ISSUE FOCUS 34 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE November 2025 1. Formic acid (70-85%) 2. Fumaric acid 3. Phosphoric acid (75-85%) 4. Betaine HCl 5. Citric acid 6. Lactic acid (80%) 7. Benzoic acid 8. Propionic acid 9. Lactose monohydrate 10. Whey powder 11. Whey permeate 12. Skim milk 13. Sodium caseinate 14. Fermented soybean meal 15. Yeast 16. Full fat soy 17. Soybean meal 18. Soy protein concentrate 19. Enzyme-treated soybean meal 20. Spraydried plasma 21. Fish meal 22. Monocalcium phosphate (pH 4,0-4,4) 23. Dicalcium phosphate (pH 5,2-7,5) 24. Calcium formate (anhydrous) 25. Sodium caproate 26. Sodium butyrate 27. Calcium butyrate (uncoated) 28. Calcium propionate 29. Manganese oxide (MnO) 30. Magnesium oxide (MgO) 31. Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) 32. Limestone (CaCO3) 33. Zinc oxide (ZnO) 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 -5000 -10000 -15000 -20000 Organic Acids (-12000 → -1500) meq H+/kg Milk Products (0 → 700) Protein Sources (0 → 1000) Phosphates (0 → 4000) Organic Acid Salts (4000 → 10000) Oxides, (Bi)carbonates (5000 → 20000) fat coatings, inert silica carriers). In general, for these types of raw materials, the ABC-4 values found in literature can be relied upon for formulation. Natural or nature-derived raw materials (e.g., starch, protein, fat and fiber sources, and minimally processed minerals) have a more variable composition and, consequently, more variable ABC-4 values between nutritionally equivalent batches. For these types of ingredients, depending on their inclusion level and their potential impact on the ABC-4 value of the feed, it is recommended to analytically determine the ABC-4 value of the batch itself and not rely on literature values (Figure 1). MACRO-INGREDIENTS: HIGH INCLUSION, LIMITED IMPACT High inclusion levels make macro-ingredients nutritionally important, but from an ABC-4 perspective, some are less relevant because major nutrient classes like carbohydrates (starch, sugar) and fats have almost no buffering capacity. Proteins, minerals and fiber, however, do have an impact. Cereals like barley, wheat, corn and rye have low, positive ABC-4 values (60 to 120 meq/kg) and have a small, increasing effect on the ABC-4 of the diet, even at high inclusion levels. Limited variability in ABC-4 values stems from different protein and fiber contents. Depending on their structural and compositional characteristics, fiber-rich ingredients have variable acid-binding properties, and low-to-moderate, positive ABC-4 values (70 to 400 meq/kg). They may also have high water-binding capacity, leading to a higher gastrointestinal viscosity and complicating the acid diffusion in the stomach. Although fibers Figure 1. Different classes of feed ingredients have widely different ABC-4 values. Some ingredients show significant variability between batches or origins.
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