INTERVIEW 68 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE October 2024 Wendeline Wouters, the Antioxidant Category Lead at Cargill Animal Nutrition and Health: “In terms of feed costs, a vitamin E supply disruption can – like we have seen recently – lead to skyrocketing prices. Because vitamin E is so important to managing the balance of oxidants and antioxidants in the body, farmers must either accept the high vitamin E prices or look to innovation to mitigate the rising costs.” Animal husbandry is competitive, and farmers are challenged to manage costs while maintaining high performance. The price volatility of feed ingredients, such as the important antioxidant vitamin E, pressures farmers and feed formulators to find cost-effective solutions without compromising animal health and performance. Cargill’s Micronutrition and Health Solutions business supports farmers and feed formulators to overcome these challenges with its Proviox™ 50 solution – to combat oxidative stress and reduce feed costs. We interviewed Wendeline Wouters, the Antioxidant Category Lead at Cargill Animal Nutrition and Health, to explore these challenges and find out how they can be turned into opportunities. What is oxidative stress, and how does it challenge farmers and their animals? Oxidation is a natural condition in the body where reactive oxygen species (ROS), also known as free radicals, are produced. These oxidants can be harmful to animals if present for too long or in high concentrations, in the form of oxidative stress. When an animal is under oxidative stress, ROS can react with its cells, such as immune or tissue cells, negatively impacting their function. In farm animals, oxidative stress can be amplified by genetic and environmental factors. Genetically, animals selected for elevated metabolic rates and better performance are more prone to inflammation and oxidative stress. Environmentally, factors like higher population densities on farms, reduced medBOOST ANTIOXIDANTS AND REDUCE FEED COSTS
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