ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE November 2022 21 be active throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract. These unique properties make glyceride-based products highly efficient. Scientific research has proven that glycerides indeed have a much stronger antimicrobial effect compared to their ‘free’ counterparts. Moreover, specific glycerides like those of lauric acid, are known for their potential anti-viral, immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory effects. And the good news is: the occurrence of resistance against these glycerides is very unlikely as supported by science. COMBINED APPROACH Depending on the chain length of the fatty acid different glycerides can be obtained, each with their own affinity for certain pathogens. Glycerides of short chain fatty acids such as propionic (C3) and butyric acid (C4) are mainly active against Gram-negative bacteria. In contrast, glycerides of medium chain fatty acids like capric (C10) and lauric acid (C12) are more efficient against Gram-positive bacteria. They are mostly used in blends because of the intended synergistic effect, as described by literature. This combined approach of non-antibiotic supplements could be strong enough to effectively replace the preventive usage of antibiotics. PROVEN IN PRACTICE To test this combined approach a trial was conductA special role is reserved for glycerides of lauric acid (C12), available as the feed additive FRA® C12 Dry. Find out the three reasons why the glycerides of this specific medium chain fatty acid support broilers’ natural immunity. 1. Antipathogenic effect as first line of defense Next to their proven antibacterial properties, lauric acid glycerides possess antiviral properties against fat enveloped viruses as shown by in vitro studies. They are found to affect the viral fat-envelope, causing leakage and at higher concentrations a complete breakdown of viral particles. 2. Reduction of the inflammatory response Lauric acid glycerides also reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines thereby avoiding overreactions of the immune system when small challenges occur. In this way broilers are able to save more energy for growth. However, in case of viral challenges, an increase of for instance interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) has been observed. This is important as IFN-γ is involved in inhibition of viruses. 3. Boost vaccination strategy Moreover, according to a new study published in Journal of Applied Poultry Research, glycerides of lauric acid also stimulates the immune response of broilers after vaccination against Infectious Bronchitis, one of the most important diseases in the poultry industry today. Significantly higher amounts of antibodies were found in birds receiving FRA® C12 Dry compared to the vaccinated control birds, see Figure 2. Together with the observation that more birds were able to establish faster clearance of vaccine-derived IBV, this may suggest that lauric acid glycerides strengthen the immune response. The authors point out that the higher number of antibodies found in the animals receiving FRA® C12 Dry in their feed may result in better protection against future infections. C12 in the spotlights Figure 2. FRA® C12 Dry improves the immune response in Infectious Bronchitis vaccinated broilers (De Gussem et al., 2021).
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