SPECIAL STORY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE July 2023 55 As part of the same study, a separate group of juvenile white shrimp were supplemented with OFA for 3 weeks, then were challenged with the severe pathogenic bacteria Vibrio parahemolyticus EMS strain at 106 CFU/ml for 15 days. At the end of the challenge period the group fed OceanFeed™ Aqua had a survival rate of 60%, significantly higher than the control group of 42% (Figure 3), suggesting either a direct effect of the macroalgae blend on the pathogen, or an immunomodulatory effect in shrimp. SEAWEED BLENDS IMPROVE EGG PRODUCTION AND FEED EFFICIENCY IN LAYING HENS Macroalgae blends have previously been shown to influence the GI microbiota of broilers, increasing the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio in the ceca, enhancing the abundance of the fibre degrading, butyrate producing bacteria, and ultimately improving feed efficiency and weight gain (Sands, 2022). In a recent study in early-lay white Hyline hens, birds were fed either a control diet, or a control diet supplemented with a blend of red, green and brown macroalgae (OceanFeed™ Poultry), from week 12-29 of age. OceanFeed™ Poultry significantly improved hen-day egg production percentage, egg weight and feed conversion rate (from weeks 26 to 29 inclusive), compared with the control diet (Figure 4). Figure 3. Survival rate of juvenile white shrimp following Vibrio challenge when consuming a control diet or with added OceanFeed™ Aqua (OFA) Figure 4. Egg weight, feed conversion ratio and egg production % of birds consuming a control diet or the control supplemented with OceanFeed™ Poultry (OFP).
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