29 Mar Importance of gut health in production animals
THE CONCEPT OF GUT HEALTH
Gut Health is of vital importance to the performance of production animals. A healthy gastrointestinal tract allows to reduce or eliminate the use of antibiotic growth promoters.
Gut health is defined as the absence of disease so that the animal is able to perform its physiological functions and withstand exogenous and endogenous stressors.
It covers multiple positive aspects of the gastrointestinal tract: effective digestion and absorption of nutrients, healthy tissues, normal and stable intestinal microbiota, effective immune status and a state of well-being.
3 FEATURES OF A HEALTHY GUT
When evaluating gut health, we should pay attention to the following three features:
1. Healthy tissues
- Absence of lesions, irritation or inflammation
- Proper amount of mucin
- In the small intestine, tall villi and high villus/crypt ratio
- Robust barrier function (Find more information about the barrier function in this article)
2. Balanced microbiome
- High microbial diversity
- Elevated amount of beneficial microorganisms
- Reduced amount of pathogenic microorganisms
3. Strong digestive immunity
- Generation of a proper immune response to invading pathogens
- Contribute to a robust intestinal barrier function
- Avoid producing an excessive inflammatory response
WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT GUT HEALTH?
Gut health is crucial for the performance, health and welfare of production animals:
- To ensure that the production of meat, eggs and milk is up to the genetic standard of the animals
- To achieve an optimal FCR
- To replace antibiotic growth promoters
- To ensure egg quality
- To eliminate digestive problems
- To prevent and eliminate the diseases that are caused by leaky gut
- For the general health and welfare of the animal
- To avoid the spread of pathogenic microorganisms present in feces to other animals in the same batch or the following batches of animals
- To maintain a healthy air quality
OUR PRODUCTS TARGET THE 3 FEATURES OF A HEALTHY GUT
Whether your goal is antibiotic-free production or just healthier and more productive animals, we provide the right gut health solution adapted to each specie and age.
We have a comprehensive vision of the importance of the digestive system and that’s why we have designed our products and programs to target the three features of gut health (healthy tissues, balanced microbiome, strong digestive immunity). This holistic design makes our products radically different from competitors.
In our products for gut health, we include:
- Ingredients that target the health of the tissues.
- Ingredients that balance the microbiome.
- Ingredients that boost digestive immunity in a natural way.
- Auxiliary ingredients necessary for digestive functioning.
WE OFFER LABORATORY SERVICES TO ASSESS THE STATUS OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Understanding the underlying causes of gut health problems is the first step towards the solution. That’s why we offer laboratory diagnostic services, such as:
- Mycotoxin contamination in feedstuffs
- Microbiology of feedstuffs, drinking water, surfaces and table eggs.
- Ratio lactobacilli:coliforms in feces of weaned piglets
- Evaluation of bacterial flora in poultry feces
- Acid binding capacity of post-weaning feed
- Quality of fats
We also offer technical and nutritional consultancy.
Icons of animals found here.
Certain health statements may not be applicable in your region.