ARTICLE 68 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE March 2022 The key to making an efficacious encapsulation is to create a product that not only resists ruminal degradation but can then be released and digested in the small intestine. INTESTINAL DIGESTIBILITY Developing an encapsulated product with a high level of durability and that resists microbial degradation in the rumen may come at the expense of intestinal digestibility. Can the product be both robust in its ability to withstand manufacturing and ruminal digestion and still have high intestinal digestibility? Yes. But only a few manufacturers have the expertise and experience to create products with all three attributes. BIOAVAILABILITY Bioavailability is the sum of the previous three functions: durability, rumen protection, and intestinal digestibility and is the true measure of a quality encapsulated product. For an encapsulation technology to be truly effective, it must excel at all three functions. SIMPLE QUALITY TESTS Encapsulated nutrients are gaining popularity and provide consistent, reliable, and cost-effective alternatives to traditional feedstuffs. This trend has led to an influx of encapsulated product into the market. As with any new product category, some are better than others. The ultimate measure of an encapsulated nutrient is the cost per unit of bioavailable nutrient. This is a function of the cost, durability, rumen protection and intestinal digestibility. To get the most for your money, just ask a few simple questions. • Is the product durable enough to withstand manufacturing and storage, including freeze-thaw cycles, so that it maintains its ability to protect the nutrient in the rumen? • Does the product deliver adequate rumen protection over a long enough period of time (approximately 5 hrs.) to ensure a high percentage of the nutrient reaches the intestine? • Has the product been tested in vivo (in the cow) to have a bioavailability value that reflects the durability, rumen protection and intestinal absorption supported by the manufacturer’s research? Ask to see the research and quality specifications to ensure the product your considering will deliver the expected levels of bioavailable nutrient to the cow. About Stefano Vandoni Dr. Stefano Vandoni obtained his Master’s degree in Animal Nutrition and Animal Science at the University of Milan in 2003. In 2008, he obtained his PhD in Animal Nutrition and Food Safety at the Department of Veterinary Science and Technologies for Food Safety of the University of Milan, defending a dissertation on “Nutritional and technological strategies to improve beef cattle and veal calves’ management”. After that he continued to cooperate in the University of Milan as a Post Doc fellow till 2010, when he joined Alltech Italy as Representative Sales Manager till 2013. During these years, he was able to deepen his knowledge in ruminant nutrition, working both on business to business and directly on farm. Based on his experience and achievement, in 2014, he was promoted to Ruminant European Technical Coordinator and after one year, to Ruminant European Technical Manager. Starting from April 2016, he has been working in Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health, where he is covering a position as Ruminant Technical Service Manager in Europe, Middle East and Africa and recently as Global Technical Manager for NitroShure. Figure 4. Freeze/thaw stability of encapsulated product.
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