INTERVIEW 44 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE August 2022 within the animal’s gastrointestinal tract and then excreted through the feces. Its aflatoxin binding capacity is >90%, which is not the case for all bentonite. SMECTAGRI® is in compliance with EU official requirements, providing optimum performance and reducing economic loss attributed to mycotoxins. Last but not least, SMECTAGRI® also demonstrates excellent technological performance in terms of binding, anticaking and flow effect. As per our moler and diatomaceous earth solutions, we specifically engineered DIAMOL® grades and DIATOBON®. Both solutions demonstrate high absorption capacity, thanks to their unique microporous structure which allows them to carry liquid additives i.e. fats and oils, organic acids, plant extracts, vitamins, enzymes. Consequently, they are optimizing their use and functionality, by providing a homogenous dispersion in feed while retaining the free flow. Other benefits include improved flowability and acting as anticaking agents for feed raw materials, premixes and compound feeds for both solutions. DIAMOL® grades are also used as milling additives to prevent “clumping” effects and it provides efficiency in the compound feed manufacturing and consequently saving energy cost. Kaolin is another prime ingredient for animal care. This soft clay mineral is known for its soothing effects on the digestive system; it facilitates the processing of powders and granules for feed during extrusion, reducing the extrusion energy, and can act either as a binder or a lubricant. Imerys’ kaolin grades Agri Bind™ and Argirec® ABF are registered in the EU as technological feed additives. Our zeolite range is also a highly versatile feed additive. Its high cation exchange capacity gives zeolite high adsorption properties that trap heavy metal ions that can be found in feed. It is also an excellent carrier for nutrients and it improves the use of nitrogen, mainly in diets containing urea, by slowly making nitrogen available to ruminal bacteria. Zeolite is water and moisture-binding, so it prevents caking and promotes the free flow of feed, and it aids digestion by reducing the rate of passage in the gastrointestinal tract, enabling better absorption of all nutrients. In addition, zeolite adsorbs ammonia, unpleasant odors, and liquid waste, resulting in a sanitized farm house and consequently improved living conditions for the animal. Finally, our talc grades, STEALIM® and STEAM FEED®flow, available in different granulometries, are excellent anti-caking agents, lubricants and dispersing agents which also improve the flow of raw materials in animal feed. Naturally water repellent, talcs form a barrier around feed particles, reducing moisture evaporation and water uptake. Talc’s soft nature ensures zero abrasion in feed processing equipment. Our minerals offer many benefits to the animals but also to the farmer as our solutions enable increased productivity, lower ventilation and overall costs reduction. What are the benefits of minerals for animal nutrition, health and welfare? Imerys’ minerals provide animal feed producers a tool box of functionalities helping them either in the production -anticaking, carriers and binders or as animal health improvers. Our solutions are 100% natural and chemically inert, therefore not harmful for the animals and for animal derived products, provided compliance with relevant regulations. Imerys minerals play a key role in a range of animal care applications
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