Natura-Biotic is developing natural alternative feed additives to replace AGP (antibiotic
growth promoter) for animal farming industries of poultry, pig and fish culturing.
growth promoter) for animal farming industries of poultry, pig and fish culturing.
Alternatives to antibiotic feed additives for pigs
Why have antibiotics been added to pig diets?
The initial use of antibiotics in diets arose from the discovery in the late 1940's, in the United States,
that including the fermentation products of Streptomyces aureofaciens (a strain of bacteria) in the
diets of simple-stomached animals, such as pigs and poultry, resulted in growth responses. In the
next fifty years, the use of antibiotics as feed additives in pig and poultry production became virtually
universal.
How do feed antibiotics promote growth in pigs and poultry?
The exact mechanism as to how feed antibiotics 'promote' growth is not entirely clear. It is probable
that they allow animals to express their natural potential for growth, and that the 'growth promotion' is
achieved by antibiotics exerting their effects through a direct influence on bacteria in the animal gut,
since there is no response in germ-free animals. Antibiotics used as routine feed additives also
appear to prevent some diseases, since their withdrawal can result in the emergence of endemic
conditions particularly diarrhoea in the weaned piglet.
It is important to make a distinction between antibiotics used in the treatment and prevention of
disease in farm animals (prescribed therapeutic and prophylactic use), which differs from their use
as feed additives to enhance growth. As feed additives, antibiotics are used at low concentrations of
2.5 - 50ppm (depending on the compound used).
Why are we becoming concerned over feeding antibiotics to farm animals?
From the outset, there were worries that through over-use, the effectiveness of feed antibiotics might
diminish and that strains of bacteria would arise which were resistant to their effect. Of greatest
concern was the possibility that resistance generated on the farm could lead to a loss of
effectiveness of key antibiotics in human medicine.
Through the years there have been a number of expert committees (e.g. The Netherthorpe
Committee, 1962 and The Swann Committee, 1969) and enquiries into this aspect. Sweden
considered the risks unacceptable to their public and placed heavy restrictions on feed antibiotics in
1986.
Are there any alternatives to antibiotics in pig diets that have similar effects
on the efficiency of production?
Currently there is no single substance, which could replace the function of feed antibiotics. Moreover,
any single substance (e.g. zinc oxide), which is intended to replace the role of antibiotics in farm
animals, will be subject to the intense scrutiny that antibiotics have been subjected to over the past
40 years. Since the growth benefit found from feeding antibiotics is achieved through many different
effects on the gut, the strategy for replacing them will depend on a combination of nutritional, housing
and husbandry factors.
Over the years a number of alternative feed additives have been tried often in combination with
existing antimicrobials, such as antibiotics, zinc oxide and copper sulphate. A review of the scientific
literature suggests that, in general, alternative additives provide little consistent growth benefit.
Among the more promising are organic acids, fermentable substrates and enzymes.
The efficacy of the many individual feed additives promoted as alternatives to antibiotics are
summarised below, with a score to give an indication of their potential value.
Why have antibiotics been added to pig diets?
The initial use of antibiotics in diets arose from the discovery in the late 1940's, in the United States,
that including the fermentation products of Streptomyces aureofaciens (a strain of bacteria) in the
diets of simple-stomached animals, such as pigs and poultry, resulted in growth responses. In the
next fifty years, the use of antibiotics as feed additives in pig and poultry production became virtually
universal.
How do feed antibiotics promote growth in pigs and poultry?
The exact mechanism as to how feed antibiotics 'promote' growth is not entirely clear. It is probable
that they allow animals to express their natural potential for growth, and that the 'growth promotion' is
achieved by antibiotics exerting their effects through a direct influence on bacteria in the animal gut,
since there is no response in germ-free animals. Antibiotics used as routine feed additives also
appear to prevent some diseases, since their withdrawal can result in the emergence of endemic
conditions particularly diarrhoea in the weaned piglet.
It is important to make a distinction between antibiotics used in the treatment and prevention of
disease in farm animals (prescribed therapeutic and prophylactic use), which differs from their use
as feed additives to enhance growth. As feed additives, antibiotics are used at low concentrations of
2.5 - 50ppm (depending on the compound used).
Why are we becoming concerned over feeding antibiotics to farm animals?
From the outset, there were worries that through over-use, the effectiveness of feed antibiotics might
diminish and that strains of bacteria would arise which were resistant to their effect. Of greatest
concern was the possibility that resistance generated on the farm could lead to a loss of
effectiveness of key antibiotics in human medicine.
Through the years there have been a number of expert committees (e.g. The Netherthorpe
Committee, 1962 and The Swann Committee, 1969) and enquiries into this aspect. Sweden
considered the risks unacceptable to their public and placed heavy restrictions on feed antibiotics in
1986.
Are there any alternatives to antibiotics in pig diets that have similar effects
on the efficiency of production?
Currently there is no single substance, which could replace the function of feed antibiotics. Moreover,
any single substance (e.g. zinc oxide), which is intended to replace the role of antibiotics in farm
animals, will be subject to the intense scrutiny that antibiotics have been subjected to over the past
40 years. Since the growth benefit found from feeding antibiotics is achieved through many different
effects on the gut, the strategy for replacing them will depend on a combination of nutritional, housing
and husbandry factors.
Over the years a number of alternative feed additives have been tried often in combination with
existing antimicrobials, such as antibiotics, zinc oxide and copper sulphate. A review of the scientific
literature suggests that, in general, alternative additives provide little consistent growth benefit.
Among the more promising are organic acids, fermentable substrates and enzymes.
The efficacy of the many individual feed additives promoted as alternatives to antibiotics are
summarised below, with a score to give an indication of their potential value.
| The efficacy and potential for developing alternative additives and strategies to replace the role of antibiotic feed additives in pig production |
| Alternative feed additives Efficacy* Potential for developement* Antibiotics +++++ 0 Zinc Oxide ++++ 0 Copper sulphate +++ 0 Organic acids + 0 Enzymes +++ +++ Pre-fermentation and inoculation ? + Probiotics + + Fermentable substrates (Prebiotics) ++ +++ Lactose ++ 0 Zeolites and clay minerals ? 0 Nutraceuticals (e.g. gingseng, oregano) ? + Soya isolates + + Immunoglobulins ++ ? Epidermal growth factors ? ? Colostrally drived growth factors ? ? Husbandry/management techniques Efficacy Potential for development All-in-all production ++++ ++++ Hygiene ++++ +++ Later weaning ? + Outdoor production + 0 Colostrum quality and intake ++ ++ Immunisation +++ ++ Drinking water quality and provision ++ +++ Education - owner and stockperson ++++ +++++ * - Efficacy and development based on a subjective score 0 (zero) to ++++ (very high), or ? (unknown) |
Page Title
Natural Materials
Natural Antibiotic Alternatives
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