It is estimated that by 2050, the global mortality caused by antibiotic resistance will increase from the current level of 700,000 to 10 million deaths. The reduction of antibiotics in animal husbandry ensures their therapeutic efficacy. That is why our mission is caring for the welfare of animals, improving their health, microbiological safety, reducing antibiotics use and promoting sustainable development.
The guest of our magazine this month is Witold Nowak, CEO of AdiFeed®, which is based in Poland but has crossed the Polish border with its solutions and gained an important presence in the international market. Antibiotic resistance, one of the most important problems of our time, is among the top agenda items of AdiFeed®. The company aims to reduce antibiotics in feed production and plans to make a significant change in this way thanks to the phytobiotic products it has developed.
Underlining that AdiFeed® phytobiotic solutions used in animal nutrition are completely natural and safe, Nowak adds that the effectiveness of their products has been confirmed by scientific and field trials conducted in 18 countries around the world.
We discussed many issues such as AdiFeed®, phytobiotics and reducing antibiotics with Witold Nowak, who thinks that the use of antibiotics in animal nutrition can be completely eliminated. More details are in our interview:
First of all, could you give us some information about your company AdiFeed®? What can you tell us about its story, solutions and the fields it works in?
In its 15 years of activity, AdiFeed® has been guided by one goal – reducing antibiotics in feed production. The importance of this problem is demonstrated by the involvement of the European Parliament which has focused its work on issues relating to antibiotic resistance and the prudent use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine.
The high consumption of antibiotics in animal nutrition leads to the reduction of their effectiveness in the treatment of human diseases. It is estimated that by 2050, the global mortality caused by antibiotic resistance will increase from the current level of 700,000 to 10 million deaths. The reduction of antibiotics in animal husbandry ensures their therapeutic efficacy. That is why our mission is caring for the welfare of animals, improving their health, microbiological safety, reducing antibiotics use and promoting sustainable development.
In order to meet these targets, we create innovative phytobiotic products that are unique combinations of essential oils and plant macerates with a wide spectrum of activity. We consider phytobiotics an effective alternative to chemotherapeutic approaches used in animal production.
Our activity is focused on developing unique phytogenic products based on recipes developed by the Research and Development Department of AdiFeed®, meeting the requirements of EU laws. Raw materials as well as final products are thoroughly checked in our laboratory in terms of the active substances’ content of Phytoncides. The effectiveness of our products is confirmed by scientific and field trials in 18 countries around the globe.
AdiFeed® phytobiotic solutions as used in animal nutrition are completely natural and safe. Active substances help to maintain the balance of the intestinal microflora, support the body’s natural immunity and constitute natural protection against the development of pathogenic microorganisms.
You are a company based in Poland, but you are active in other countries, as well. Could you tell us about your organization, work and position in the Polish and global markets?
AdiFeed® products are now widely recognized in the Polish market. Today, as much as 80% of food products of animal origin available on the shelves of Polish stores come from animals bred with feed with AdiFeed® phytobiotics added. We are the market leader in Poland. For several years, the company has also been strongly developing its international sales. Our innovative products are currently exported to dozens of countries on four continents. In addition, our activities are also focused on conducting scientific research at prestigious universities worldwide, which gives us an even better position on the global market as the producer of innovative phytobiotic solutions.
In 2022, we will be present at numerous global trade exhibitions. In the nearest future, we are planning to attend EuroTier Middle East in Abu Dhabi, where everyone interested in phytogenic products developed by AdiFeed® is invited.
You distribute the products of the leading brands in the feed additives industry, but you also have your own product line of phytobiotics. Can you tell us about the process of developing phytobiotic additives?
We produce a wide variety of the new generation phytogenic products for animals such as: poultry, pigs, ruminants and fish. Throughout the production process, great emphasis is placed on the responsibility we assume for the welfare of animals. Hence, the products we offer are well tested, which ensures their effectiveness. Quality control is crucial as it allows us to deliver photogenic products of the highest quality to the markets. Our professional team with modern laboratory research equipment oversees the proper course of the respective stages of the production process. The unique quality of our powder and liquid form products is ensured by proprietary and innovative technological solutions.
Could you give more information about your products? Are there any solutions you produce other than phytobiotics?
When I founded AdiFeed® 15 years ago, my ambition was to find an effective alternative for coccidiostats. At that time, it was planned to eliminate coccidiostats completely from animal nutrition by 2012. Coccidiostats are substances that act upon Eimeria, i.e. parasites from the group of protozoa which significantly reduce the profitability of poultry production. Pharmaceutical companies estimated the cost of coccidiosis at $3 billion a year. adiCox®AP is currently our top product, it is a well-thought-out, multi-component solution that allows us to reduce the use of coccidiostats or even eliminate them completely.
Responding to the needs of the consumer market, which aims to reduce or completely eliminate antibiotics, we had to find a comprehensive solution, not only based on pure phytobiotics, but also on a combination of various eubiotics, such as probiotics, prebiotics or medium chain fatty acids (MCFA). That is why our offer includes lines of liquid products such as adiCoxSOL and adiSalmoSOL, which, when used by veterinarians on farms, allow the reduction in the use of antibiotics.
Our clients use adiCox®AP, which is a natural non-antibiotic growth stimulant, prophylactically in their feed and it also alleviates the problems associated with coccidiosis. As of today, our adiCox®AP is generally used by most producers of slow-growing broilers in Poland and it effectively protects animals against the possible occurrence of coccidiosis.
As a result of the cooperation with various research centres, we have managed to develop new uses of our products. The adiCoxSOL PF liquid products for water have been recommended as an alternative to reduce problems with the occurrence of coccidiosis. However, in cooperation with the University in Olsztyn and professor Koncicki, it was proved that adiCoxSOL PF is also an effective solution in the case of prophylaxis and reduction of negative effects related to the blackhead disease, i.e. histomoniasis. The disease is common in broiler breeders and turkey broilers. At the moment, there is no chemotherapeutic drug on the market allowed to combat histomoniasis.
Currently in the USA, the blackhead disease is the biggest problem when it comes to the development of turkey broiler production. That is why our aim is to start research this year at the University of North Carolina, where we will be testing the effectiveness of our adiCoxSOL PF products in the prophylaxis of histomoniasis.
Why have phytobiotics or phytogenics attracted so much attention in recent years? What are the benefits or advantages of phytobiotics over other options?
AdiFeed® has been providing phytogenic products to the market for 15 years. Our strength is the focused target that allows us to reduce antibiotics use in food production. Our experience is the result of many years of work by a team of scientists representing many fields, i.e.: veterinary medicine, zootechnics, pharmacology, and phytotherapy. The cooperation with independent research centres and institutions enables us to better understand the mechanisms of phytoncides.
In my opinion, the reduction of antibiotics, and even their complete elimination, should become the overarching goal for the entire population. The observations of today’s science in the field of human and animal treatment reveal how much emphasis is placed on prophylaxis and vaccinations.
While the 20th century was the era of antibiotics, the 21st century takes us to the era of phytobiotics and probiotics. I believe the complete elimination of antibiotics is possible with appropriate biosecurity methods in place. Everyone knows that prevention is far cheaper than cure.
Really, how much do you think phytobiotics can contribute to the demise of antibiotics in the food production process? Which seems more likely: reducing antibiotics or eliminating them completely?
Today, at AdiFeed®, we have decided to allocate 50% of profits to research and new technologies in order to be able to offer our clients the most effective solutions that will reduce antibiotics use.
It is possible to completely eliminate antibiotics from animal nutrition, but it results in higher production costs. In addition, close cooperation between breeders, feed factories, hatcheries, veterinarians, and slaughterhouses is required.
Finally, can you brief us a little about AdiFeed®’s future plans? What innovations and solutions does your company plan to offer to the industry in the future? What are your investment plans, if any?
Today, AdiFeed® focuses on the research and development conducted by our R&D team which will lead to the creation of new innovative solutions and products. This is where we concentrate most of our financial resources to pave the way for our future success. We are also developing our exports, and we will be focusing a number of our activities on them in the time to come. There are many challenges ahead as well as investments related to the development of our company.
So far, the products supplied to the market have been based on the processing and technology of herbal raw materials in the form of either percolation or micronization. Our ambition is to go even further as we want to focus on the standardization of individual active substances. That is why we have patented the new solutions that will allow the selection and standardization of individual phytoncides in the future.
By 2025, we plan to have built a modern plant equipped with the cutting edge technology for acquiring and standardizing phytoncide products.
We strive for perfection and always try to be one step ahead of the time so that the new technologies and innovative solutions help us solve the challenges we face, which include serving future generations and cooperating with clients from all over the world.
Is there anything else that you would like to add?
We would like to invite you to meet us at EuroTier Middle East, Pig & Poultry, VIV Europe, EuroTier and other trade events.
