SPECIAL STORY 56 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE February 2023 we must also be careful with very fine ingredients, as they may impair the feed granulometry (stimulate feed selectivity) and present dispersion problems (lump formation). It is recommended to monitor the physical appearance of the product and how it behaves in the chicken feed. 12. Ingredient processing: It is possible that the new ingredient in the "raw" state may not be able to provide the nutrients needed for feasibility. It is possible that some ingredients may need further processing (such as cooking, finer grinding, drying, etc.) to increase the availability of nutrients to the hens or to neutralize some anti-nutritional factor. More research is needed after these alternative ingredients. 13. Presence of anti-nutritional factors: These factors (e.g., trypsin inhibiting factors, non-starch polysaccharides, gossypol, tannin, mycotoxins, phytates, oxalates, oxidized fats) are responsible for reducing the rate of utilization of the nutrients contained in the ingredient and cause losses in productivity and egg quality. All these factors (and other new ones specific to each ingredient) limit the maximum inclusion rate of the ingredients and can cause flock productivity losses. Fortunately, there are additives that help us minimize their damaging effects, such as enzymes, mycotoxin adsorbers and antioxidants. 14. Strategic use of feed additives: The feed additives that we currently use were developed based on traditional ingredients. We are considering enzymes, probiotics, essential oils, vitamins, among others. With this, it is possible that new studies related to the use of these additives will allow a better use of the nutrients contained in alternative ingredients. The complementation of these may help to control alterations in the intestinal flora, and vitamin deficiencies resulting from the use of alternative chicken feed ingredients. 15. Presence of pigmentation in the feed: The consumer has preferences regarding yolk coloration. Some ingredients favor a more orange yolk (e.g. corn, alfalfa) but some ingredients lack carotenoids (e.g. sorghum, millet, rice) and this may generate an additional demand for pigment (natural or artificial) to keep the yolk attractive to the consumer. The use of the different pigmenting agents available on the market is adjustable to each situation at hand.
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