As livestock nutrition continues to evolve, feed additives play a crucial role in enhancing animal health, performance, and sustainability. In this exclusive Q&A, PoultryProducer.com explores key insights with Addix’s leading experts, with a special focus on Dr. Enrique Montiel, D.V.M., Ph.D., Global Vice President of Research and Innovation at Addix. Dr. Montiel brings a wealth of expertise in immunology, pathology and food safety, providing valuable insights into the science, benefits, and future of feed additives in modern poultry and livestock production.
- What are the biggest challenges in livestock nutrition today, and how can feed additives help address them?
Modern livestock production demands precision and efficiency like never before. Some of the most pressing challenges poultry producers are facing include:
- Achieving a deep understanding of the nutritional requirements for birds to reach their full genetic potential, especially since each genetic line requires a tailored nutritional approach to unlock peak performance
- Maximizing utilization of raw materials in feed to make a cost-effective ration without compromising nutritional value
- Maintaining safety standards to prevent and/or spread pathogens through feed
- Selecting the right feed additives to address specific nutritional demands of each production system
- How do feed additives contribute to disease prevention and improved immunity in poultry and livestock?
Feed additives have a variety of functions in animal production. Some of the main ways they contribute to disease prevention and immune support are:
- Enhancing nutrient absorption and utilization through additives such as lysophospholipid ensuring animals can extract the maximum value from their feed
- Protecting the quality and shelf life of feed by using antioxidants and feed sanitizers, reducing the risk of feed-born contaminants
- Supporting tissue development and optimizing physiological processes through targeted supplementation, including amino acids and immunostimulants, which can strengthen an animal’s natural defenses
- What role do feed additives like Lifos™ play in optimizing feed efficiency and reducing costs?
Incorporating a feed additive like Lifos™ will optimize the utilization of metabolizable energy within the feed, leading to improved performance parameters in terms of body weight, feed conversion, and reproductive traits.
Additionally, Lifos contains lysophosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylcholine in its composition which can substitute for some traditional feed ingredients like choline, offering producers flexibility in their ingredient sourcing. Beyond these performance enhancements, Lifos also supports improved liver function, contributing to overall animal health and long-term productivity.
- Can you explain how microbiome modulation and gut health impact overall animal performance?
In recent years, the analysis of the intestinal microbiome and its relationship to production traits has advanced significantly. The science behind the effect of feed additives on microbiome makeup is still in progress, but there is increasing evidence suggesting a deep influence of the microbiome on productivity and health in animal production.
An imbalance in the microbiome can cause an overgrowth of pathogenic microorganisms, which compromises intestinal health, disrupts nutrient absorption and triggers inflammation. All these symptoms can lead to detrimental bird performance.
Understanding the relationship between feed formulation—particularly the role of feed additives—and its impact on the microbiome is crucial for maintaining animal health and achieving performance goals.
- What are the key factors producers should consider when selecting a feed additive?
Selecting the right feed additive requires careful evaluation. Producers should:- Identify a specific need or challenge that the additive will address
- Ensure the additive delivers measurable, proven results
- Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the additive
- Impact in the innocuity of the final product, meat or egg
- With the industry moving towards antibiotic reduction, what feed-based alternatives are proving most effective?
As the industry continues to shift toward antibiotic-free production, producers face new challenges in maintaining animal health and performance. Feed additives are increasingly being used as part of a holistic strategy to support animal resilience, allowing them to make the best use of their natural defense mechanisms. Some of those strategies include:
- The use of enzymes, antioxidants, and absorption enhancers with emulsifying effects, which have been highly refined to optimize nutrient utilization
- Feed additives directed to promote intestinal health and balance while targeting stimulation of animal’s immune system
- The use of monoglycerides of short and medium chain fatty acids, acidifiers or feed disinfectants to decrease the microbial loads in feed and, in turn, minimize the opportunity for pathogens to enter animal production systems through feed (this is perhaps the most efficient way of dissemination)
- How is Addix leveraging scientific research and innovation to develop the next generation of feed additives?
At Addix, we strive to bring solutions to animal feed additives through our global research team, who works together with producers to understand their daily challenges. Our team stays up-to-date on the most advanced feed technology and trends, leading us to optimize nutrition by meeting the constantly changing needs of modern production. Our goal is to be a trustworthy, qualified source of support for the animal protein industry.
- Where do you see the future of feed additives heading, and what innovations can we expect in the coming years?
The future of feed additives will be shaped by the need to produce more protein with fewer resources. We need to increase output in less time with more efficiency. To make this happen, we anticipate continued advancement in feed intervention and nutrition, which demands a deep understanding of nutritional needs and opportunities. As labor costs continue to rise and mechanization increases, feed will continue to be the most efficient and cost-effective vehicle for improving animal performance. Nonetheless, the industry’s development and long-term performance require incorporating new innovative alternatives that contribute to further performance, cost-effectiveness and efficiency to a more sustainable production chain.
