ARTICLE 64 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE May 2022 Fats and lipids contribute a big part to the total energy provided to productive animals in their day-to-day energy expenditure. However, there are several factors that could limit lipid digestion and absorption, one of these is the age of the animal. Young animals (new-born piglets or broilers less than 14 days of age) have quite immature lipid digestion capabilities because their digestive organs may not be fully developed. To overcome this, nutritionists have started looking into the use of exogeneous emulsifiers to allow young animals to effectively digest and absorb lipids and converting that to energy for growth and production. The body produces a natural emulsifier – bile acids. These are synthesized from cholesterol in the liver, and secreted into bile duct, and into the small intestines where they play a part in facilitating the absorption of dietary lipids and fat-soluble vitamins. Most bile acids are reabsorbed in the terminal ileum and returned to the liver via the portal vein. The bile acids are up taken by the hepatocytes and subsequently transported into bile which completes their enterohepatic circulation (Figure 1). BILE ACID – NOT JUST ANOTHER EMULSIFIER “Young animals have quite immature lipid digestion capabilities because their digestive organs may not be fully developed. To overcome this, nutritionists have started looking into the use of exogeneous emulsifiers to allow young animals to effectively digest and absorb lipids and converting that to energy for growth and production.” Kayla Wong Technical Specialist Manuka Biotech Figure 1 Recycling of bile acid. (Adapted from https://eclinpath.com/chemistry/liver/liverfunction-tests/bile-acids/bile-acid-circulation/)
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