Feed additives and how they can be classified
The market is full of feed additives, making it often difficult to distinguish which does what and to what extent beneficial effects on animals have been tested, tried and researched. The European Commission plays its own role in this respect by classifying all additives for their function and quality.
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| Hops (left) and peppers (right) provide ingredients that can well be used as raw materials in feed additives. |
By Dr Antje Holthausen, senior product manager, Delacon Phytogenic Feed Additives, Steyregg, Austria
The main reason for the re-organisation of the European Food and Feed legislative and the approval of the used feedstuff and feed additives is consumer safety and the protection of our environment. For the production of healthy food, the surveillance and regulation of feeding is an important part. Additives may only be used if they are evaluated by the EU Commission, approved and listed in the Register of Feed Additives pursuant to regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. In the new regulation and assessment of additives, an important step was the ban on antimicrobial growth promoters, which since 2006 has been in force in the EU. In many cases, the feed antibiotics have been replaced by the use of different antibiotics that are used for therapeutic purposes. The consequence is the increased development of resistance of various pathogens against more antibiotics that are subsequently missing for the therapy in human medicine.
To ensure the profitability of livestock production even without feeding antibiotics, innovative solutions in the prevention and optimal management are required. The positive effects of standardised mixtures of herbs, spices and extracts on animal performance, health and well-being are well established. Phytogenic feed additives are plantderived, natural, botanical compounds, comprised of herbs, spices and extracts. They are increasingly used in animal nutrition because they have beneficial biological effects, improve performance and are effective supports for livestock production. Nevertheless, there have been no phytogenic products whose performance-enhancing effects for the animal was acknowledged by the EU Commission.
Read More:http://www.istadd.com/feed-additives-and-how-they-can-be-classified/
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