Last Thursday, June 17, 2021, the XXXV International Biovet Symposium was held, again, in online format. The first session of the event focused on the effect of pronutrients on intestinal welfare and food safety. In the first session, 70 people participated, coming from different countries.

The food industry is paying more and more attention to the control of microorganisms present in food, especially in products of animal origin, due to the risk they present for public health.

Food safety has become an issue of great importance in animal production. During the last years, food zoonoses control measures have been incorporated into animal processing and derived food systems, however, foodborne diseases continue to have a great impact on the population. Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli and Clostridium are some of the most prevalent microorganisms in products of animal origin.

Keeping the animals’ intestines in optimal conditions is a key tool to prevent the appearance of foodborne diseases.

Improvement of intestinal welfare in animal production with the help of pronutrients

Intestinal welfare is the balance between the physiological state of the intestinal epithelium and the microorganisms that transit or colonize it temporarily or permanently.

In the first part of the conference, Dr. David Díez, presented the main concepts associated with this topic, followed by Dr. Anna Tesouro, both from Biovet S.A., who presented the mechanism of action of pronutrients involved in improving intestinal welfare. In this sense, the intestinal conditioner pronutrients, active principles of the company’s Alquernat Nebsui product, are natural active molecules that stimulate specific genes in the enterocytes, which are related to the improvement of tight junctions in the intestine, the absorption of nutrients or the regeneration of the intestinal epithelium, among many others.

On the other hand, intestinal optimizer pronutrients, part of the Alquernat Zycox product, enhance local intestinal immunity. Thanks to its mechanism of action, the product has a positive effect on intestinal health and on the improvement of productive parameters. Various applications were presented at this year’s Biovet Symposium.

Global field trials support the efficacy of these pronutrients

One of the studies corresponded to the talk entitled “Use of pronutrients in pullets.” The trial, which was carried out in El Salvador, analyzed the use of Alquernat Zycox in different conditions in Central America for the prevention of coccidiosis in the raising phase of layers compared to the vaccine. The combination with Alquernat Nebsui was also evaluated. The results showed that Alquernat Zycox can prevent coccidiosis in rearing chicks compared to the coccidial vaccine. In addition, in a trial where Alquernat Nebsui active principles were administered, a higher weight was obtained (+97 g / bird), great uniformity (+ 4%), lower mortality (-1.34%) and better conversion rate (-18.45%).

In another session of the event entitled ‘Intestinal health in piglets post-weaning’, by Elliot Spencer, Biovet distributor in Ireland, the factors that affect intestinal welfare in piglets and the most common consequences, such as diarrhea, were discussed. Mechanisms for their prevention were also addressed. Zinc oxide has been one of the most used tools to alleviate the consequences of weaning, however, it is currently being replaced by Alquernat Nebsui, a totally natural technology that reduces the percentage of diarrhea with the same efficiency. Additionally, the use of this additive has shown an improvement in weight of 950 g per piglet and a reduction in mortality of 0.7%.

The trials demonstrated the use of pronutrients as an effective natural alternative to improve the intestinal welfare of animals and, therefore, have proven to be an ally for food safety.