Radka Borutova, business development manager at feed additives producer Nutriad.

Nutriad showcases ways to cut antibiotics use

Feed additives producer Nutriad shared insights on how to reduce the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics at the recent VIV Asia trade show in Bangkok.

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Pressure to cut the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) in Asia has gained momentum since a ban was introduced in South Korea in 2011.

Erik Visser, Nutriad’s chief executive, said: “Pressure from government regulation and consumers will shape the demands on aquaculture and livestock producers in Asia as far as antibiotics usage is concerned, just as we are seeing and have seen in other parts of the world. Nutriad is well positioned to work alongside producers to define answers for today’s and tomorrow’s challenges."

At the technical conference Immunosuppression 2017, which took place before the opening day of VIV Asia, Dr Radka Borutova, business development manager at Nutriad, presented on Mycotoxins: A Gateway To Infectious Diseases.

Erik Visser, Nutriad’s chief executive.

Decreased resistance

Borutova said: “Consumption of some mycotoxins, at levels that do not cause overt clinical mycotoxicosis, suppresses immune functions and may decrease resistance to infectious disease. As Asia Pacific countries are still importing most of their raw feed ingredients, and since the mycotoxin situation in Europe and USA seem to be quite serious, APAC aquaculture producers, poultry, swine and ruminants are exposed to an increased mycotoxin risk in 2017.”

On the final day of VIV Asia, Dr Tim Goossens, business development manager at Nutriad, spoke about the challenges that producers of gut health promoting additives are facing. “By now, it is clear that many active ingredients can be linked to gut health,” he said. “But to develop a product that is just as robust as AGPs, their potential needs to be maximised.”

Dr Goossens talked about butyrate as an example. “Butyrate has the potential to trigger several physiological responses that are beneficial for gut health and performance. That potential will only be met, if you invest in a coating that is able to deliver butyrate throughout the entire digestive tract, like Nutriad does with AdimixPrecision.”

Visser added: "Feedback from industry at VIV Asia once more showed how our collaborative approach to the market is appreciated and valued.”