Gene Goenner is a technical dairy expert with Alltech. Below is an edited transcript of his recorded comments on optimizing feedstuffs. 

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I want to talk to you a little bit today about feedstuffs: in particular, different ingredients and total mixed rations. We know that a herd’s diet is made up of multiple ingredients. For example, when we have a grain mix, a nutritionist is going to add up to 30 different ingredients that will mix together into a balanced diet for the animal.

A cow at a high production level is going to have the ability to consume approximately 50–60 pounds of the feedstuff a day. She has an outstanding ability for taste and smell, much better than we as humans have, so we are balancing this diet with all of these different ingredients to create a diet that is not only nutritionally balanced, but also palatable.

Maximize performance

When nutritionists look at a diet, we try to figure out the cow’s production level. This includes her milking performance, her reproduction performance and maximizing her overall health. Making a high-quality, balanced diet for a healthy animal will help her to perform, do well on a farm and be profitable for the producer.

TMRs

One of the problems we have when feeding a ration is that we include feed ingredients that animals prefer, and they will sort through to find individual ingredients. So, what we do to avoid that is running the feedstuff through a mixer to make what we call a TMR (total mixed ration), in which we combine all these ingredients together into one diet. We do that to create uniformity and to keep these cows consuming their diet consistently. Cows are great at finding the feedstuff that is more palatable to them and will look for that “goodie” or that “candy” in their diet.

It is crucially important to have the feedstuff in the TMR mixed effectively to maintain performance levels at high volumes and uphold good health.

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The following is an edited transcript of Tom Martin’s interview with Gijs Rutjes, technical sales support manager at Coppens International, an Alltech company. 

Gijs Rutjes is technical sales support manager at Coppens International, an Alltech company, in Helmond, the Netherlands. He joined Tom Martin to discuss recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). The technology dramatically reduces the amount of water and space required to intensively produce seafood products.

Tom:                   Let's begin by asking you to give us a brief history of RAS farming. Why did we start growing fish on land in the first place?

Gijs:                     One of the main reasons is that this offers the opportunity to farm, for example, tropical species in cold conditions. One big example is the African catfish in Holland. This is a fish that requires about 26 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit). In Holland, it could never survive. Still, it's a well-valued fish in Holland. So, we have to use RAS with heated water and purification systems to farm this fish. 

                            Another reason is that you are close to the market. You can position the farm close to the market where you want to be and lower  transportation costs.  

                            It also offers you the possibility to choose a great water supply in an area where you know the borehole water to be really good.

                            Another thing is that you control the conditions for the fish. You can look after optimal conditions all the time. In the case of any     diseases, you have much more control.

                            Finally, you can prevent escapees. In cage farming, sometimes fish unfortunately do escape and can mingle with wild stocks, but  this is near impossible in a RAS farm.

Tom:                   How is this technology being received by the industry? What position does RAS farming hold in the world of modern agriculture?

Gijs:                     I think its importance is increasing. It was a rather local affair in some countries. Holland was one of the first. Denmark also had a leading position. It spread first among the expensive species, but it has become more of a mainstay across the industry because of all the advantages that it has. It has modernized aquaculture, and I'm sure it will continue to modernize because we can still improve certain purification methods and reduce the amount of water needed to produce a kilo of fish.

Tom:                   What are the key challenges for farmers who produce fish in these recirculating aquaculture systems?

Gijs:                     One of the most important things is that you keep constant optimal conditions. For example, as you feed your fish, you will always have a certain fluctuation in the feed level. As you harvest the large fish, you also put in new young fish. Therefore, the feed rates tend to fluctuate. But the biology in the filter, the response to this can be a reason for fluctuating water quality. So, it's very important for the farmer to keep his conditions optimal and constant all the time because then the fish has no reason to feel uncomfortable and it will always eat well and grow well.

Tom:                   Let's say that I'm in the business. I have a fish farm. I have a RAS system. What are three things that I'm looking for in a RAS feed supplier?

Gijs:                     That’s a very good question. I think if you would ask me for one thing, it would be consistency. I think one thing people look for is that it gives a high feed intake and consequently a good growth.

                            Assume that you can have a really good FCR. So, feed intake is one of the first things that people will mention in line with growth. The second would be a low waste load, or low in organic matter — feces, you could say — and also low ammonium production. By changing or regulating the DPDE — that’s the ratio between digestible energy over digestible protein — you can reduce the amount of ammonium produced. Therefore, you can feed more.

                            But as I said, the first important one would be the consistency. You need a consistent feed that is the same in taste and flavor and composition all the time because, otherwise, the filters will react. It's not so bad for the fish, but the filters will react, and that's not what you want.

Tom:                   What are the key challenges to achieving optimal gut health in RAS farmed fish?

Gijs:                     I think it starts with choosing high-quality ingredients that have a high digestibility and also that have a low level of antinutrients because you don't have to fix anything that you haven't damaged. Antinutrients are not good for gut health. So, that’s what we reduce in our RAS feeds.

Tom:                   Gijs, what are the benefits of RAS-produced fish over ocean-based fish farming?

Gijs:                     That’s a good question. I think the difference doesn’t have to be that big. You can produce good fish in either system. While RAS feeds need to fulfill higher requirements — you normally have a higher quality feed, perhaps with higher EPA or DHA. This could make for a higher quality fish considering the consumer demands. But you could have the same feed in a cage and produce similar fish. So, I think on the quality side, it doesn’t have to be a big difference.

Tom:                   You may have touched on this earlier in the conversation, but in recent years, there's been an issue with the occurrence of off-flavoring microorganisms in RAS systems. Has this been addressed and overcome?

Gijs:                     Yes and no. I think it's good to first outline that farms can have off-flavor because the two types of microorganisms that produce this off-flavor, geosmin and isoborneol, can live anywhere. They can live in filters — that’s where they like to live. RAS farms usually have them, but you have them in pond farms as well. So, a lot of RAS farms these days use moving bed bioreactors. That’s a place where these microorganisms do not like to live because they need a sort of fixed structure to attach themselves to. If you do have a moving bed bioreactor, by nature, they cannot attach. So, these systems normally have a very low amount of these microorganisms and often have no off-flavor at all.

                            I think it’s important to purge the fish from a pond farm, as well as from a RAS farm, and taste your fish. Just make sure that there's not even a hint of an off-flavor because that is not a nice taste, and it would really spoil the quality of your fish.

Tom:                  So, you really have to stay on top of it.

Gijs:                     Yes, always. Even if you don't have it in your farm. We have several customers that, mainly due to the moving bed bioreactors, do not have off-flavor issues, but they will still purge, even if it's for a few days, and test the fish before they sell to the market. Then the quality is always spot on. It takes only one farmer to spoil the market for all.

Tom:                   What does the future look like for RAS farming methods and aquaculture?

Gijs:                     I think RAS farming will increase and continue to improve the whole aquaculture industry. There's a very big movement toward keeping smolts onshore. It offers much more control and no issues with sea lice. So, this industry has seen that this is a big benefit to them. I think there will be more types of aquaculture that will use the RAS system.

                            RAS farming by nature is also very sustainable. You can reach a lower carbon footprint. You can use less water. You have less pollution. I think that the number of liters we require to produce a kilo of fish will reduce in the coming years.

Tom:                   Gijs Rutjes is technical sales support manager at Coppens International in Helmond, the Netherlands. Thank you for joining us.

Gijs:                     You’re welcome. Thank you very much.

By Walter Moncayo

In aquaculture, pathological challenges become a learning opportunity for production technicians, helping us to better understand our role and realize that we are mere mediators between science and nature. An aquaculture pond is a diverse habitat populated by countless species that interact with each other to achieve a unique balance, known as symbiosis.

A holistic approach to maintaining aquatic symbiosis

The existing variables in aquaculture are diverse and interrelated. Pathological events are an imbalance of the aquaculture universe; therefore, any techniques and methodologies that incorporate key elements (e.g., water quality, soil, nutrition, biosecurity) must be positive and sustainable over time. Treating these variables separately will not generate permanent results. The aim should be to seek alternative options, such as integrating them into a more holistic concept.

A great example is technology that combines prebiotic concepts with probiotics, which work together to create a symbiotic environment. Eventually, this alternative approach stimulates beneficial microorganisms (e.g., phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacteria, yeast), which stabilize aquaculture ponds and lower the risk of disease.

Becoming part of the symbiosis

Through management programs focused on health, biosecurity, nutrition and immune support, we have integrated ourselves into this symbiosis, effectively becoming the missing link in aquaculture.

For example, in Ecuador, we have been working with industry partners to develop a symbiotic environment for shrimp through the production of bokashi. Bokashi consists of soy cake, a source of soluble and insoluble fibers. Its protein is also considered a functional food source. Soy nutrients are released when combined with enzymes such as Allzyme® SSF and Allzyme® Vegpro, in addition to Lacto-Sacc®, which provides high-performance probiotics.

An interesting fact is that the probiotics in Lacto-Sacc, such as Latobacillus acidophilus and Enterococcus faecium, contribute metabolites (natural organic acids), which acidify the digestive tract. Additionally, enriching bokashi with Bio-Mos® and organic trace minerals like Sel-Plex® and Bioplex® may result in optimal farming conditions and significant cost savings.

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Eating our way to improved intestinal balance and health

Unless you are suffering from an intestinal upset or are cleaning up the mess associated with an intestinal upset in your pets, you probably don’t often think about the health of the microbial population that inhabits your or your pet’s gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). However, over the last decade, it has become increasingly clear that the complex community of microorganisms residing in the GI tract not only influences digestive processes but also significantly impacts long-term and short-term health.

For optimum well-being, it is important to maintain an appropriate balance in the intestinal microflora. But what is that balance, and how we do we support it?

Nutrition strategies for a balanced GI tract

With the realization of the importance of microflora have come new nutritional strategies that influence microbial balance. Many are based on simple supplementation or diet changes, but their effects can be profound. These approaches are revolutionizing not only the way we view our gastrointestinal health, but also that of our animal companions.

Digestive aids that include specific feed ingredients, exogenous enzymes, probiotics, organic acids and plant-derived oils can be coupled with nutritional management practices to beneficially manipulate intestinal microbial populations. One of the most successful documented uses has been supplementation with small doses of yeast-based polysaccharides (prebiotic fibers) to influence the composition of the gastrointestinal microbial population.

We know that these supplementation strategies not only limit the proliferation of detrimental bacteria and pathogens, but are also associated with improved immune function and nutrient absorption. These approaches allow us to eat our way to improved health, but how exactly they work had not been understood…until recently.

Feeding the good microbes: The science behind the nutrition revolution

A nutritional revolution is at hand, with new tools for reliably demonstrating and predicting how dietary and supplementation approaches can influence the intestinal microflora and gastrointestinal health.

Detailed nucleic acid sequencing techniques now allow for an in-depth description of the composition, profile and function of the most beneficial microbial populations in the intestinal tract. It is now possible to clearly pinpoint the effects of nutrition on the critical components of these complex populations and to determine the most effective balance of intestinal gut microbes. Rather than focusing on individual types of microorganisms, these techniques allow us to identify the optimal microbial populations that promote good intestinal health. This clarity takes the guess work out of diet formulation and can strategically improve health, from the most minuscule gut microbes to overall well-being.

I want to learn more about pet nutrition.

Telmo Cristina, an industrial tomato producer in central Portugal, tells how Alltech Crop Science solutions improved the quality of his produce and helped him to better meet the demands of the tomato concentrate industry.

There is no doubt that corn silage, barley silage and alfalfa haylage are the major fermented forages supporting the dairy industry in Canada and the US. Any variation in the nutrient composition and digestibility of these forages will therefore directly affect a producer’s ability to meet their dairy cows' nutrient requirements throughout the year.

In other words, a good understanding of the nutritive value of your fermented forages will allow you to develop a nutrition program that helps your cows reach their true genetic potential for milk production and health.

More nutrients for the cow, more dollars in your pocket

Over the last few years, nutritionists and dairy producers have been paying special attention to the nutritive value of fermented forages. It is now widely acknowledged that this nutritional concept can positively impact animal productivity and producer profitability. The performance of the modern dairy cow is highly dependent upon the adequate levels and favorable balances of nutrients in the fermented forages they consume.

It is an oversimplification to define the nutritive value of fermented forages purely as the ability to supply the nutrients present in the dry matter to the cow. Before nutrients can reach their target tissue in the cow, the feed must be consumed (feed intake) and the nutrients in the forage must be released and absorbed by the cow (digestion).

When it comes to digestion, fermentable forages are a step ahead

Many factors influence the nutritive value of fermentable forages, including forage cultivar, stage of maturity at harvest and storage methods. In contrast to non-fermentable forages, the digestion of fermentable forage begins long before it is added to the feed bunk.

During normal ensiling processes, some nutrients ferment, releasing molecules that make the crop more palatable and easier to digest. Under these conditions, the nutrients have a better chance of being ingested and absorbed.

Practically speaking, this fermentable forage has an optimum nutritive value. In commercial dairy herds, this forage will result in high milk yield and milk components, leading to excellent reproductive performance and good health.

Test your forage to see how it measures up

Usually, producers and nutritionists send forage samples to a lab in order to obtain information on the nutritional composition of the fermented forages. However, this information can come up short in terms of allowing producers to understand how available these nutrients are to the cow.

Fortunately, methods such as Alltech’s In vitro Fermentation Model have been developed to efficiently and quickly determine the nutrient availability in these forages, including the neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD), or the organic matter digestibility. Results from these tests are positively correlated with potential intake. When this information is analyzed as a whole, producers can get a good idea of the nutritive value of their fermented forage.

In Ontario and Quebec, a recent survey carried out on 47 fermented forages indicated that over 84 percent of the forage samples collected showed NDFD (at 30 hours in vitro) values below 52 percent, suggesting poor nutritive value. Therefore, it is important not to assume that your forages have a good nutritive value. To assure herd performance, testing is a must.

Reviewing the nutritive value of the fermented forages used in any feeding program is essential to help your dairy herd reach its maximum genetic potential and is an integral part of dairy farming profitability.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year in the United States, Salmonella is estimated to cause 1 million foodborne illnesses, with 19,000 hospitalizations and over 300 deaths. The most common symptoms of a Salmonella infection are diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Although illness from Salmonella can be the result of multiple factors, including improper food preparation, poultry producers can help reduce the risk to consumers through good farm practices.

Potential sources of bacterial contamination:

• Wild birds/pests (e.g., beetles, flies, rodents)
• Water
• Visitors
• Human personnel’s hygiene

In poultry production, there are eight areas that require attention in order to reduce bad bacterial contamination on-farm and aid in the prevention of Salmonella.

1. Cleaning and hygiene

Residual contamination from previous flocks is a common reason for Salmonella-positive birds. Cleaning growing houses between flocks can significantly reduce the prevalence of Salmonella in live production. Effective biosecurity and pest control are also key to avoiding contamination.

2. Feed

Contaminated grains and feed ingredients can increase the risk of Salmonella in the final feed. Use heat-pelleted feed and source feed from mills operating with stringent quality standards.

3. Water management

Water management is a crucial part of any Salmonella control program in poultry, since water can serve as a medium for the organism to spread from bird to bird. Chlorinated water and the use of organic acids in the water have been shown to reduce Salmonella levels in the flock.

4. Dust

Dust can also be a medium for Salmonella to spread. A system that keeps dust levels below 3 milligrams per cubic meter is an important prevention tool.

5. Litter management

Poultry litter with high moisture and pH levels allows Salmonella to thrive. Managing the moisture and pH of the litter has been shown to be an effective way to control Salmonella in live poultry production.

6. Managing gut flora

Establishing and maintaining proper gut flora soon after hatching is very important to prevent Salmonella from colonizing birds. Programs that include the use of probiotics, organic acids, enzymes and yeast technologies have been shown to be effective at maintaining optimal gut health.

7. Coccidiosis

Intestinal challenges caused by poor gastrointestinal integrity can have a big impact on Salmonella levels in broilers. Strong cocci management needs to be part of every Salmonella control program.

8. Vaccination

The use of vaccines, especially at the breeder level, has the potential to reduce the prevalence of Salmonella among day-old chicks.

If you would like to learn more about how you can stop the spread of Salmonella in your poultry operation, please fill out the form below.

Water is essential for life, yet water intake usually gets less attention than feed intake. We focus on quality, density and processing of feed, but we tend to take water for granted because it costs “nothing” — or at least does not appear on the feed bill.

Feed and water are closely linked, however. Birds typically drink 1.6 to two times the equivalent weight of feed, and, if water intake is limited, then feed intake declines. Furthermore, all digestive activity is dependant on water. Poor water quality can mean getting less than expected results from even the best quality feed.

Let’s get back to the basics of this element. There are several ways we can use water intake to help newly-placed chicks get a good start.

Water quality profiles

Minerals, hard and soft water, pH and alkalinity

Mineral content, pH, microbial contamination and temperature affect water quality and intake. Water quality profiles include pH, alkalinity and hardness.

pH is a measure of acidity, with pure water having a pH of 7. Values of less than 7 are considered acidic, while those above 7 are basic, or “alkaline.” Alkalinity reflects the capacity of water sources to buffer added acids without changing pH (total acidity). Water hardness, pH and/or alkalinity are not always directly associated, but generally, hard water has a higher pH.

Hard water contains larger amounts of minerals in the form of calcium and magnesium ions, which are picked up as rainwater percolates down through rock layers. In contrast, soft water has more sodium ions. The challenge with hard water is that it causes scale buildup, which gradually constricts pipes. The scale slows water flow, which ultimately reduces water consumption and, consequently, feed intake.

Minerals, such as magnesium, iron, sulfur, sodium and copper, can cause water rejection at very high concentrations due to bitter taste, or they can have laxative effects, whether from hard or soft water. Elevated mineral levels can be due to natural reasons or pollution.

Bacterial counts and biofilms

Zero bacteria per milliliter of water is desirable, but contamination is common. Coliform bacteria are of special concern. Coliforms are found in animal and human digestive tracts, and their presence in ground or surface water indicates fecal contamination.

Biofilms result from bacterial colonies that adhere to the inner walls of water lines. They produce a film that attracts other microbes and debris. A biofilm might occur in patches and can, on occasion, completely cover pipe walls. Biofilms protect bacteria from antibiotics and disinfectants and can block water lines. Bacteria (including coliforms) in biofilms flourish in places where water moves slowest or temperature is elevated, like the end of drinker lines, and when water remains in the line before the next use.

Using water to promote gut health

Chick hydration after placing

Early and sufficient water intake is critical during the first week of life. It is not uncommon for chicks to arrive at the shed dehydrated, and quick resolution is needed. Chicks drink sooner when placed near drinkers that dispense clean water at the right temperature and flow rate. Attention-getting lights and reflective drinker surfaces help, too.

Water and gut health

The chick’s digestive tract develops rapidly over the first week of life, and anything we can do to promote gut health during this time pays off in lower early mortality and overall feed efficiency. A healthy gut has the right mix of microbes, enzymes and healthy intestinal villi to aid pathogen defense and feed digestion. The medium in which these entities exist is water.

Microbial growth and digestive enzyme activity are sensitive to pH. Coliforms, including E. coli and Salmonella, grow best at pH levels above 7. In contrast, beneficial bacteria such as lactobacilli thrive at more acidic conditions (below 7). pH varies throughout the digestive tract, with values lowest (~2) in the stomach for the digestion of protein, then higher in the intestine and colon for the digestion of fats and carbohydrates. The bird needs the ability to maintain correct gut pH from the beginning, but gut cells are still developing. A simple way we can help the bird is by lowering drinking water pH.

Acidification: Prevents biofilms, lowers scale accumulation and reduces drinking water pH for better bird health

Acid-Pak 4-Way® contains a citric acid buffer, electrolytes and probiotics. When added to water, it reduces pH (i.e., increases acidity), which benefits both birds and pipes. Water pH is reduced to 4.5–5.5, which promotes the growth of normal and healthy bacteria in the gut, such as lactobacilli. At the same time, the lower pH discourages the growth of coliforms. The lower water pH also helps chicks adapt to dry feeds because it controls pH, promotes beneficial microbial growth and aids enzyme production.

Adding Acid-Pak 4-Way aids water line maintenance, too. It helps keep water flow steady, in addition to other benefits. Scale does not accumulate from hard water when acidified. Importantly, reducing pH by adding Acid-Pak 4-Way unseats biofilms in the water lines and keeps them from re-forming.

BEFORE placing your chicks, open the drinking lines, put Acid-Pak 4-Way in the water, flush the lines and THEN place the chicks.

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Fall is here, and that means calving season is starting up again for some producers. Dr. Shelby Roberts, postdoctoral research fellow in Alltech’s beef nutrition research department, shares her tips on scours prevention in your calves this season.

1. Stop calf scours early

Early detection of scours is essential so that fluids and electrolytes can be restored in order to correct dehydration as soon as possible. Some common symptoms associated with scours include depression, weak suckling reflex, dehydration (sunken eyes) and abnormal breathing.

2. Manage your herd to minimize risk

Manage your cow herd to minimize calf exposure to pathogens and stress. For example, try to keep calving areas as clean as possible to reduce the calves’ pathogen exposure. If possible, isolate sick calves and their dams from the cow herd to prevent the spread of the pathogen. 

3. Manage nutrient requirements for mother cows

Make sure the dams’ nutritional requirements are being met. Colostrum quality and quantity can be negatively affected by inadequate dam nutrition. Remember, when managing your fall calving herd: Fall calving cows will be lactating throughout the winter, so they will have higher nutritional requirements compared to spring calvers.

4. Use the fecal scoring guide

Check your fecal score using the guide below. If you have a fecal score of less than 2.5 for more than five days, your calves have a problem.

% diarrhea = Total number of calves with a fecal score of “4” x 100 / Number of calves in pen

Duration of diarrhea = Total days from weaning in which calves exhibit a fecal score of “4”

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To improve the overall health of birds, attention needs to be placed on the whole production system. Healthy animals are much more likely to perform at their potential and produce more efficiently.

The gastrointestinal tract of layers is an ecosystem in which water, pH and bacteria need to be in balance. Setting the stage for this balance soon after hatch and maintaining it throughout the life of the animal is the key to maximizing performance and farm profitability.

Digestion in an increasingly plant-based diet

The diet for the bird must be made so that it is quickly digested and, in the case of layers, eventually turned into the building blocks of eggs. Yet, today, consumer demands for all-veggie diets complicate efforts to design an easily digestible diet. The grains used to make up the energy and protein in the diet will only release a portion of nutrients after digestion. The rest of the nutrients are bound in the plant cells and can only be released if these plant cells are broken down.

Enzymes added to the diet can help to break down these plant cells and allow the grains to release more nutrients to the bird. Generally, enzymes work in a “lock and key” model, in which a specific enzyme can only help to break down a specific compound. Because a poultry diet is complex, more than one enzyme may be needed to help with this breakdown.

Preventing bacterial overgrowth

How efficiently the feed is digested and absorbed by the bird can affect the bacterial balance in the gastrointestinal tract. Efficient breakdown and absorption of the feed by the bird can reduce the amount of undigested nutrients that reach the lower gut, where a diverse microbial population is concentrated.

This is important because, by reducing the undigested nutrients entering the lower gut, we reduce the potential of an environment to be created that supports opportunistic (potentially bad) bacterial overgrowth. Consequently, reducing the undigested nutrients reaching the lower gut helps to improve overall poultry health and performance.

Ancient process meets advanced technology

Nutritional technologies are available that can support this breakdown of nutrients. Through an ancient process called solid state fermentation (SSF), a selected strain of non-GMO Aspergillus niger works in synergy with the animal’s digestive system to break down layers of the feed that were previously inaccessible through digestion. This exposes more nutrient-rich layers for the animal to digest, such as amino acids, energy, protein and vitamins.

Advances in genetics have made today’s poultry more productive than ever. Any bird under environmental stress due to heat, cold, very dry or very humid air could have their feed intake patterns and intestinal tract affected, causing reduced digestibility. However, by paying close attention to the entire management system and to nutrition, poultry growers can respond quickly to challenges and achieve optimal potential.

To learn more about how Allzyme® SSF can help maintain performance in your flock and reduce feed costs while adding flexibility to the diet, click here or contact us at AllzymeSSF@alltech.com.