Phytogenics’ Role in Animal Wellness

Image Credit: Delacon[/caption]

Using natural ingredients is more than a preference; studies show plant-based additives make a difference. Natural plant extracts are scientifically shown to have an advantage in animal nutrition compared to synthetic, or chemically produced, nature-identical substances. Relying on all agents within a plant, natural extracts exhibit greater synergy among different active substances, which have not been reduced to the effects of a single lead substance.

The plant-derived active substance is very potent, illustrating the wonderful power of nature. In an animal feed formula, phytogenics only take up a small part—about 200 parts per million—of the total ration.

Like any ingredient, sourcing and quality must be carefully controlled to achieve product consistency. For instance, Delacon’s quality management processes include full traceability of raw materials and ingredient standardization. The plant-based ingredients are processed with microencapsulation technologies to protect active substances from processing and storage conditions, ensuring efficacy.

Benefits from Farm to Fork

Phytogenic feed additives offer a host of promising benefits to animals, producers, the environment, and consumers.

On the farm, phytogenics provide broad-spectrum efficacy, optimizing animal performance through nutrition in many ways. For example, feeding phytogenics helps the gut flora to flourish and supports a healthy gut microbiome. This contributes to reduced intestinal inflammation and strengthens the animal’s immune system so it can overcome stress and challenging periods, like weaning or hot weather.

Phytogenic feed additives help livestock producers do more with less. Feeding phytogenics promotes improved digestion and utilization of nutrients, so animals get more energy from their feed and perform better. Using nutrition strategies to maintain animal health, animals are more productive and can better reach their genetic potentials.

The effects of phytogenics compound to help livestock producers act sustainably and minimize the carbon footprint of animal production. Through improved feed efficiency and microbial interventions, feeding phytogenics to poultry and pigs has been shown to reduce ammonia emissions by up to 50 percent. While in ruminants, such as cattle, feeding phytogenics can mitigate methane emissions by up to 20 percent.

At the same time, phytogenics provides food safety, leaving no harmful residues in the end protein product to help build a feed-to-food chain consumers can trust.

Survey Reveals High Acceptance Among Millennial Foodies

An increasingly transparent food system means meat and poultry producers need solutions that not only work but also resonate positively with consumers. To test consumer perceptions of phytogenics (defined as essential oils, herbs, and spices) used in meat and poultry production, Delacon commissioned a research survey conducted by Millennium Research in December 2016.

The survey targeted millennials, aged 24-34, of which 44 percent identify as foodies. Millennial consumers’ preferences tend to influence older generations and their growing economic significance urges food companies and marketers to develop products that appeal to this generation.

While consumers have no prior awareness of phytogenic feed additives, the survey revealed a tremendous opportunity to connect with influential millennial foodies with a story about animal wellness, including how natural, plant-based ingredients, such as garlic, cinnamon, and thyme, are fed to chickens, pigs, and other animals.

Nine out of 10 (87 percent) millennial foodies say meat and poultry produced with phytogenics would make a positive impact on their brand choice. And, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of millennial foodies look at labels closely, suggesting an opportunity for food brands to differentiate themselves with the story of phytogenics.

Millennials—now more than a quarter of the U.S. population—embrace food experiences and make buying decisions that align with their values. Asked to select the attributes most important to them when choosing a specific brand of poultry or meat, millennial foodies elected “raised with good animal welfare practices,” “raised without antibiotics ever,” and “raised in ways that reduce environmental impact,” even before “certified organic” or “locally raised.”