Solution has to be cost-effective
In trials with non-challenged broilers fed
a corn/soy diet containing some fibrous
cereal by-products, Romero et al (2013)
observed significant incremental increases
in nitrogen corrected apparent metabolisable
energy (AMEn) with additions of
a three strain Bacillus probiotic and xylanase,
amylase and protease enzymes. The
results from two further trials at Southern
Poultry Research, Georgia, USA, (2013)
showed that these benefits also extended
to a specific necrotic enteritis (NE)
challenge model, giving net benefits of
14% in relative cost per kg live weight
gain versus the challenged control at current
feed prices. Foot pad lesion scores
have also been shown to be significantly
lower than the controls with inclusion of
feed additive containing the same multienzymes
and multi-strain Bacillus combination
to commonly used AGPs,
Virginiamycin and Bacitracin Methylene
Disalicylate19.
It goes without saying that solutions to
reduce AGP use in commercial operations
need to be cost-effective and reliable.
Trials have already shown that adding
phytase to a xylanase, amylase, and protease
and Bacillus combination resulted
in 2.5% higher gross profit in a cost comparison
with an antibiotic growth promoter20.
But it’s the cost to human health
and food safety that will prompt worldwide
reductions in AGP use. Antibiotic
resistant superbugs are, after all in the
words of the WHO, “notorious globetrotters”.
AAF