SPECIAL STORY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE February 2021 45 PROTECTIVE TECHNOLOGY, SIMPLY A “MUST-HAVE” First generations of phytogenics were often based on a simple mix of herbs or essential oils. This type of solutions, however, do not fit well with the constraints of modern feed production. The known variability of composition due to environmental factors and high loss of volatile molecules during transport, storage, feed production, etc. result in poor or at least very inconsistent effects on performance and health in animals. ‘Protective technologies’ have become a golden standard for solutions based on plant extracts or phytogenics. Different variant of coating, encapsulation or micro-encapsulation have been developed to guarantee the efficacy of products in the animal. They prevent the loss of active ingredients, also during the feed processing, and they also enable the release of active molecules exactly on spot in the digestive tract. Recently, a company developed a new concept, based on the micro-encapsulation of phytogenics + phycogenics. This innovative solution offers a very high concentration and, as well a very good stability. Every particle contains the very same amount of active ingredients for optimal dispersion in feed and very consistent efficacy in animals. THE NEW GENERATION OF PHYTOGENICS: BETTER HEALTH & EFFICACY Several trials were set to compare and validate the interest of this ‘new generation of phytogenics’, based on a transparent formulation of phytogenics and phycogenics, protected with a micro encapsulation. One of these trials was performed at the University of Berlin, and compared the effects of 2 well-known solutions found on the market, based on encapsulated phytogenics, and a new concept based on the microencapsulation of phytogenics + phycogenic. The effects were measured on performance of the birds and apparent ileal digestibility of feed at 21 days of age. Researchers have observed that the new concept not only improved digestibility of nutrients (crude fat, crude protein and starch) but also increased digestibility of minerals (crude ash, calcium and phosphorus) as compared to the negative control (Figure 1). The other two solutions (S1 & S2) improved digestibility of some of the nutrients and/or minerals but not all and to a lower extend than the new concept. Performance results at 21 days are well in line with the observed effects on digestibility (Figure 2). The new concept, which had the strongest effects on nutrient and mineral digestibility, also had the highest improvement in performance at 21 days, with better gain (+2,2%) and improved FCR (-0,6%) as compared to the control. 75 80 85 90 95 100 Crude protein Crude fat Starch a. Nutrient digestibility (%) Control S1 NUQO S2 +1,8% +0.9% * 40 45 50 55 60 Egg production +1,6% Figure 1: The effects of various solutions on apparent ileal digestibility of nutrients (a) and minerals (b) in broilers of 21 days of age. * p<0.05
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