ISSUE FOCUS 28 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE June 2024 ed bioavailability. Trace minerals are crucial to form antioxidative enzymes like superoxide dismutase. Oxidative stress describes an accumulation of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide (ROS = reactive oxygen species) during ATP production via oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria. After a sharp increase at the beginning of a heat stress period, oxidative stress leads to mitochondrial dysfunction. Based on the availability of different antioxidants like vitamin C and E, glutathione and superoxide dismutase, the formation and elimination of ROS will find a new balance if heat stress continues. Increasing antioxidants is an important measure to maintain cellular energy supply by the mitochondria, which is crucial for the cell function. Along with the superoxide dismutase, glutathione is the second important endogenous antioxidant. It consists of three important amino acids: cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine. If glycinates are used as a source of organic trace minerals, the contained glycine supports glutathione synthesis and helps reduce cell and tissue damage. On an intestinal level, reduction of oxidative stress plays a vital role in avoiding leaky gut syndrome. PRO- AND PREBIOTICS TO SUPPORT INTESTINAL HEALTH The intestinal barrier function is crucial to protect the animals and especially the liver against many harmful substances and bacteria entering the portal vein. The tight junctions between the intestinal cells are the weakest part of this barrier, which makes protecting this protein bonding especially important. In addition to helping the animals avoid leaky gut syndrome, maintaining a healthy microbiota is very important. It becomes disturbed by heat stress-induced changes in feed intake and feeding behavior. Pro- and prebiotics are the most used feed additives to stabilize and support a beneficial microbiota. They reduce the impact of harmful bacteria and make it possible to control the risk of toxic metabolites like LPS. Furthermore, pro- and prebiotics support feed digestibility and nutrient absorption. This is important for the animal’s resistance to heat stress and helps to minimize performance depression. CONCLUSION Heat stress is a growing problem for poultry production operations because animals lose their ability to compensate for suboptimal feeding or management. This is why it is important to provide every means of support to minimize losses and help animals overcome heat stress. Feed additives play an essential role when heat stress is expected to continue for several weeks. These products should be used in combination with short term, on-farm application of special feed supplements during acute heat exposure. About Dr. Bernhard Landwehr Bernhard Landwehr grew up on a dairy farm in the northwest of Germany and started with an apprenticeship on an intensive livestock farm. After studying agricultural science at the University of Göttingen, he worked in a research project on nitrogen efficiency in dairy farming and finished his PhD in 2002. Subsequently Landwehr started his career in the feed industry and gained extensive experience in feed optimization as well as in practical feeding of ruminant and monogastric animals. He has been working with nutritional feed additive in Biochem for more than 11 years, and supporting the product development as well as the national and international sales with his expertise in animal nutrition.
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