Introduction
New insights show the role of lactylates, esters of lactic acid and specifically selected medium-chain fatty acids, in achieving superior livestock performance in the absence of antibiotics.
This summary is adapted from an article in allaboutfeed.net compiled by Nico Kors (7/2019) titled “A holistic approach to enhanced gut health,” which discusses the importance of gut health and the application of a holistic solution, especially the use of lactylates in the diet, to help prevent disease, improve gut health and livestock performance, reduce antibiotic use, and produce safe food. The content of the article is summarized below.
The role of gut health
In recent years, awareness of the negative impact of antibiotic use in animals, as well as public concern worldwide about the industry’s dependence on antibiotics for growth promotion and antibiotic resistance, has increased exponentially. This has led to legislative restrictions in the European Union and a reassessment of their use in the United States. However, the elimination of antibiotics also poses significant challenges for livestock producers. These include an increased risk of disease, with a higher number of cases of Clostridia in poultry, reduced animal health, and even death. In other cases, reducing antibiotics has the opposite effect, with some poultry and pig populations requiring additional therapeutic antibiotics to help overcome disease. Therefore, animal health management has become a daily challenge, with livestock producers and feed manufacturers now seeking alternatives that will promote healthy animals without compromising productivity and food safety.
Why is optimal gut health important?
Gut health is becoming an increasingly important topic in animal nutrition because it plays a crucial role in the overall health, productivity, and profitability of livestock. Although there is no clear definition of “gut health,” experts agree that it encompasses several physiological and functional characteristics, meaning it is essential for optimal livestock performance. Such characteristics include nutrient digestion and absorption, host metabolism, a balanced gut microbiota, barrier function, and immune response. Therefore, it is important to understand the interaction among these diverse characteristics in order to manage livestock production effectively. For example, the gut microbiota supports the digestion and absorption of nutrients, contributes to the structure of the gut barrier, and also promotes the development and function of the host immune system. Thus, a balanced gut microbiota is crucial for optimal animal health. However, this balance can be easily altered by diet, infection by pathogens and other life stressors, as well as antibiotic intake, meaning it must be closely managed by livestock producers.
Disease prevention
For some, gut health is clearly defined as the absence or prevention of disease so that animals can carry out their physiological functions and withstand external and internal stressors. In the past, antibiotics were an effective solution for helping prevent disease in livestock and promoting growth. However, antibiotics have a significant impact on the host microbiota, causing bacterial imbalance and reduced normal function. For example, Clostridia are commonly found in the gut microbiota. Overuse of antibiotics can disrupt the balance of Clostridia, leading to infection. For instance, Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens), a toxin-producing gram-positive bacterium, is a common poultry disease caused by the overgrowth of this bacterium in the intestine. In the event of infection, poultry may be affected by reduced digestion and nutrient absorption, reduced weight gain, increased feed conversion ratio (FCR), and even death in severe cases. It is known that feed additives can contribute to gut health management. Following the global rejection of and concerns about antibiotics for growth promotion and therapeutic use, medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) have been used as an alternative across the industry, including in poultry and pig nutrition. While research shows that dietary MCFAs have many positive effects on animal health, feed digestibility, and performance, more recent scientific evidence indicates that the benefits provided by MCFAs can be enhanced when part of a broader solution that also contains lactylates.
Lactylates are an effective solution
New insights show the role of lactylates, esters of lactic acid and specifically selected medium-chain fatty acids, in achieving superior livestock performance in the absence of antibiotics. In fact, in vitro trials show that lactylates have stronger antibacterial activity against C. perfringens and other gram-positive bacteria than MCFAs alone, thereby promoting a healthy gut (Figure 1). Data collected from more than 300 broilers demonstrated the benefits of improved performance. For example, there was a significant improvement in body weight and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in poultry receiving lactylates. Furthermore, combining lactylates with calcium butyrate coating showed promising nutritional intervention in managing broiler gut health. Further studies in pigs also showed similar results, highlighting a positive relationship between lactylates and improved weight gain, better feed conversion, and lower mortality, as well as overall well-being and animal health.
Innovation in animal nutrition
ALOAPUR® - an effective feed ingredient containing lactylates (C12 and C14 lactylates), hereafter referred to as the lactylate product, promotes gut health and supports overall animal health, as well as improving key performance factors such as FCR and body weight. This patented, free-flowing, non-sticky powder formulation is suitable for use in both compound feed and premix feed, with observed benefits in several species including poultry, pigs, rabbits, ruminants, and aquaculture. This ingredient works by helping to selectively shift the gut microbiota to create a more favorable balance in the animal’s microbiome and improve gut health. For example, studies in broilers have shown body weight gains of up to 4.9% and FCR improvements of up to -4.41% (Figure 2). Further studies analyzing the amount of lactylate present in different sections of the intestine found the lactylate product in multiple regions along the gastrointestinal tract of broilers fed this ingredient, suggesting that it balances the gut bacterial population in the animal microbiome and helps improve performance. In addition to the observed benefits for animal health, the feed ingredient also exhibits excellent physical properties, including neutral odor and thermal stability, making it an effective solution that is easy to incorporate into new feed blends and formulations. Moreover, feed manufacturers have the opportunity to optimize their products by combining it with other feed ingredients such as essential oils, enzymes, and organic acids.
Conclusion
Since the feed industry has moved away from using antibiotics, livestock producers and feed manufacturers have used MCFAs to promote animal health and performance. However, new data indicate that lactylates, especially those containing C12 and C14 fatty acids, may be more effective in supporting animal health, reducing the need for antibiotics, and cutting veterinary costs. This provides livestock producers with an effective alternative that can increase feed efficiency and profitability while meeting consumer demand for safe animal products.
Assoc. Prof. Bui Xuan Men, Vemedim R&D Center.
References
Kors N. 2019. A holistic approach to enhanced gut health
