ARTICLE 64 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE July 2024 offers a whole range of liquid and solid ingredients, such as essential oils, aromatic substances and plant extracts in liquid or solid form, which can be easily incorporated into food, as well as liquid and solid solutions to be added to compound, complementary or pre-mixed feed. Among the most popular plants used in animal feed, Herbarom specialises notably in garlic, thyme, oregano, rosemary, mint and cinnamon. Drawing on its dual expertise in liquids and solids, the company produces liquid solutions at its Aoustesur-Sye plant, which can then be transformed into powder form at its Saint-Pierre site just five minutes away. Herbarom produces more than 750 tonnes of animal feed ingredients and solutions annually, and the company’s industrial capacity also enables it to subcontract certain operations for its customers. IMPROVING ANIMAL WELFARE WITH PLANT SOLUTIONS In addition to optimising conversion rates, natural solutions also contribute to animals’ overall welfare, with proven benefits for stress, digestion, well-being and urinary comfort. Stress can have harmful effects on animals’ physiology and behaviour (resulting in injuries, bites, etc.), which ultimately impacts yield and factors such as meat quality (colour, tenderness or pH). By helping to improve stress management, natural solutions thus contribute to animals’ overall well-being and maintain their performance levels. Natural solutions also contribute to a healthy digestive system, by helping to stimulate rumination in cattle for example, improving the digestibility of feed and nutrient absorption, and thus resulting in healthy growth and optimised production. Lastly, natural solutions are also a useful ally in managing heat periods in female animals and maximising fertility and reproduction, while ensuring proper livestock management and thus improved profitability and productivity. HOW DO THE ACTIONS OF SENSORY ADDITIVES RESPOND TO CONSUMER DEMANDS? Feeding livestock is a genuine challenge which requires a global approach from all players along the value chain leading to the end consumer. Preserving consumer trust is essential, and several factors come into play in pursuit of this goal. Product quality is a primary concern. Natural solutions are currently highly sought after, coupled with an increasingly high level of requirements to be met. Natural sensory additives help to produce better-qual-
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