SPECIAL STORY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE February 2021 41 have the following features: • Tested efficacy: use products with an extensive field experience that have been tested under different conditions. • Chemically defined extracts: it is just as important to use products with standardized concentrations of active molecules to make sure their effect does not vary with time. • Known mechanism of action: the understanding of the way they work is the only way to associate the right indications with each product. Pronutrients meet all these requirements, as they are specific molecules from plant extracts that physiologically optimize the functioning of the organs and, this way, increase animals’ natural resistance against infections and improve productive performance. When animals are in the nature, they instinctively eat the plants containing pronutrients, but they cannot obtain them in the farm, unless we include them in the feed. How do pronutrients work? Pronutrients are active molecules present in different plants that stimulate cell functioning. The type of pronutrients effective to replace antibiotic growth promoters are called intestinal conditioners and target the enterocytes (cells of the gut mucosa). Intestinal conditioners stimulate the expression of specific genes in their DNA. This leads to a greater synthesis of specific proteins that optimize activity of the intestinal mucosa. This mechanism of action was studied using cutting-edge genetic and molecular techniques. When added to the feed or water in low amounts, these pronutrients enhance the regeneration and activity of the gut mucosa: there is greater nutrient absorption surface and cells are newer and more resistant to infections. The positive effect can be observed microscopically and macroscopically (images 1 and 2). These pronutrients increase gut efficiency. In farms using pronutrients, it can be observed: • Better growth rates • Better feed utilization, improvement of the feed conversion rate (less feed in necessary to gain one kg of weight). • Better carcass quality • Better intestinal health: pronutrients improve the natural resistance of animals against digestive infections indirectly, by enhancing cells’ natural strength. This way, AGPs to reduce bacterial loads are not necessary anymore. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Haugh Units (egg quality) Egg weight (g) Egg production DNA Pronutrient RNA Specific proteins Optimal activity of the cells Pronutrients group Control group Images 1 and 2. Electronic microscopy: intestinal mucosa of a chicken without pronutrients (left) and with pronutrients (right). There is an improvement of cell organization and the lack of undigested feed, substratum for microorganisms, with pronutrients. Without pronutrients With pronutrients 1 2 Image 3: Intestine of an animal that has not received pronutrients. Necrosis, inflammation, and fluid content are observed. Image 4: Intestine of an animal that has received pronutrients. There is a better state of the intestinal mucosa, greater consistency of the epithelium, without congestion or inflammation.
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