ARTICLE 80 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE November 2025 Colibacillosis External environment favoring E. coli contamination Intestinal barrier integrity Adhesion to MOS OPTIWALL-E. coli inactivated complex eliminated in feces Pili binding to the MOS OPTIWALL E. coli β-glucans strengthen immunity Inflammatory Toxins Translocation Septicemia E. coli Digestive tract are less specific to E. coli, and the withdrawal period for egg marketing (sometimes up to 3 weeks posttreatment) makes their use economically challenging. Nutrition has always been part of the toolbox to maintain animal health and welfare. This challenging context has accelerated the search for nutritional solutions that can help support animal health. As such, they can be complementary to the use of vaccines and/or antibiotics. Among them, feeding OPTIWALL, a yeast cell wall-based postbiotic, developed by Lallemand Animal Nutrition, has emerged as a promising option. OPTIWALL has a guaranteed composition in β-glucans and mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) that work synergistically. Pathogenic E. coli present in the intestinal lumen must first adhere to the intestinal mucosa to initiate the production of the toxins responsible for both local and systemic damage. This adhesion is a critical and necessary step in the infection process. The MOS receptors of OPTIWALL exhibit high pathogen-binding properties targeting strains commonly found in poultry farms, including E. coli and other pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella spp. The irreversible adhesion of these pathogens to OPTIWALL’s MOS receptors help reduce their concentration within the gut before they adhere to enterocytes, and ensures their excretion via the feces. This mechanism contributes to limiting bird contamination through inhalation or ingestion. It also helps lower bacterial pressure and spread caused by dust in the poultry environment, as previously illustrated in Figure 4, titled: “Vicious Circle of bird recontamination by E. coli”. This pathogen-binding capacity has been measured using flow cytometry, a new analytical method developed by the R&D team at Lallemand Animal Nutrition, published and peer-reviewed. Depending on the E. coli strains tested, up to 10–12 bacteria can be durably bound to each OPTIWALL particle. This binding ability is mainly enabled by the length of the MOS chains present in this specifically selected yeast cell wall. When added to the feed throughout the poultry production cycles, OPTIWALL can help reduce the risk of colibacillosis outbreaks in poultry farms. Supplementing birds with this specific yeast cell wall also improves zootechnical performance, as supported by findings from both academic and field trials. The dose can be tailored to farm-specific pathogenic pressure and help maintain animal health. OPTIWALL represents a valuable solution to enhance bird resilience and reduce pathogen pressure, ultimately supporting better productivity. By maintaining bird health, the need for antimicrobial interventions is reduced. Figure 4. Illustration of the mode of action of OPTIWALL against E. coli-induced colibacillosis in poultry (left) and scanning electron microscopy of OPTIWALL binding E. coli (right) ©Lallemand
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