The Poultry Science Association 2017 Annual Meeting took place in Orlando, Florida on July 17-20. As the most prestigious scientific event for the poultry industry in the United States, it convenes researchers, scientists and technical professionals from around the world. The main discussion topics were nutrition and health. In this context, Trouw Nutrition demonstrated its research efforts in three presentations about feed additives. The main conclusions of the studies are at the heart of the broiler market needs: improved technical performance at lower cost and maintained growth performance without using antibiotic growth promoters.
Higher daily weight gain for broilers: 3.6 extra grams per day - Petra Roubos, R&D, Trouw Nutrition, Netherlands
The first presentation revealed the potential benefits of drinking water additives on performance and intestinal microbiota in broilers. Over a 35-day growth period, 2,120 Ross 308 cockerels were divided over four dietary treatments: control group vs. water additive treatment group reared under research (“clean”) or poor hygiene conditions. The water additive treatment group showed a significantly higher daily weight gain compared with the control group: 63.9 grams/day vs. 60.3 g/day, respectively. Additionally, daily feed intake increased by 5.5 percent. The conclusion? Water additives may effectively improve growth performance in both hygiene conditions.
Keeping performance in AGP- free production systems – Greg Page, Trouw Nutrition Agresearch, Canada
The second presentation showed validation data for a feed additive, proving its effects on growth performance when no antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) were used. The research study was performed in the U.S. with built-up litter and validated in commercial broiler production conditions in Canada. The feed additive treatment groups presented performance results such as body weight gain and feed conversion ratio, comparable with the AGP treatment groups and significantly better than the negative control groups. Research confirms the importance of using products like Selko Presan-FY* to maintain performance in an AGP-free production system. The results were observed in broilers over a range of market weights under various production conditions.
* Selko Presan-FY is not available in the USA at this time.
Same results, lower cost - Greg Page, Trouw Nutrition Agresearch, Canada
Trouw Nutrition also presented the effects of a novel antioxidant blend as a partial replacement of vitamin E on broiler growth performance, antioxidant status and meat quality. The validation results revealed the potential of a novel polyphenol blend (Selko POmix) to replace the supplemental vitamin E above the 10 IU/kg NRC 1994 requirement. What’s in it for producers? The study, performed in Canada, demonstrated that high doses of vitamin E performed the same as NRC 1994 requirement of vitamin E plus a vitamin E equivalent antioxidant dose of Selko POmix at a lower cost. The conclusion showed no significant differences in growth parameters and meat quality for broilers.
