzyme technology and nutrigenomics with SFAC to enhance environmental agriculture research in China.

“Alltech has solutions to help livestock farms reduce pollution in animal manure, compost manure to a higher quality of organic fertilizer and improve crop and animal health and performance by adding nutritional value more naturally through our research-based technologies,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, Alltech’s global vice president and head of Greater China, who has been named vice president of the SFAC.

ACE-ing it across the board

From offering sustainable solutions and expertise in environmentally challenged China to providing viable, environment-friendly alternatives to inorganic trace minerals, chemicals and even plastic feed containers, these examples highlight the many ways Alltech is living up to a late-‘80s commitment to sustainable agriculture.

The ACE principle is carrying forward a deeply embedded corporate-wide focus on safely sustaining the feeding of a world population that is beginning to outgrow the planet’s resources.

Next in our ACE series: a look at the “A” in ACE. We’ll examine Alltech nutritional technologies and feeding strategies that result in healthier, better-performing, more efficient food-producing animals, with a view toward sustainability and reduced environmental impact.

Fumonisin is commonly found in corn at levels of 2 parts per million (ppm) or less, but in recent years, testing has confirmed levels well above 30 ppm, and some even above 100 ppm. Livestock producers should be aware of the fumonisin contamination when purchasing grain because, when consumed by animals, fumonisin toxicity affects several of their biological systems, leading to reduced feed intake and efficiency and liver damage. Understanding the effects of these mycotoxins in cattle feed is key to maintaining animal health and productivity.

Mycotoxins in contaminated feeds have differing effects on animals. 

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of molds and fungi that infect plants. More than 500 mycotoxins have been identified, and most animal feedstuffs are likely to be contaminated with multiple mycotoxins. The effects of mycotoxins vary, as each mycotoxin has its own specific impact on the animals consuming the contaminated feeds.

The Fusarium species are the predominant types of mold that contaminate crops and, eventually, animal feed. Ranging from white to pink or red in color, these molds are associated with wet conditions and moderate temperatures, especially following insect or hail damage. They are found worldwide, largely in corn. Fusarium molds produce several mycotoxins, including fumonisin, deoxynivalenol (vomitoxin) and zearalenone, with higher concentrations in the stalks and cobs than in the grain.

Signs of fumonisin in cattle

While cattle are generally resistant to many of the negative effects of mycotoxins, thanks to the degradation of the compounds by rumen microbes, high levels of mycotoxins in feeds can significantly impact animals. Fumonisin, in addition to not being significantly degraded in the rumen, is also not well-absorbed. The majority of fumonisins consumed by cattle are passed out in the feces. However, fumonisins can overwhelm the gut and cause significant issues in cattle.

The presence of fumonisin in the feed reduces palatability and, as a result, slows intake. Cattle may stand off a bunk contaminated with high levels of fumonisin. Calves without fully developed rumens and animals that are dealing with stressful situations, such as weaning or transportation, have an increased sensitivity to fumonisin due to reduced rumen fermentation and weakened immune functions.

Fumonisin can negatively impact animal health:

Even low levels of fumonisin affect gut health.

The gastrointestinal tract is impaired when cattle consume mycotoxins. Gut epithelial cells need protection from direct interaction with microbes and the gut environment. Specialized cells in the epithelium provide this protection. One example of these specialized cells is goblet cells, which produce mucus, coating the epithelial cells to lubricate and protect them from the contents of the gut. Intestinal cells also have specialized structures to form tight junctions, limiting the passage of molecules between cells. These mechanisms and others work in concert to prevent pathogen colonization and systemic access by toxins and pathogens.

Although fumonisin is poorly absorbed and metabolized by cattle, it induces disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract. Rumen motility can slow down, resulting in the increased exposure of the intestinal epithelium to the effects of fumonisin and other mycotoxins. Even low amounts of mycotoxins in cattle feed can impair intestinal health and immune function, resulting in altered host-pathogen interactions and an increased susceptibility to disease. The epithelial cells in the gastrointestinal tract are damaged by fumonisins, reducing the mucin layer thickness, tight junction strength and cell proliferation and, ultimately, increasing the opportunity for pathogen invasion.

Fumonisin has toxic effects on the liver and kidneys.

An analysis of tissues from cattle fed Fusarium in high doses indicated that the majority of fumonisin absorbed is retained in the liver, with lesser amounts retained in the muscles and kidneys. This accumulation is concerning, as fumonisin is toxic to the liver and kidneys and causes apoptosis, followed by the proliferation of regenerative cells in the affected tissues. Fumonisin also reduces the antioxidant levels in the liver, decreasing the animal’s defense mechanisms. This leads to liver lesions and elevated enzymes that are indicative of liver damage.

Fumonisins interrupt sphingolipid synthesis and metabolism.

The disruption of sphingolipid metabolism is the mechanism underlying much of fumonisin’s negative impact in the body. Sphingolipids are specific types of fats that protect cells from environmental damage by forming a stable, chemically resistant layer on the cell membrane. Fumonisins disrupt cell signaling by inhibiting ceramide synthase, interrupting sphingolipid synthesis and metabolism, and can alter the morphology of affected cells. This reduces cellular stability and protection, leading to cell death and significant alterations to cellular metabolism and cell-to-cell communication. 

Mycotoxins can increase susceptibility to diseases.

Calves that consume fumonisin experience decreased immune function, due in part to the impairment of lymphocyte development. Sphingolipid metabolism in immune cells is involved in the signaling pathways that control lymphocyte development, differentiation, activation and proliferation. Lymphocytes are the white blood cells that are important for maintaining a strong antigen response. These lymphocyte-related problems mean that consuming Fusarium molds can increase an animal’s susceptibility to diseases and reduce vaccine efficacy.

Handling contaminated feed in your beef cattle operation

Unfortunately, once mycotoxins are formed in the plant, there is no commercial method of removing them from contaminated feeds. Harvesting and storing contaminated crops at low moisture levels (i.e., less than 15%), along with the separation of highly contaminated feeds, is important in order to reduce the risk of mold growth and mycotoxin production in uncontaminated grain.

While the European Commission recommends that adult cattle can tolerate fumonisin levels of up to 50 ppm in diets, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s guidance for fumonisins recommends a maximum concentration of 30 ppm in the diet of feedlot cattle, 15 ppm for breeding stock and 10 ppm for calves. Furthermore, contaminated corn or corn byproducts should contribute no more than 50% of the diet. It is crucial to check the level of fumonisin in the complete diet, as it can be three times more concentrated in corn byproducts, such as distillers grains and corn gluten feed, and 10 times more concentrated in corn screenings.

If contaminated feeds must be used to feed cattle, elevators may blend the corn to reduce the fumonisin concentration to acceptable levels, or producers can include feed additives to mitigate the risk of mycotoxins. As fumonisin is associated with reduced feed consumption, there is a concern that low levels of fumonisin can interact with other mycotoxins, reducing the growth of calves and slowing the weight gain of feedlot cattle. Fumonisin contamination can be especially detrimental to newly received cattle and calves, preventing them from getting off to a healthy start.

Testing services like Alltech® 37+ and Alltech® RAPIREAD® can help producers and feed mills assess their mycotoxin risk so that the appropriate management and nutritional measures can be put in place.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my beef cattle.

Environmental control in pig housing is important for animal growth and health. Modern farms have computer-controlled systems that are adjusted automatically to optimize the environment depending on the stage of growth or reproduction, based on ideal temperature curves established from research and models. For example, for growing pigs, temperature needs to decrease by set amounts as they increase in body weight. However, it is important to ensure the correct growth curve is selected in any automated system to account for breed, age and health of the animals.

When animals have been moved to new housing, perhaps following weaning, it may take several days for them to adjust to their surroundings and the new supply of water and feed, and feed intake may drop during this time. The environmental temperature will need to be held at a higher level, compared to their weaning shed, until they have adapted suitably and resumed consumption and growth. Therefore, although computer-controlled systems are very useful, management by personnel and suitable reactions regarding changes in the regulation of temperature are still key to ensuring the growth and health of the pigs.

Relative humidity

Relative humidity (RH) is defined as the ratio of air-water vapor at a specific temperature compared to the maximum amount of water vapour the air could hold, expressed as a percentage. Under normal, ambient temperatures, pigs can tolerate wide ranges of RH, although RH is still used to assess air quality in housing, and RH should be maintained between 60 percent and 90 percent. Nasal mucosa can be severely reduced in very dry housing conditions (low RH), leading to an increased risk of developing health problems from airborne pathogens, particularly those of the respiratory tract. Conversely, in wet conditions with higher RH, pathogens present in water droplets increase exposure to disease.

For nursery pigs, high RH can be a problem when the ambient air temperature is low, as automated ventilation systems reduce the amount of fresh air circulating within the house, allowing RH to increase to problematic levels. Under these conditions, an increase in respiratory disease can occur, which may affect the health and growth of the pigs. Intervention by management personnel is required under these conditions to ensure ventilation rates are maintained. Additional space heaters can be used to get the house up to temperature before moving the piglets.

In modern housing systems, both temperature and RH can be controlled automatically via sensors. However, care is needed with these, as they can become damaged during clean out and power washing. Their accuracy should be verified on a regular basis using handheld and empirical devices.

Today’s high-quality pet foods include a number of functional ingredients to improve the overall health of our beloved pets. Some of these ingredients claim improved digestive health and better stool quality, which is especially important to on-the-go urban pet parents living in small spaces — less mess to pick up.

Today’s pet food choices are quite extensive, from specific breeds, sizes, life stages and activity levels to allergies and sensitivities. The choice overload can make the purchasing decision an intimidating task for some pet parents, especially for first-timers.

How can we make choosing what to feed Fido easier? Let’s take a closer look at functional ingredients and why you might want to consider finding a food that contains them.

Functional ingredients in pet nutrition

Functional ingredients are ingredients that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition, such as prebiotic fibers, beneficial probiotic bacteria, omega-3 fatty acids (DHA/EPA) and enriched selenium yeast.

Why should I look for functional ingredients in a pet food label?

Functional ingredients can provide health benefits when part of a complete and balanced diet. Prebiotics and probiotics have been reported to positively influence and maintain normal digestive health.

The food you choose could cut time poop scooping

The amount of pet waste correlates to the amount of indigestible content in the food. A healthy stool is moist and firm and has a mild smell. Prebiotics and probiotics in your pet’s food would help maintain normal digestion, minimizing issues that could create messy and smelly stools.

What is that smell?

Your pet’s waste is just residues from digestion. Bacteria decomposition and ammonia production occurs inside the intestine and then is released with the feces. Smell can be a challenge, particularly in confined spaces with poor ventilation.

Yucca schidigera: The secret of the desert

Yucca schidigera is a plant that grows in the southwestern deserts of the United States and Mexico. It has mainly been used for ammonia and odor control in livestock production, but it has application in pet foods that have high meat content because of its efficacy in helping metabolize protein and nitrogen.

How do I know if my pet food contains functional ingredients?

Ingredients are listed by the name required by the regulatory authorities. Here is an example of how some functional ingredients may be listed on the label:

• Beneficial probiotic bacteria (e.g.,Lactobacillus strains)

• Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA/EPA): Marine sources are best, such as fish oil and algae.

• Selenium (e.g., selenium yeast)