The gastrointestinal tract is the largest, most significant point of pathogen entry into live poultry production. In addition, it is the system responsible for extracting nutrients used in vital physiological functions promoting growth and homeostasis in birds.
Technical Services Manager EMEA/AP
Anitox
Enteric diseases negatively impact performance because they disrupt the poultry gastrointestinal tracts’ ability to derive essential nutrients required to grow and drive production. Therefore, preventing performance and productivity challenges associated with poor enteric health depends on our ability to mitigate pathogen prevalence in the GIT.
What is the most impactful way to do that? Ensure that the most significant input into poultry production, feed, is of the highest quality.
REDUCED GUT HEALTH AND ITS IMPACT ON PERFORMANCE
Gut health is complex. Supporting bird survival and growth is a delicate balance of converting energy from nutrients and modulating immune responses, all the while supporting a synergistic community of microorganisms.
In the healthy GIT, feed is digested with the assistance of the microbiota. The nutrients that are absorbed are used in energy cascades that promote essential physiological functions as well as growth and productivity. In a sick bird, energy is diverted and used to support immune responses instead of growth. The GIT is the largest entry point for pathogens. As such, it is critical for producers to carefully consider what impact feed quality has on gut health and, as a result, poultry performance.
Disruption within the GIT prevents poultry from efficiently utilizing nutrients and triggers immune responses that divert energy from growth. Performance-limiting intestinal diseases such as necrotic enteritis are linked to inflammation, dysbiosis and damage to the mucosal barriers, as well as losses on feed conversion and body weights and increased flock mortality.
HOW DO FEED-SOURCE PATHOGENS IMPACT GUT HEALTH?
High microbial loads in feed negatively impact feed quality by potentially increasing the likelihood of spoilage, but more significantly through introducing pathogens directly to the GIT.
Over the past few decades, Anitox has collected data on feed microbial loads and pathogen prevalence in different feed materials. We have observed that not every feed ingredient is at risk for high-level microbial contamination and that microbial loads depend on type and quality. Our examination of over 8,000 feed ingredient samples shows that when looking at the general microbial loads of feed, animal by-product meals and vegetable proteins such as soybean meal have the highest microbial loads and present a higher risk of microbial contamination to feed formulations. Analysis of more than 2000 samples of various ingredient types revealed that vegetable oils, cereal grain by-products, and animal protein meals had the highest incidence rates of Clostridia perfringens. In finished feeds, Clostridia perfringens incidence is highly variable and ranges from 3.65% in pelleted feeds to 55% in non-pelleted feeds.
Introduction and heightened prevalence of pathogens causing performance-limiting disease, such as Clostridium perfringens, are detrimental to feed efficiency and weight gain, potentially increasing FCR by 2-3 points, production costs, and reducing bird health and performance.
Multiple studies have shown that sub-clinical C. perfringens infections occur in approximately 30% of flocks. Affected birds experience increased mortality and carcass condemnations and typically have a reduced live weight while consuming more feed. On average sub-clinical C. perfringens infection requires the bird to consume an additional 80 grams per kilogram of live weight. Reduced feed conversion and bird performance can cost producers between $0.05 to $1.50 per bird.
Feed-source pathogens have a direct line to the GIT and, depending on the age, management conditions and prevalence, displace the natural microbiota, colonize the gut and cause infection. This route impacts bird performance in two main ways.
High microbial loads in feed present an increased risk of heightening the prevalence of pathogens within the gut. Increased pathogen prevalence can lead to infection and trigger an immune response. This can be costly to producers because birds fighting infection are expending energy in a way that does not lead to productive growth.
Another key impact feed-source pathogens have on gut health is dysbiosis. In a healthy gut, commensal bacteria can outcompete pathogens for resources and block pathogen colonization through competitive exclusion. However, when commensal bacteria are not well established, pathogens can easily disrupt them; this is especially applicable in young birds. Early pathogen colonization of a juvenile gut can have lifetime repercussions on bird performance, so it never achieves its genetic potential.
EFFECTIVE OPTIONS FOR FEED PATHOGEN CONTROL
Mitigating high microbial loads in feed and feed ingredients protects feed value and gut health by preventing pathogens from entering the gut. Adequately implementing effective feed pathogen control requires producers to understand the pathogen risk presented by their feed formulations.
Why is it so important for producers to implement effective feed pathogen control?
The first reason is that feed is easily one of poultry production’s most important and costly components. High microbial loads in feed degrade feed quality and prevent poultry producers from extracting every available ounce of value via bird performance, resulting in a direct hit to profitability.
However, the second reason is just as important. Pathogens are ubiquitous within the environment and poultry production. Many different fomites track pathogens into live production, and once there, they spread far and wide. Feed is supplied from a single source to multiple operations daily. An ingredient entering the system with a high microbial load can impact multiple poultry houses. Continuously supplying feed with high microbial loads constantly challenges each bird’s gut.
Effective feed pathogen control programs should be created to address specific risk and consider factors such as the age and gut integrity of the birds and the risk associated with ingredients in the feed. Feed sanitizers and specially formulated organic acid blends can be used independently and in combination to address operational needs and support performance goals.
Anitox’s latest organic acid blend, Fortrol® works alongside feed sanitizer Finio® in programs to reduce feed-source pathogen transmission at source and lower microbial loads of finished feeds.
Protecting gut health requires the effective mitigation of feed-source pathogens. Anitox helps producers to flexibly manage the variable risk of feed and feed ingredients while supporting productivity and profitability goals. We offer high-level, long-term, broad-spectrum control over feed-source pathogens to ensure that feed remains clean until the point of consumption. By promoting feed hygiene, we can mitigate the transmission of feed-source pathogens and prevent contamination of processing and milling facilities.
Combining effective feed sanitation and hygiene strategies into a single comprehensive program gives producers effective, hassle-free and least-cost control over feed-source pathogens that challenge gut health and poultry performance.
About Matt Oldnall
Matt Oldnall has over 10 years of experience in the poultry industry. Following his completion of a Bachelor of Animal Science and subsequent Honours in Poultry Science at the University of Pretoria, he went on to further his education with a specific focus on feed and feed pathogen control during his Master of Science in Poultry Production at Harper Adams University. As Technical Services Manager for the EMEA and AP, Matt aids producers in understanding feed as a fomite and works alongside leading producers to implement effective feed-source pathogen mitigation strategies.
