Protein-rich ingredients for modern livestock feeding

An insight into the world of piglet nutrition

Practical experiences with milk systems3010 52

The features and benefits of broiler starter feeds that include AlphaSoy™ 16

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Content

ARTICLE _

Welcome to Agilia™ 04

ARTICLE _

From local to global 08

INTERVIEW _

An insight into the world of piglet nutrition 10

ARTICLE _

The features and benefits of broiler starter feeds that include AlphaSoy™ 16

ARTICLE _

Functional nutrition to safeguard performance of poultry and pigs 20

INTERVIEW _

The view from Southern Europe 26

ARTICLE _

Protein-rich ingredients for modern livestock feeding 30

ARTICLE _

The effect of processing on nutrient structure, composition, and digestibility of soy protein 36

INTERVIEW _

AlphaSoy™ is a product we cannot do without 44

INTERVIEW _

An ingenious milk system has made a big difference in our farrowing pen! 46

ARTICLE _

Milk systems mean less stress for piglets and humans 48

INTERVIEW _

Practical experiences with milk systems and secondary milk 52

ARTICLE _

A milk system in the farrowing pen – have you installed yours yet? 56

HOW-TO GUIDE _

8 danish weaning tips for antibiotic reduction 14

We love our animals. Their welfare is a high priority.That is why only the best is good enough for them.

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Agro Korn has a new name – Agilia™.

Our name change signals our transition from being a largely Danish based feed business to being a global player, with a vast network of sister companies, and a well renowned parent. We are delighted to now be a part of the AB Agri group of businesses.

This extended network of sister companies enables us to share an even broader set of skills, knowledge, and expertise with you, our customers. Let us explain a bit more about Agilia™ and our future…

Welcome to Agilia™ – your partner in young animal performance.

Who we areAgilia™ is a fast growing team of passionate individuals, who share a curiosity for enhancing the performance of young animals. Since being established in 2015, Agilia™ has grown through acquisition, innovation, and strategic partnerships to become an international

supplier of protein-rich functional ingredients and milk products, which provide consistent quality nutrition and targeted functionality to support young animals. Agro Korn became a part of the Agilia™ business in 2016 and since then has enjoyed double-digit global growth year-on-year for its products.

Our Milestones 2016 AB Agri acquired Agro Korn to

strengthen its activities in functional proteins.

2017 Production of AlphaSoy™ established in Brazil.

Agilia™ launched in Brazil.

Re-launch of the AlphaSoy™ globally.

2018 Launch of Agilia™ Europe.

Introduction of AlphaSoy™ Gold.

What we doThe Agilia™ team are committed to providing an abundant source of protein-rich functional ingredients to the world – a goal that directly compliments the original Agro Korn vision of being the protein and ingredient company of tomorrow.

Supplying enough protein to the world involves overcoming various challenges such as those arising from the reduced use of antibiotics and zinc oxide. Antibiotics and zinc oxide are both used in young animal diets to help support and promote growth in the early stages of life. However, links have been made between the agricultural use of antibiotics and zinc oxide, and antimicrobial resistance and environmental pollution. As a result, an increasing number of initiatives have started to restrict the use of antibiotics and zinc oxide in many parts of the world.

Without the support of antibiotics and zinc oxide in the diets, young animals with under-

developed immune and gut-health systems do not have the means to deal with a pathogenic challenge. Animal performance is reduced, as nutrients are used in the immune response instead of for growth.

What is AlphaSoy™?AlphaSoy™ is an enzymatic and thermo-mechanically processed soybean meal with elevated protein content, low levels of anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) and a unique healthy-fibre profile which delivers up to 16% higher net energy to the animal. In addition to its nutritional value, AlphaSoy™ also has some prebiotic properties, which make AlphaSoy™ an ideal protein source for antibiotic-free feeding systems. The functional features of this ground- breaking product, as well as other Agilia™ products produced in Denmark, are explained in further detail in this magazine.

Our focus for the futureOur business is based on innovation, focusing on applying new processing technologies

Welcome to

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AlphaSoy™ – the world’s best performing protein source for piglets

AlphaSoy™ is soy protein that is enriched with enzymes and has undergone a gentle four-step process with heat treatment and mechanical manufacture. Hereby the anti-nutritional matters in the soy protein are reduced and the digestibility is significantly increased.

Danish design and ingenuity, ensuring you a healthy business AlphaSoy™ is designed specifically to provide the maximum nutritional and functional value to the piglet, consistently outperforming competing soy protein sources in independent trials.

AlphaSoy™ 530

This innovative product delivers better feed performance than all competing soy protein products. It also delivers the same performance as animal proteins but at a much lower cost.

+ Winning product in numerous international trials

+ Higher digestible energy+ High protein digestibility+ Minimum quantity of anti-nutritional factors

AlphaSoy™ is designed and produced to drive optimal health and performance in antibiotic-free feeding systems.

Visit us online at agiliaglobal.com to learn more and to download our test results!

agiliaglobal.comAGILIA™ Skjernvej 42, DK-6920 Videbaek +45 97 17 33 00

and nutritional understanding to unlock even-greater value from feed ingredients and co-products. We aim to make better use of the resources we have available so that they deliver added nutritional and functional benefits to the animal, supporting better health and performance and a more sustainable food system.

Our latest innovation, AlphaSoy™ Gold, was officially launched at Eurotier 2018. Building on the strength of AlphaSoy™ 530, AlphaSoy™ Gold is specifically designed to create the optimal gut-health environment, prime the immune system and deliver consistent, quality, targeted nutrition to young poultry.

Agilia™ will also be focused on developing innovative new milk supplement solutions for piglets up to six weeks of age, enabling producers to secure high survival rates and the very best lifetime performance, with minimal use of antibiotics.

How we’re differentOur Agilia™ name comes from our ability to be agile. We are an asset-light business which gives us the freedom to explore new ideas and technologies without being tied to one manufacturing system or supply base. This enables us to select the best manufacturing

partners, source only the highest quality raw materials and invest in the best new processing technologies to develop world-class feed solutions.

Our excellent Agilia™ team manages all aspects of the supply-chain and service to ensure that consistency, quality, biosecurity, and traceability are maintained to the highest standards.

Why we do itAlthough the Agro Korn name has changed to Agilia™, the business and its people are very much the same. We remain committed to bringing more innovation, more value, and more agility to animal nutrition, both today and in the future, while having some fun along the way.

Why?Because we want to secure consistent, high-quality, sustainable protein sources for the next generation and beyond. We are passionate about using nutritional technology to understand and unlock the real potential of raw materials, and we look forward to sharing our knowledge and expertise with you. Together, we are the protein and feed ingredient company of tomorrow – your partner in young animal performance. n

Get in touch

Agilia™ Head Office 64 Innovation Way Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6FL, UK T + 44 (0)1733 422161

Agilia™ A/SSkjernvej 42, 6920 VidebaekDenmarkT + 45 97 17 33 00

Agilia™ Brasil AB Brasil, Rua Cardeal Arcoverde 16419o andar, CEP 05407-002São Paulo/SP, BrasilT +55 11 95069 8461

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From local to global

The journey from being a local feed producer to being a global first mover with a focus on alternative proteins is exciting and demanding.

next generation of products and services, and establishing world-class processes around quality, traceability and feed safety.

"Delivering the best quality and value to customers is our focus. We could not have developed into the business we are today without the close relationships we have with our global customers. Our business and our products are created in collaboration with farmers." says Head of Agilia™ Europe, Dennis Jørgensen.

"In the beginning, we had more of an oppor-tunistic approach to product development and testing, responding to customer needs in the short term. Now we have combined this agile approach with a solid structure, where we scrutinize and interrogate all of our results from the very beginning, unlocking every possible product improvement along the way."

"Now that we are a truly international business, we will deliver more innovation and product development to our global customers. This will be balanced with the agility and flexibility we are well known for, which has made us the business we are today." continues Mr. Jørgensen.

Success on five continentsFarmers all over the world look to Denmark for innovation and new trends in agriculture.

As a result of sharing the superior results achieved from feeding AlphaSoy™

in Denmark,

the product is now available to producers and feed manufacturers in Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Asia and throughout Europe.

Mr. Jørgensen concludes, "We want to make a difference with our products and share this with the world. We will stay true to our Danish heritage, keeping ourselves grounded with a close connection to farmers and their animals.

We are proud that our company has grown to be an important part of an international group, and we look forward to many years of successful business delivering improved animal performance to the world." n

A flat field on the west coast of Denmark is the base for one of the world’s most innovative and forward-thinking companies delivering alternative proteins to the agriculture industry.

Agilia™, formerly known as Agro Korn, has been in the process of transforming from a reliable, local business to a global player with an international profile, an ambition to improve animal well-being through delivering innovative feed solutions worldwide.

"We are still very proud of our Danish roots. Danish agriculture is unique, and we look for-ward to sharing these special and performance enhancing techniques with other markets," says Heidi Bjørn, Global Marketing Manager for Agilia™.

Innovation WinsThe Agilia™ team consists of more researchers, nutritionists and technical specialists than salespeople. Also, with its links to the broader AB Agri group, the team has access to a know-ledgeable and experienced network of peers.

"Being part of Agilia™, we now have a secure future pipeline of products and a wealth of

expertise to go with this. With the support of AB Agri we are stronger than ever before," adds Peter Haahr Hansen, Senior Sales Manager, Agilia™.

Agilia™ is a great place to work; it is a locally established company based in the Danish countryside, where colleagues with hands-on experience of the agricultural industry are the company’s biggest asset.

"We all have the passion for our work and agriculture. Our objective is to make a difference for animals and farmers by providing the best quality feed" says Heidi Bjørn.

Development with customersAs the demands of agriculture change, Agilia™ evolves with it. In addition to the name change to Agilia™, the company is investing in the

We look forward to sharing these special and performance-enhancing techniques with the world.

Heidi Bjørn.

We will deliver more innovation and product development to our global customers. This will be balanced with the agility and flexibility we are well known for which has made us the business we are today.

Mr. Jørgensen.

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An insight into the world of piglet nutrition

Providing the right nutrition to piglets is not only about formulating diets but forging strong and lasting relationships with pig producers to understand their business and needs better. Dr. Kayleigh Almond, Technical Manager at Primary Diets, gives us an insight into the world of a piglet nutritionist.

Agilia™ [ ] spoke to Dr. Kayleigh Almond [KA] from Primary Diets about her research into piglet nutrition.

How long have you been a nutritionist? What is your role in Primary Diets?[KA]: I have worked at Primary Diets for eight years as a piglet nutritionist. In January 2018, I became Technical Manager and now lead a team of five nutritionists. Before starting my job, I completed a Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham in conjunction with Schothorst Feed Research in the Netherlands, which focused on the impact of the maternal diet on piglet mortality and development.

What do you like best about working with Primary Diets?[KA]: At Primary Diets, our philosophy is ‘the best decisions are made together,' and this is the basis of all we do. It is essential for us to spend as much time with our customers, working together with them and their vets

to help them improve their profitability and achieve their goals. We also pride ourselves in our dedicated piglet research programme which drives the development of our diets, so we are always ahead of the game.

One of the best parts about working for Primary Diets is the opportunity for cooperation with other businesses in the broader AB Agri group, enabling us to draw on different areas of expertise within the pig and animal sectors. For example, we work closely with Agilia™, our sister company, and incorporate AlphaSoy™ into some of our diets.

What are the biggest challenges faced by farmers and nutritionists in today's market?[KA]: We aim to help Primary Diets’ customers maximise their productivity and efficiency in a changing landscape. The biggest issue that we currently face is the reduction in antibiotic usage and the impending ban on the use of high levels of zinc oxide in piglet diets by 2022.

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When considering the lifetime performance of pigs, weaning age is often more important than weight.

Dr. Kayleigh Almond

Whilst the nursery phase of production represents a relatively small contribution to overall antibiotic usage, medicated feed and the use of high levels of zinc oxide are often commonplace due to a combination of factors such as immature immune systems, a decline in passive maternal immunity and other stressors as piglets enter a new pathogen environment in the nursery.

How do Primary Diets overcome these challenges?[KA]: Overcoming the problem of reduced levels of antibiotics and zinc oxide in piglet diets has been the main focus of our research programme for over two years. We have made good progress in this area with the introduction of our new range of ‘XP’ diets. We are focused on how we can offer extra protection nutritionally to piglets experiencing or at risk of disease, as well

as maintaining growth potential without the use of antibiotics or zinc oxide.

However, nutrition alone cannot cure or prevent disease, and so producers must minimise exposure to disease pathogens in the first instance. A complete package including management, biosecurity, and effective vaccination programmes, combined with good quality nutrition to help the animals both resist and recover from disease is the key to reducing antibiotic and zinc oxide usage successfully.

What piece of advice would you give to farmers to improve their outputs?[KA]: Every farm should be treated individually as they all have different health statuses, facilities, management practices, biosecurity, and nutrition approaches, so no simple answer would apply to everyone. However, I would advise producers to take advantage of industry experts. Inviting someone onto your farm who does not see your animals every day can provide a fresh look at your production unit. An expert who walks your farm and evaluates what you are doing may be able to offer some practical advice that you may not have previously thought about.

I would also advise producers to think about weaning age. Not just the average weaning age on your farm but the spread of ages in a batch of piglets. When considering the

lifetime performance of pigs, weaning age is often more important than weight. This is of particular importance when lowering antibiotic and zinc oxide usage, as weaning age can have a significant effect on gut development and its permeability to pathogens.

Primary Diets internal data collected from over 50 university trials between 2007 and 2016 shows that later weaning can improve piglet growth by up to 70 g per day in the nursery.

Many people use additives in their feeds to promote growth and support development. Which additives do you recommend and why? [KA]: Many additives are already commercially available, and this number is only increasing. A large part of the Primary Diets’ research and development programme is to evaluate the use of these additives to determine their benefits in our diets.

Over the last two decades, Primary Diets has trialled over 100 additives. More than 60 showed no effect in our diets, and 15 showed an adverse effect on piglet growth and development.

At Primary Diets, we believe in proper fundamental piglet nutrition with the use of certain, well-selected additives to improve performance even further when necessary and appropriate. We use a blend of additives which includes an acid, probiotics, prebiotics and enzymes, all of which have been proven in our trials to improve gut health and performance of piglets. n

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For more information about Primary Diets, or to find out how to improve piglet performance on your farm, please visit primarydiets.com.

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8 DANISH WEANING TIPS FOR ANTIBIOTIC REDUCTION

Drive feed intakeHigh feed intake from the start is essential for the development of a healthy gut. To achieve this, use only the best quality ingredients possible. Look for protein sources that are high in digestible protein and low in anti-nutritional factors, and pay attention to the attractiveness and palatablility of the feed. A high content of milk-derived products is a must!

Make feed changes graduallyWhen switching to a new feed or from liquid to dry form, always do it gradually (over 3-5 days).

Feed pure organic acidsDanish research shows that organic acids are one of the most important additives in the weaning period. Use pure organic acids at a minimum inclusion level of 0.5% but preferably up to 1% (10 kg per ton of feed). Organic acids should be included in the drinking water at 0.2% inclusion (2 litres of water).

Know your milkThere is a huge difference between the various milk products available today. For the best performance, choose a highly palatable milk product and adjust the lactose content in the feed to the age of the piglets. DanMilk™ is a well-trusted brand and offers a wide range of highly palatable milk products – please visit us online at agiliaglobal.com to learn more.

Danish pig producers are among the highest performing in Europe and have been achieving consistent health and performance in piglets with low levels of antibiotic use for many years. Our expert nutritionists share 8 key tips for feeding piglets in the early stages of growth.

7. 5.

4. 2.

Aim for 20% proteinA maximum of 20% protein in the starter diets is optimal. You can go lower, but often it will limit productivity. More than 20% protein will increase the risk of diarrhoea.

1. Avoid standard soybean mealAvoid using standard soybean meal in the starter diet for the first 14 days as it contains high levels of anti-nutritional factors. Use a healthy protein source like AlphaSoy™ in the first two weeks and only introduce soybean meal gradually after this time.

3.

Start training piglets at an early stagePiglets in this key growth stage need to learn how to eat solids, so support this by offering liquid feed supplements or small amounts of dry feed while the piglets are still with the sow. As a supplement offering high-quality milk replacement, (DanMilk™) has a great impact on the weight at weaning, and the overall health of the piglets. Offering DanMilk™ in the farrowing pen leads to a smooth transition to solid feed and thus a start in the nursery with a lower use of antibiotics and increases performance in general.

6. Focus on good management practicesManagement, animal hygiene and a piglet’s environment, are just as important as the feed. Make sure you carry out regular assessments of all management practices and always work towards best practice.

8.

Want to learn more about antibiotic reduction through quality feed? Please visit us at agiliaglobal.com or call us at +45 97 17 33 00.

HOW-TO GUIDE

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Figure 1. The performance objective of mixed Ross 308 broilers.

The features and benefits of broiler starter feeds that include AlphaSoy™

Dr. Helen Masey O’NeillSenior Manager – Science and Analytics

Today’s modern broiler achieves a dramatic growth rate and is expected to increase its body weight by nearly four times in the first seven days post-hatch. Body weight at seven days of age is commonly accepted as an indicator of final body weight. Leeson and Summers (2005)

stated that every extra gram of body weight achieved at day 7 could result in an extra 5g of body weight at day 49.

Figure 1 shows the performance objectives of mixed Ross 308 broilers. Daily weight gain (DWG) as a percentage of total BW is highest in the first days post-hatch and decreases throughout the production cycle. So, there is

every reason to pay close attention to early performance. However, this initial phase of life and achieving such high growth rates comes with significant challenges.

Transition from yolk to feedOne of the critical criteria for successful bird growth and development is the transition from the protein-rich yolk matrix to a more complex carbohydrate-rich feed material. While still in the egg, and immediately post-hatch, the developing broiler is supported by nutrients provided by the yolk. These nutrients are only available for a couple of days once the broiler is outside the egg.

The bird gut epithelium is not fully mature until two weeks of age. A poor transition is known to increase early mortality. Early feeding, within hours of hatch, is perhaps the most significant and vital management practice to be implemented in support of this transition period. The presence of feed in the digestive tract stimulates yolk sac utilisation more than when the gut is filled with water alone.

Anti-nutritional factors – the hidden growth inhibitorsThere is clear evidence of the negative impact of antinutritional factors (ANFs) on broiler performance. An ANF of concern in

Strategies to support the gut health and early development of broiler chickens produce long-term performance benefits for the flock.

BW increasesby 6 times

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Aviagen. (2014). Ross 308 Broiler:

Performance Objectives. [On-line] Available

from: http://en.aviagen.com/assets/Tech_

Center/Ross_Broiler/Ross-308-Broiler-PO-

2014-EN.pdf [Accessed 02.08.18]

Clarke, E. and Wiseman, J. (2007). Effects

of extrusion conditions on trypsin inhibitor

activity of full-fat soybeans and subsequent

effects on their nutritional value for young

broilers. British Poultry Science. 48. 703-712.

Leeson, S. (2008). Predictions for

commercial poultry nutrition. The Journal of

Applied Poultry Research. 17(2). 315-322.

Leeson, S. and Summers, J.D. (2005). Scott’s

Nutrition of the Chicken. Publ. Univ. Books.

Noy, Y. and Sklan, D. (1998). Metabolic

responses to early nutrition. The Journal of

Applied Poultry Research. 7(4). 437-451.

Woyengo, T.A., Beltranena, E. and Zijlstra,

R.T. (2017). Effect of anti-nutritional factors

of oilseed co-products on feed intake of

pigs and poultry. Animal Feed Science and

Technology. 233. 76-86.

References

Figure 2. Significant improvements in 7-day body weight gain (BWG) are seen when AlphaSoy™ is included in the diet.

starter diets is trypsin inhibitors (TIs) which are present in most oilseeds. Soya contains TIs that interfere with protein digestion and may also interrupt the secretion of pancreatic enzymes (Woyengo et al., 2017), all compromising protein digestibility and reducing growth performance (Clarke and Wiseman, 2007). However, TIs can be removed from soya through heat treatment. Since thermo-mechanical treatment is part of the production process of AlphaSoy™, the TI levels are comfortably below sensitivity levels for young broilers.

The importance of digestibilityLeeson (2008) highlighted that feeding highly digestible ingredients in the first seven days led to a dramatically positive impact on BW compared to conventional ingredients. This early improvement was carried through to final BW. Providing highly digestible nutrients has also been shown to improve gut development (Noy and Sklan, 1998). AlphaSoy™ is a highly

digestible processed soy, designed specifically to meet the nutritional requirements of young birds, encouraging early feed intake and therefore growth.

A lack of feed at this early stage can drive the chick to use immunoglobulins in the yolk as a nutrient source, compromising the development of the immune system. The presence of highly digestible feed will prevent this, conserving immunoglobulins.

Development of the digestive tractThe gastrointestinal tract of a newly hatched chick is sterile, and microbial colonisation begins almost as soon as the chick is hatched. A healthy microflora is essential for further development of the tract and immune system. The growth of beneficial, and probiotic species can be achieved by feeding probiotic additives directly but will also be supported by feeding ingredients with a high pre-caecal digestibility

of amino acids and starch, thus preventing dysbacteriosis.

Feeding ingredients and additives with prebiotic and prebiotic-like components will also support this microflora development. Furthermore, the presence of these species directly supports the development of the tract itself. Once the digestive tract is developed, processed soy can be substituted for standard protein sources, significantly reducing the cost of the feed before intake levels reach a point where using processed soy is less economically viable.

Why feed a specialised starter diet?A well specified pre-starter diet using highly digestible feed ingredients is likely to stimulate gut development and increase nutrient absorption rate, and will condition the chick for the arrival of subsequent diets. This diet can also be designed with characteristics that promote early feed intake, for example, using colourants and a palatable feed form; pelleted and crumbled feed has also been shown to improve gut development.

Figure 2 shows the significant improvement in 7-day BWG when diets were supplemented with AlphaSoy™ at two different doses, compared to standard soybean products. This improvement

can be attributed to the reduction in ANFs, and the higher digestibility, making the protein more available to the birds for growth.

While the first 10-day period represents a quarter of the bird’s life, the feed consumed during the first ten days may only account for 10% of the total production cycle feed intake in terms of weight. This allows slightly more freedom on the cost of the ingredients, meaning more focus can be placed on nutritional quality.

Protein provision in the early stages of life can boost growth, which is why the protein content of starter diets is commonly higher than diets provided at later stages in the production cycle when high protein levels may cause liver problems. Paying extra attention to the formulation and the quality of ingredients in the first days of life will improve health and growth.

Getting it right early delivers long-term benefitsIn summary, close attention to early nutrition, with judicious choice of highly digestible ingredients with functional properties supports growth and development of the broiler chick. AlphaSoy™ is new-generation processed soya, providing a highly digestible protein source for young birds with additional functionality to support good gut health and performance. n

15% AlphaSoy™ 5307.5% soy protein concentrate7.5% AlphaSoy™ 530

denotes a significant difference (P

Functional nutrition to safeguard performance of poultry and pigs

Aleksandra Szopinska Ph.D., Research Project Manager

While producers are striving to achieve more output with fewer inputs, finding ways to unlock even-greater nutritional and functional value from raw materials has never been more important. AlphaSoy™ Gold, the unique product manufactured through co-processing soya and carefully selected yeast components, is designed to provide both nutritional and functional value in optimal proportions.

The use of antibiotics in agriculture, and especially animal feeds, has been linked to antibiotic resistance, which is a looming public health concern (Landers et al., 2012). Governments are now restricting antibiotic use in recognition that the agricultural use of antibiotics is one of the significant contributors to antimicrobial resistance, considered one of the greatest threats to human health (Marquardt and Li, 2018).

Without antibiotics in the diet, animals, especially young broilers and piglets, are exposed to pathogenic challenges that their immature gastrointestinal tracts and immune systems are unable to cope with.

Ensuring that the young animal receives as much developmental support as possible from the early stages of life is imperative to secure the future performance of the flock or herd. AlphaSoy™ Gold provides optimal nutrition and protection for young animals.

Nutritional value deliveryThe primary reason for including functional feed materials in diets is to deliver benefits above and beyond the nutritional value of the ingredient. The functional benefits of feed materials cannot be overlooked or undervalued since feed costs represent such a high proportion of production unit expenses. Diet composition needs to be carefully adjusted

according to the growth-stage and therefore the nutritional requirement of the animals.

How high is the digestibility?Ensuring the diet contains the optimal combination and balance of nutrients is essential, but these nutrients must also be available to the animal. Feed that is not digested as it passes through the upper gut is not only wasted (representing a financial loss), but also acts as a growth medium for bacteria in the lower gut.

Unchecked by antibiotics, this may lead to an imbalance in the gut microbiota, or in more severe situations, pathogenic bacteria may colonise the gut, causing disease that reduces performance, leading to increased animal mortality, or costly veterinary intervention.AlphaSoy™ Gold has an amino acid digestibility that is higher than other sources of soya. Ensuring that the protein source given to young animals is highly digestible will ensure they receive all of the nutrients they need.

Feed that the animals want to eatSome feed materials and ingredients reduce the palatability of feed, due to having different smells or flavours. With AlphaSoy™ Gold, palatability remains high which is an important consideration, especially for piglets. Unlike with some other sources of processed soya, feed intake levels are not affected, and palatability remains high when AlphaSoy™ Gold is added to the diet.

Energy boostIn the early stages of life, animals need sufficient energy to grow and develop to maintain a good health status and perform to optimal levels. However, supplying too much energy in the diet at an early stage

Poultry and pig producers are faced with ever-increasing commercial pressures. Consumers and retailers are demanding high quality, low-cost food, with minimal use of antibiotics.

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can cause problems for the under-developed gastrointestinal tract. Adding oils or fats to a starter diet may cause problems such as diarrhoea. AlphaSoy™ Gold contains up to 16% more net energy compared to other sources of processed soy. This additional energy delivery means that the animal is not only getting a vital energy boost in the early stages of life, but they are not challenged with trying to digest energy-rich fats or oils which their gut is not yet ready for.

What else is in your feed?Awareness about anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) present in ingredients is continuously growing. Logic dictates that when you are trying to promote animal performance, ANFs should be reduced as much as possible, yet some sources of processed soy contain levels of ANFs above the sensitivity limits for a given species. Young animals are especially sensitive to even intermediate ANF levels due to their immature digestive tracts. The processing procedures

used to make AlphaSoy™ Gold ensure that the ANFs are reduced to low levels such that they do not have any impact on the animal.

More than just nutritionWhat if your feed material could deliver more than just nutritional value? Functional feeding is becoming increasingly important to producers looking to optimise the performance of their herds and flocks. AlphaSoy™ Gold has functional value as well as nutritional value, allowing producers who include it in their diets to reap double the benefits.

Making carbohydrates less complexIn the early stages of life, the gastrointestinal tract of young animals is not yet fully developed. Bacterial colonisation is still taking place, and physiological development is ongoing. As a result, young animals are not able to fully digest many of the components of a traditional poultry or swine diet. For young animals, the carbohydrate component of the

diet needs to be highly digestible. This allows easy digestion by the endogenous digestive enzymes in the upper part of the digestive tract, so that nutrients have the maximum amount of time to be absorbed during their passage through the gut.

Any fermentable carbohydrate sources will not be of benefit to the young animal whose gut is not yet adapted for fermentation to take place. AlphaSoy™ Gold has the highest levels of digestible carbohydrates, and the lowest levels of fermentable carbohydrates, which contribute to the development of microflora in the gut, accelerating the ability of the animal to digest and perform when fed with more complex diets.

Extra protection during early life stagesThe most significant functional value of AlphaSoy™ Gold comes from the specifically chosen, yeast-derived component, which works in two ways.

Firstly, the yeast component can provide protection against Enteropathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli by disrupting their ability to colonise in the gut. Young animals lack complex gastrointestinal microflora and are especially prone to colonisation of enteric pathogens. The binding of pathogenic bacteria by the yeast component in AlphaSoy™ Gold was demonstrated in an in vitro model (Fig. 1 and 2).

Moreover, the inhibition of the intestinal adherence of Salmonella enterica in the presence of AlphaSoy™ Gold was also demonstrated in an ex vivo piglet model (Figure 3). Effective bacteria binding by yeast components may restrict bacteria adhesion to the gut wall and thus prevent pathogenic bacteria colonisation.

Secondly, the yeast component can also pro-mote a healthy immune system both directly and indirectly by modulating and altering cytokine production and activating the immune system,

Figure 2. The number of pathogenic E. coli strains (out of a total of 20) which were bound by the yeast component of AlphaSoy™ Gold in vitro.

Figure 1. The number of pathogenic Salmonella strains (out of a total of 20) which were bound by the yeast component of AlphaSoy™ Gold in vitro.

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agiliaglobal.comAGILIA™ Skjernvej 42, DK-6920 Videbaek +45 97 17 33 00

➜ Creates the optimal gut-health environment➜ Delivers consistent quality nutrition➜ Primes the immune system➜ Drives body weight gain

Alphasoy™ Gold – the functional protein that gives young poultry the best start in life!

More than just nutrition

Broadway, P.R., Carroll, J.A. and Burdick Sanchez, N.C. (2015).

Live yeast and yeast cell wall supplements enhance immune

function and performance in food-producing livestock: a review.

Microorganisms. 3(3). 417-427.

Landers, T.F., Cohen, B., Wittum, T.E. and Larson, E.L. (2012). A

review of antibiotic use in food animals: perspective, policy, and

potential. Public Health Reports. 127(1). 4-22.

Marquardt, R.R., and Li, S. (2018). Antimicrobial resistance in

livestock: advances and alternatives to antibiotics. Animal

Frontiers. 8(2). 30-37.

References

possibly due to the priming effects of yeast based β-glucans on immune cells (Broadway et al., 2015).

When one plus one gives fourAlphaSoy™ Gold delivers four key benefits.When compared to other sources of processed soy, AlphaSoy™ Gold improves weight gain, increases feed intake and lowers feed conversion ratio.

And when compared to animal protein sources, performance is maintained while feed costs are reduced, delivering more profit to the producer. AlphaSoy™ Gold goes one step further in supporting the growth and development of the young bird or pig. Optimising performance in early growth stages ensures the maximum genetic potential of the animal is reached later in life. The functional value of the yeast component in AlphaSoy™ Gold means it can be used as a cost-effective, protein-rich ingredient in antibiotic-free feeding strategies n

Figure 3. Effect of yeast products on the adherence of Salmonella in piglet intestinal mucosa (ex vivo model).

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to p

ig in

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tin

al e

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Source: Agilia, 2018Asterisk indicate statistical difference to the negative control (P

Interview with Luigi Mauri, Area Sales Manager at Agilia™

Agilia™ [ ] interviewed Luigi Mauri [LM], Area Sales Manager for Agilia™ to get a view of the market from Southern Europe.

Which protein sources are being used in pig and poultry diets in Southern Europe currently?[LM]: The primary protein sources used in Southern Europe are the same or similar to those used throughout Europe. Diets in Southern Europe are typically corn or wheat-based with vegetable-based protein sources including soybean meal, soy protein concentrate, corn gluten meal and in some poultry diets, sunflower meal. Where animal-based protein sources are used, these include fishmeal, blood plasma, and other hydrolysed protein sources. Animal protein is very commonly used in piglet diets due to the higher levels of palatability and digestibility, which is especially important for young animals.

Are there any concerns about protein sources in your region?[LM]: Yes, definitely! All ingredients and protein sources bring with them a number of concerns including quality, safety, consistency, availability, and price.

Concerns with vegetable-based protein sources include the anti-nutritional factors (ANFs), and mycotoxin levels present that may decrease feed intake and animal performance. The balance of amino acids in vegetable-based protein sources is also highly variable. Plant characteristics and production processes also affect the quality and consistency of the final product.

For animal-based protein sources, the main concerns are health, quality, variability, and price. Animal protein is only used in feed mills that can cope with the associated strict health and safety standards. Animal protein is only used in dedicated production lines where the possibility of cross-contamination with feeds that must not contain animal proteins is eliminated.

All protein sources are highly variable both in terms of nutritional composition and characteristics. One batch is unlikely to have the same chemical composition as the next batch due to variations in production processes, harvesting time and conditions, storage conditions, country of origin, and differences in genetic strain. Fishmeal, for example, can be extremely variable depending on the species of fish included in the meal, and the parts of the fish that are used. This variability makes diet formulation difficult, with nutritionists often having to build in safety margins to ensure minimum nutritional requirements are met.

Furthermore, the availability of protein sources for animal feed is always a concern. There was a time when corn gluten meal completely disappeared from animal diets in Southern Europe due to a lack of availability.

Producers and feed millers are always under pressure to source the highest quality protein, at the most competitive price, while ensuring continuity and quality of supply.

What alternatives are available to producers?[LM]: Protein is an essential part of the diet for both pigs and poultry, so a consistent, reliable, highly digestible source of protein that can be included in the diet at a competitive price is highly desirable. AlphaSoy™ and AlphaSoy™ Gold from Agilia™ address all of the concerns faced by producers, not only in the Southern European region but all over the world. AlphaSoy™ is the best performing protein product commercially available since it has been specifically designed to support optimal animal health and performance. The unique

The view from Southern Europe

Animal production is different all around the world due to regulatory constraints, consumer demand, and availability of ingredients.

Producers and feed millers are constantly under pressure to source the highest quality protein, at the most competitive price, while ensuring continuity and quality of supply.

Luigi Mauri.

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way in which AlphaSoy™ is manufactured ensures that it has a consistent composition. Even though AlphaSoy™ is an ingredient, the production techniques used in its manufacture mean it is as consistent as any feed additive on the market. The AlphaSoy™ manufacturing process also reduces ANF levels to safe limits, ensuring that feed intake remains high.

Net energy levels of AlphaSoy™ are up to 16% higher than standard soy products. In addition, digestibility is improved by up to 3% compared to standard soy products. So not only is there more energy in the ingredients, the animal can access and use more of that energy, enhancing performance.

AlphaSoy™ has a unique balance of carbo-hydrates, delivering the optimal fibre profile to young animals who need support during the development of the gastrointestinal tract. Finally, the amino acid balance in AlphaSoy™ is optimal, ensuring that maximum adsorption is achieved without any amino acids being limiting.

Thanks to the extensive research into soybean by the Agilia™ team, the prebiotic properties of soybean oligosaccharides (SBOS) have been discovered. SBOS have historically been characterised as an ANF and therefore removed. But now, Agilia™ has discovered

that an oligosaccharide from AlphaSoy™ promotes the growth of good bacteria such as lactobacillus and bifidobacteria and lowers the level of potentially harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Streptococcus. In addition, the AlphaSoy™ oligosaccharide can increase the number of short-chain fatty acids, especially butyrate, in the ileum.

AlphaSoy™ is so much more than a typical ingredient because it delivers both nutritional and functional benefits to the animal. While supplying the nutritional benefits of a high-quality ingredient, its consistent composition and added functional benefits make it extremely easy to use in the formulation. Agilia™ will continue their commitment to unlocking more functionality from raw materials through their extensive research and development program, rivaled only by those in the feed additive market.

How has antibiotic use changed since their ban in animal feeds when used as growth promoters in the EU?[LM]: Before the ban on antibiotic use, life was easy! Including antibiotics in animal diets was like carrying an umbrella – even if it did not rain, you had protection from the sun. After the ban, changes in nutrition and management approaches were required. Genetics companies were quick to react to the ban, ensuring birds had immune systems strong enough to cope with the increased pathogenic challenge. Gut health has emerged as the most significant factor relating to animal performance, so producers are focused on supporting the development of the gastrointestinal tract from a very early age. A healthy gut is a good indicator of a healthy animal, and a healthy animal will be more productive over its lifetime.

What strategies are being used to replace antibiotics in animal feed formulations across the region?[LM]: The main strategies used to replace antibiotics in Southern Europe are related to nutrition. Many producers are changing the formulation of their diets to include novel protein sources with higher levels of digestibility, such as AlphaSoy™. There are also certain feed additives being used in diets which support antibiotic-free production such as phytogenics and organic acids.

Increasingly, the functionality of ingredients is vital to ensure that the maximum return on investment is achieved. Using raw materials that deliver more than nutritional benefits alone will

bring financial and performance advantages to the producer. As food retailers and consumers apply more pressure on the livestock industry to produce feeds and to breed animals without any antibiotics at all, new management strategies will also be employed such as the close management of stocking densities and genetics. However, nutritional and managerial strategies will play the most significant role in antibiotic replacement.

What are the main health concerns faced by producers in the region? And how are those concerns being addressed?[LM]: The three biggest health concerns faced by producers in the Southern European region on a daily basis during the first phases of animal breeding are coccidiosis, E. coli, and Salmonella. Vaccinations and coccidiostats are available to combat these sanitary problems, but increasingly, producers are using alternative nutritional strategies to overcome these problems, driving animal health and performance towards an antibiotic-free system.

For example, the combination of a very easily digestible protein with prebiotic effects is one of the nutritional strategies that can help animals reach a balanced gut microflora, reducing the malabsorption syndrome. Trials have shown that the mannan oligosaccharide and beta-glucan in AlphaSoy™ Gold have a prebiotic effect which binds these harmful bacteria in the gut more effectively than all other yeast-derived products available on the market, preventing colonisation.

Thanks to the dedicated research work by companies like Agilia™, our understanding of animal production is improving all the time, supporting high-quality animal production without the use of antibiotics throughout the world. n

Agilia™ will continue their commitment to unlocking more functionality from ingredients through their extensive research and development program.

Luigi Mauri.

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Designing the perfect functional protein for young animals has been the vision of Agilia™ since its formation in 2016. Head of Innovation at Agilia™, Dr. Hagen Schulze explains the breakthroughs that have been made.

Soybean is the number one source of protein for the animal feed industry in the world. Often referred to as the ‘king of beans,' soybean contains more protein than many other products including pork, eggs, and milk (WWF, 2017). As the demand for livestock products increases due to population growth and increasing levels of wealth, so feed suppliers and livestock pro-ducers have to produce more under increasingly strict safety regulations (FAO, 2002).

In addition, there is rising pressure to produce animal protein and food products without the use of antibiotics due to the link between agri-cultural antibiotic use and increasing levels of anti microbial resistance, which is threatening human health. Most agricultural antibiotics are administered to young animals; hence the focus of Agilia™ on developing a protein source de-signed explicitly for this critical early life stage.

The importance of proteinAll animals require protein for growth. However, requirements in animal diets are affected by the species and growth stage.

Protein requirement decreases with age (FAO, 2002), making protein content an especially important consideration in the early stages of life.

It is necessary to reduce dependence on traditional sources of protein, but factors such as supply, availability, cost and nutritional value must be considered when looking for alternatives (Chisoro, 2015). Agilia™ is tackling the problem from three angles.

[ 1 ] Ingredient innovationNovel protein sources are continually emerging and becoming commercially available in markets around the world. Some new sources of protein include food industry by-products and insect meal. Table 1 lists some of the protein sources used in animal feeds.Protein-rich ingredients for

modern livestock feeding

Protein is an essential part of any diet formulation. The global protein challenge of supplying more protein to an increasingly large population has yet to be solved and is being compounded by the removal of antibiotics from animal feed diets.

Hagen Schulze Ph.D., Head of Innovation at Agilia™

Significant increases in global demand for livestock products will require increasing amounts of feed protein supplies, and sources and alternatives will need to be continually reviewed.

FAO, 2002

Table 1. Traditional and novel protein sources for animal feeds

TRADITIONAL PROTEIN SOURCES NOVEL PROTEIN SOURCES

Soybeans Insect meal, e.g. housefly maggot meal and silkworm pupae

Other oil meal crops, e.g. oil palm,

sunflower, canola, and oilseed rape

Other plant sources, e.g. hempseed cake, pigeon pea, and sweet potato foliage

Legumes, e.g. peas, beans or lupins Food industry by-products, e.g. brewers' grains and maize gluten meal

Fishmeal Animal by-products, e.g. meat and bone meal and blood meal

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utilised before. This functional value is especially important in support of antibiotic-free feeding strategies.

Functional feedingA functional ingredient is one that improves animal performance and wellbeing more than can be explained solely through an understanding of nutrition (Polo, 2015).

Functional feed ingredients include probiotics, prebiotics, egg antibodies, plant extracts, and yeast derivatives. For example, yeast derivatives deliver nutritional benefits by supporting the gastrointestinal tract, but they also support the immune system, whichs

is extremely important in the early stages of life when young animals are exposed to pathogenic challenges.

Without antibiotics or other disease-preventing compounds in the diet, their immature immune systems might not yet provide them with adequate levels of protection, resulting in disease, leading to performance losses or even increased mortality levels.

Feed formulation in the futureAs technological improvements are made, the nutritionist must now consider a broader range of factors such as the quality of the nutrients, their availability to the animal, and the cost

When considering alternative protein sources, many factors should be considered including protein content, availability, price, digestibility and the presence of anti-nutritional factors. Replacing soybean meal with sunflower meal is possible, but not recommended for young pigs due to the low levels of digestibility of sunflower meal. The anti-nutritional factors present in canola meal limit its inclusion in piglet diets to 5%, but it can be used in greater quantities in grower-finisher diets without affecting performance.

Variability is also an issue with alternative protein sources such as DDGS. Ensuring a consistent supply of DDGS is challenging and the product itself is highly variable, making diet formulation unpredictable. In addition, alternative protein sources are likely to be contaminated with mycotoxins, which require additional management strategies so as not to inhibit performance.

Some alternative protein sources can only be grown in specific climates, ruling them out as possibilities in certain areas. Peas and beans of many varieties can be produced in most climates around the world. However, high levels of anti-nutritional factors mean that further processing is usually necessary before inclusion levels reach economically viable points. Lupins have a thick, fibrous seed coat that needs to be mechanically removed to increase the protein level above 35% (Kay, 2014). Australia is the largest producer of lupins, but levels of interest are rising in Europe due to the comparable

nutritional profile of lupins with soya. Copra meal is primarily grown as a low-cost ingredient in Asia, but it is low in essential amino acids which limits its inclusion levels.

Initial investigations into the use of insect meal appear promising with products containing high levels of amino acids and good digestibility levels. However, further work is needed to commercialise insect meal on a large-scale before it is a viable alternative. Lemna (duckweed) and algae are two further fast-growing, protein-rich alternatives that are currently under investigation.

As highlighted in Table 1, there are also new sources of protein emerging from other industries. The food and bio-ethanol industries are of particular interest currently, and some of their by-products have proven to be valuable sources of nutrients for animals. However, the quantity and quality of their supply are not always consistent enough to meet the demands of the animal feed industry.

[ 2 ] Technological developments to increase the nutritional value of traditional ingredientsWhile novel ingredients are being researched and evaluated for commercial use, there is huge potential to exploit and improve the digestibility of currently available protein sources through further processing. Soybeans remain the most important and preferred source of high-quality vegetable protein for animal feeds (Chisoro, 2015). Agilia™ is applying its knowledge, experience, and expertise to discover and unlock additional nutritional value from soybean meal.

Moreover, in addition to increased nutritional value, Agilia™ is also uncovering functional value in soybean meal that has not been

High levels of anti-nutritional factors mean that further processing is usually necessary.

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to the producer. Feed formulation is increasingly centred around economic factors, with less focus on nutritional factors. Factors such as throughput in the mill, pellet quality, size, colour, and particle size should all be considered in the feed formulation process, even though they have little or no impact on the nutritional value of the feed (PoultryHub, 2018).

Precision feedingPrecision feeding aims to feed animals as close to their exact nutritional requirements as possible. This involves delivering the right amount of feed to each animal in the right proportions and the right composition, at the right time.

Precision nutrition is defined by Banhazi et al. (2012) as the practice of meeting the nutrient requirements of animals as accurately as possible in the interest of safe, high-quality and

efficient production while ensuring the lowest possible load on the environment. Rather than adopting a least-cost formulation approach based on the nutritional requirements of the average or the highest performing animal in the herd or flock, nutrition is provided on an individual basis as far as possible, tailoring the diet to the needs of each animal.

Not only will precision nutrition ensure the nutritional requirements of the animal are met, but it also ensures minimal loss of nutrients via the excreta. To reduce waste outputs from excreta, poorly digestible ingredients should be eliminated from the feed formulation (Cho and Bureau, 2002). The digestibility of all ingredients should be checked, and only highly digestible nutrients used in the diet formulation.

Balancing amino acid levels to meet requirements ensures that the maximum

growth potential of the animal is met while not overfeeding expensive ingredients that might result in waste via the excreta.

Precision feeding of proteins will ensure the optimal metabolism of energy and fatty acids, while also decreasing the incidence of metabolic disease, improving fertility and promoting the absorption and conservation of calcium which is necessary for growth.

Achieving more with soybeanDespite its popularity, soybean is highly variable and is not very digestible, especially for young animals. The Agilia™ team have discovered a unique way of processing soybean to:

➜ deliver more nutritional value through a more highly digestible product

➜ achieve a more balanced ratio of amino acids to energy

➜ reduce the number of anti-nutritional factors

➜ increase the functional benefits of soybean via its support of the immune system

➜ provide biosecurity assurances to producers

ConclusionLivestock producers strive to support the growth of their animals from the first day of life. Changing regulatory and consumer demands are altering the way producers provide that support.

Protein is an essential part of the diet, especially for young animals. Thanks to continual innovation in feed ingredients, diet components are expected to deliver more than merely nutritional benefits. Some ingredients also provide functional benefits such as supporting the immune system or enhancing growth rates.

AlphaSoy™ Gold is one such feed material that has been specifically designed, researched and developed to optimise the performance of young pigs and chickens. n

Banhazi, T.M., Babinszky, L., Halas, V. and

Tscharke, M. (2012). Precision livestock

farming: precision feeding technologies

and sustainable livestock production.

International Journal of Agricultural and

Biological Engineering. 5(4). 54-61.

Chisoro, P. (2015). Alternative protein

sources for poultry feeds. All About Feed.

[On-line]. Available at www.allaboutfeed.

net/New-Proteins/Articles/2015/10/

Alternative-protein-sources-for-poultry-

feeds-2700585W/. Accessed 03.08.18.

Cho, C.Y. and Bureau, D.P. (2002). A

review of diet formulation strategies and

feeding systems to reduce excretory and

feed wastes in aquaculture. Aquaculture

Research. 32(s1). 349-360.

FAO. (2002). Protein sources for the animal

feed industry. FAO. [On-line]. www.fao.

org/docrep/007/y5019e/e5019e03.htm.

Accessed 13.07.18.

Kay, Z. (2014). Nine protein alternatives

for pig feeds. Ingredients. WattAgNet.

[On-line]. Available from: https://www.

wattagnet.com/articles/19229-nine-

protein-alternatives-for-pig-feeds.

Accessed 04.10.18.

Polo, J. (2015). Six alternative feed

ingredients with functional properties.

WattAgNet. [On-line]. Available from:

https://www.wattagnet.com/articles/25212-

alternative-feed-ingredients-with-

functional-properties. Accessed 02.08.18.

PoultryHub. (2018). Feed Formulation.

PoultryHub. [On-line]. Available from:

http://www.poultryhub.org/nutrition/feed-

formulation/. Accessed 03.08.18.

WWF. (2017). Soy Is Everywhere. WWF. [On-

line]. Available from: https://wwf.panda.

org/our_work/food/agriculture/soy/facts.

cfm/. Accessed 25.08.18.

References

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Mai Anh Ton Nu Ph.D.,Animal Nutritionist and Technical Support Manager

EFFECT OF ALPHASOY™ PROCESSING ON PROTEIN AND AMINO ACID QUALITY

Mechanical and chemical factors affecting protein qualityThe protein content of diets and its quality are key to ensuring high levels of performance. Protein quality is determined not just by analysis of the raw material but also by the utilisation capacity of the individual animal. Neither the animal nor the raw material remains consistent, so the quality and quantity of protein in the diet vary widely.

Protein quality can be influenced by several factors including the choice of raw material, use of additives such as enzymes, probiotics,

acidifiers and yeast derivatives, the health status of the animal, and the processing techniques used on the raw material or finished feed.

Knowledge about the effects of processing raw materials and feed has increased substantially following decades of research. Processing can reduce and inactivate anti-nutritional factors as well as decrease microbiota levels including pathogens. Processing can also change feed ingredients or diets physically through agglomeration or hydrolysation, leading to structural changes.

One benefit of processing is that it can improve the digestibility of certain nutrients including starch and protein. However, specific processing techniques or conditions may also deteriorate the digestibility of protein, which will negatively affect animal performance. Deteriorated protein quality does not only result in lower protein and

amino acid digestibility, with an associated adverse effect on gut health conditions, but it also has an impact on the environment through increased nitrogen excretions.

Protein can be over-processed in several ways due to unfavourable processing conditions which are influenced by time, temperature, moisture and water activity, pressure, particle size and pH (Hulshof, 2016). All these processing factors need to be monitored closely to ensure high protein quality in final products.

During processing, there will be physical or chemical changes to the protein in feed ingredients or diets. However, when over-processing does occur, this might result in severe structural and characteristic changes to the protein that negatively influence its quality. Physical changes to a protein can include the shift from its primary structure to the secondary

or even tertiary structure. Having been denatured by the processing conditions, the protein may refold in a different configuration, affecting its digestibility. Chemical changes to proteins include the formation of iso-peptides, protein-oxidised lipid interactions, protein-polyphenol interactions, cross-link reactions and the Maillard reaction (Salazar-Villanea et al., 2017). The Maillard reaction causes a reduction in the availability of amino acids and proteins.

Protein quality parametersA significant concern in SBM processing is whether processing will damage the availability of amino acids, especially lysine. Agilia™ uses the expertise and experience of its production team to control the manufacturing process of AlphaSoy™ products, making sure that the processes used, improve the crude protein and amino acid availability of the ingredient.

The effect of processing on nutrient structure, composition, and digestibility of soy protein

Soybean meal (SBM) is one of the most important sources of protein used in animal diets all around the world. The Agilia™ team have unlocked previously hidden nutritional and functional properties of SBM thanks to a unique manufacturing process which delivers a consistent, high-quality, protein-rich product with every batch produced.

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Heating of SBM is necessary to inactivate trypsin inhibitors, but overheating will reduce the digestibility and concentrations of lysine and other amino acids (González-Vega et al., 2011; Stein, 2012). In particular, lysine is highly susceptible to damage by heat treatment.There are two main parameters to detect heat damage of protein in the final product.

Available or reactive lysineThe ε-amino group present in lysine is especially reactive if reducing sugars are present. The reaction of lysine with sugar during the Maillard reaction at the first stages creates a complex compound that renders lysine unavailable to animals, even though the analysed value of lysine will not change. The amount of lysine that still possesses its reactive ε-amino group after processing represents the amount of undamaged lysine that remains available to the animal, known as reactive or available lysine.

The lysine: crude protein ratioThe ratio between lysine and crude protein (Lys: CP) is a simple but highly accurate measure of heat damage. When an ingredient is heat-damaged to an extreme level (final stage of Maillard reaction), the concentration of lysine is reduced, but the concentration of crude protein is not (González-Vega et al., 2011). For SBM, a Lys: CP ratio of 6 and above is generally accepted as an indicator of good protein quality.

The AlphaSoy™ manufacturing process does not impact the percentage of available lysine in total lysine as well as the ratio of lysine to crude protein (Figure 1), demonstrating that no damage or loss of lysine is caused by the applied processing. In addition, the measured increase in digestibility of available lysine indicates an increased net benefit of the AlphaSoy™ process to the animal.

Improvements in protein and amino acid digestibilityThe most accurate way to evaluate the protein quality of a feed ingredient or diet is through in vivo digestibility experiments. The effect of the AlphaSoy™ manufacturing process on enhancing the digestibility of protein and amino acids in SBM has been tested in both weaned pigs and broilers.

Weaned pigsThe unique AlphaSoy™ manufacturing process significantly increases the digestibility of crude protein and all key amino acids by 3% (P < 0.05, Figure 2) in piglets, as proven in a digestibility study conducted at the University of Alberta, Canada in 2017 (Ton Nu et al., 2018).

The study evaluated the digestibility of protein and amino acids in SBM before and after

processing (AlphaSoy™) using ileal-cannulated weaned pigs of 10 kg bodyweight.

PoultryKim et al. (2018) investigated the effect of the unique AlphaSoy™ manufacturing process on the digestibility of crude protein and amino acids in SBM before and after processing in broilers.

The manufacturing process of AlphaSoy™ products improved the digestibility of crude protein and amino acids relative to SBM. (See Figure 3 on next page).

On average, the SID of crude protein was 2% higher in AlphaSoy™ (after processing) compared to SBM (before processing). In addition, the actual ileal digestibility of most indispensable and dispensable amino acids was higher in AlphaSoy™ compared to SBM.

All the values are presented as standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein and essential amino acids.

Figure 1. The effect of AlphaSoy™ processing on the lysine: crude protein (Lys: CP) ratio, the percent-age of available lysine and the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of available lysine in piglets.

Figure 2. AlphaSoy™ processing increases the SID of crude protein and key amino acids by an average of 3% in weaned pigs.

Source: Ton Nu et al., 2018Before processing (SBM)

LYS: CP, %SID of available LYS, %

P

The mechanism behind the processing effects that improve protein and amino acid digestibility for all species

It is likely that the protein structure of SBM is changed during processing, allowing better access for endogenous digestive enzymes, regardless of which species it is fed to.

In addition, the the AlphaSoy product's manufacturing process reduces anti-nutritional factors to safe levels, resulting in a decrease in stress on the digestive tract and leading to reduced losses of endogenous nitrogen, which is particularly important for young and developing animals. The improved nutritional value of AlphaSoy™ relative to SBM allows the plant- and animal-based protein sources in the diet to be substituted for AlphaSoy™.

The increased bioavailability of nutrients and improved quality of AlphaSoy™ products are specifically designed to support gut health and

development of young swine and poultry animals, making it a first-choice product to be used in anti-microbial reduction feeding strategies.

EFFECT OF ALPHASOY™ PROCESSING ON CARBOHYDRATES AND ENERGY VALUE

Positive changes to the carbohydrate profile of SBMTraditionally, SBM is regarded as a protein source. As such, the energy value of SBM, which is almost as high as corn/maize, is forgotten. This traditional view means that only half of the potential value of SBM is unlocked. In the case of AlphaSoy™, all nutrients are considered in the ingredient matrix, and the full potential of the raw ingredient is maximised. There are three sources of energy in any feed ingredient and diet; protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Of these three, carbohydrates are the most important and dominant energy source. There are two types of carbohydrates: digestible and fermentable carbohydrates.

Digestible carbohydratesDigestible carbohydrates are very easy to digest and are ideal for immature digestive systems like those in young animals or weaned piglets.

Starch, monosaccharides (e.g., glucose) and disaccharides (e.g., sucrose and lactose) are all considered to be digestible carbohydrates (Boisen, 2005).

Figure 3. AlphaSoy™ processing enhanced the SID of protein and amino acids in SBM fed to broilers.

Figure 4. AlphaSoy™ has the highest carbohydrate-related energy value of all comparable products.

Source: Adapted from Kim et al., 2018Before processing (SBM) After processing (AlphaSoy™)

Dispensible AAIndispensible AA

SID

, %

Crude protein

2% 2%1.5%

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

A

A

A

BB B

Source: Danish Feeding Table (SEGES, 2017)FS D and FS S = two different fermented soy proteins from Asia. Internal Data, 2018

Net

ene

rgy,

kca

l/kg

SBM 46

2002

2291

2191

1983

2104

14% 10% 16% 15%9%

1998

AlphaSoy SPC 56 SPC 60 FS D FS S

Source: Danish Feed Table (SEGES, 2017)kcal/kg from digest. CHO kcal/kg from ferment. CHO kcal/kg from CHO

Kca

l / k

g

Conv. SBM 46 AlphaSoy™ SPC 56 SPC 60 Fermented soy

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

80094% higher energy value

364

309

672

462

746

285

238

292

531

53

330

384

306343

649

Conv. SBM 46 = Conventional soybean meal 46. SPC = Soy protein concentrate.

Figure 5. The estimated net energy content of SBM, AlphaSoy™ and other soy protein in weaned piglets.

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Fermentable carbohydratesIn contrast, fermentable carbohydrates have a very complex structure and cannot be digested by digestive enzymes. To use the energy from these carbohydrates, the animal needs help from the microorganisms in the gut through a process of fermentation. This is a less efficient way of harvesting energy compared to using digestible carbohydrates. As a result, digestible carbohydrates have almost double the energy value of fermentable carbohydrates (11.7 vs. 7 kJ/g, respectively, Boisen, (2005)).

The AlphaSoy™ manufacturing process is designed to dramatically change the fibrous structure of SBM by boosting the digestible carbohydrate content and reducing the fermentable carbohydrate content of SBM.As a result of the unique processing techniques used, AlphaSoy™ has the highest carbohydrate-related energy value of all comparable products (Figure 4). For example, the energy value contributed by digestible carbohydrate in AlphaSoy™ is almost nine times higher than in soy protein concentrate (SPC). The total energy value provided from the carbohydrate fraction is nearly double the value of SPC (Figure 4).

Increased net energy values after processingThe unique carbohydrate profile of AlphaSoy™ products contributes to a unique net energy value when compared with other unprocessed soy protein products. The energy value of AlphaSoy™ products is up to 16% higher than comparable products based on the published Danish Feeding Table (SEGES, 2017; Figure 5).

This uplift in energy is seen regardless of animal species. A joint study in weaned piglets conducted by leading research sites in the USA and Denmark also showed that AlphaSoy™ products had the highest digestible and

metabolisable energy of all soy protein products. The energy level in AlphaSoy™ products was a significant improvement on the energy level in conventional SBM, owing to the specific production process (Figure 6). The same trends in energy uplift were proved in both data pools.

The effect of the the AlphaSoy product's manufacturing process on energy is universal, crossing different species as shown by Kim et al. (2018) who also picked up a 15% higher apparent metabolisable energy (AME) in broilers (Figure 7).

PROCESSING IS KEY TO UNLOCKING VALUE

➜ Improving the nutritional matrix value of SBM – tailoring it to the needs of the animal

➜ Unlocking 2 - 3% more digestible protein and amino acids in piglets and broilers

➜ Boosting the net energy value by up to 16% in piglets and broilers

As a result of this unique profile, AlphaSoy™ delivers better feed performance in terms of body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion rate than all competing soy protein products. It also delivers the same performance as animal proteins, but at a much lower cost. Their nutritional value combined with their functional properties makes AlphaSoy™ products your first choice when designing antimicrobial reduction feeding strategies. n

SBM can vary hugely in its consistency and quality. In young animal diets, feeding an un-processed SBM can lead to reduced performance. Therefore, the the AlphaSoy product's manufacturing process is vital in creating a consistent, high-quality, protein-rich ingredient. Processing improves the ingredient structurally, compositionally and nutritionally by:

Boisen, S. (2005). A New Concept for

Practical Feed Evaluation Systems,

Research Centre Foulum.

González-Vega, J.C., Kim, B.G., Htoo, J.K.,

Lemme, A., and Stein, H.H. (2011). Amino

acid digestibility in heated soybean

meal fed to growing pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 89,

3617–3625. doi:10.2527/jas.2010-3465.

Hulshof, T., Bikker, P., van der Poel, A.F.B.

and Hendriks, W.H. (2016). Assessment

of protein quality of soybean meal

and 00-rapeseed meal toasted in the

presence of lignosulfonate by amino acid

digestibility in growing pigs and Maillard

reaction products. Journal of Animal

Science. 94(3). DOI: 10.2527/jas.2015-9700.

Kim, E., Rho, Y., Masey O’Neill, H., Schulze,

H., and Kiarie, E. (2018). Standardized

ileal digestibility of amino acids and

apparent metabolizable energy in

processed soybean meal (AlphaSoy™)

fed to broiler chicks. Poster presented

at Poultry Science Association 2018

Annual Meeting; 2018 July 23 – 26,

San Antonio, Texas.

Navarro, D. (2014). Amino acid digestibility

and concentration of energy in processed

soybean and rapeseed products fed

to pigs. Master Thesis, the University of

Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Salazar-Villanea, S., Bruininx, E.M.A.M.,

Gruppen, H., Carré, P., Quinsac, A., and

van der Poel, A.F.B. (2017). Effects of

toasting time on digestive hydrolysis of

soluble and insoluble 00-rapeseed meal

proteins. Journal of the American Oil

Chemists’ Society. 94(4). 619-630.

SEGES. (2017). FODERVÆRKTØJER [WWW

Document]. SEGES Pig Prod. [On-line].

Available from: https://svineproduktion.

dk/Viden/Paa-kontoret/Oekonomi_

ledelse/Beregningsvaerktoejer/

Fodervaerktoejer. Accessed 12.10.18.

Stein, H.H. (2012). Soybean meal fed

to pigs, in The Nutritive Value of U.S.

Soybean Meal. Atlanta, GA.

Ton Nu, M. A., Schulze, H., and Zijlstra,

R.T. (2018). Processing of soybean meal

enhanced the ileal digestibility of protein

and amino acids in weanling pigs. Poster

presented at 14th International Symposium

on Digestive Physiology of Pigs; 2018

August 21 – 24, Brisbane, Australia.

References

Figure 6. An independent energy evaluation trial in weaned piglets showed the uplift in energy value of AlphaSoy™ vs. SBM, which supports the estimated net energy value in the Danish system.

Figure 7. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME) of SBM (before processing) and AlphaSoy™ (after processing) in broilers (kcal/kg).

Source: Navarro (2014) and *Danish feeding table, SEGES (2017)

Digestible Energy, kcal/kg

3772

4115

Metabolisable Energy, kcal/kg

3545

3937

* Predicted NE, kcal/kg

2002

2291

SBM AlphaSoy™

+9% +11% +14%

Source: Adapted from Kim et al. (2018)

AMEn

Before processing (SMB)

After processing (AlphaSoy™)

Kca

l / k

g

0

3100

2600

2100

1600

1100

600

100

+15%

2543a

2205b

44 45

I would call it a very user-friendly product.

Knud Thomsen

I am very satisfied with our daily gain thanks to AlphaSoy™.

Knud Thomsen

Knud Thomsen, a pig farmer from Denmark, mixes his own piglet feed, but the starting point is always AlphaSoy™.

"When I hold AlphaSoy™ in my hand, it smells so good that I want to taste it myself!"

These are the words of pig producer Knud Thomsen who has been feeding his piglets AlphaSoy™ from Agilia™ for several years. Mr. Thomsen has 2,400 sows, producing around 20,000 finishers annually as well as delivering 30-kilo pigs for slaughter-production in Germany.

In addition to his pigs, Mr. Thomsen also man-ages 500 acres of arable land, which supplies cereals to the swine production unit. Together with his wife, Mr. Thomsen has been farming for over 30 years, mixing AlphaSoy™ with his homegrown cereals for many of those years.

Uniform and consistent"One of the advantages with AlphaSoy™ is that the product is very consistent. We typically order 8 to 10 tons at a time, and we don’t have

any problems with transition from delivery to delivery." confirms Mr. Thomsen.

"AlphaSoy™ is important for the well-being of our piglets, and they really like it. We see a great appetite in our production; the piglets have a craving for the mixed feed." he adds.

But AlphaSoy™ also works well for the people who handle it.

"AlphaSoy™ is easy to handle, flowing in and out of the silos without sticking. So I would call it a very user-friendly product."

Mr. Thomsen uses around 8 tons of AlphaSoy™ each month. He often mixes his feed with

AlphaSoy™ as a starting point, and then adds minerals and other additives.

He has three different feed mixes. His starter mix is fed to the piglets in the farrowing pen where they are also given DanMilk™ from Agilia™. In addition, he has two other feed-mixes that are used as the pigs grow.

"It is important to point out that we have a rolling feed switch" Mr. Thomsen explains. "Our feed-system introduces new feed-mixes over five days, so the piglets get used to the new feed 20% at a time. It makes our feeding transition very smooth."

Optimise resultsEase of handling is one thing, but performance results are quite different. Mr. Thomsen goes on to explain his confidence in AlphaSoy™ to fulfil performance expectations every time.

"We are among the upper 3rd of Danish herds in terms of weight gain, and we have the potential to aim higher. Our production is

running at maximum capacity and we wean mostly little piglets, so we are not in a position to raise outputs very much higher. I am very satisfied with our daily gain of 450g."

"Our results are great, and we have low mortality rates and sorting of piglets," Mr. Thomsen continues. "But it’s not only about the feed, for us it’s about animal wellbeing, hygiene, floor conditions as well as many other factors. We make a big effort to keep our whole pig production unit clean and tidy, from the stables to the feed silos."

"From our experience with AlphaSoy™, it is definitely a product I recommend to others. AlphaSoy™ is a consistently high-quality product, and I would not be without it when feeding my pigs." n

AlphaSoy™ is a product we cannotdo without

46 47

Christina Sejersen has been running her farm for 21 years, and an ingenious milk system has made a big difference in the farrowing pen!

Christina Sejersen and her husband run 'Bjerget' farm in Viborg, Denmark, where they keep 1.150 sows and produce 38,500 slaughter pigs each year.

"In 21 years I was not able to milk my sows completely in the farrowing pen. I have tried different options and never found the right solution", says farmer Christina Sejersen. "When I got the option to use the milk system Pump'n'Grow, I was open for giving it a test run. It is a cost-effective solution and I loved it from the beginning", she says.

The piglets are at least 2 pounds heavierChristina Sejersen has been using the milking system and milk from Agilia™ since November 2017, and she is impressed with the results.Her piglets get through the farrowing pen 3-4 days faster. She only uses half of the nursing sows compared to previously – and mortality has dropped by 3% points.

More piglets on a yearly basisThe piglets can be supplied with milk from the system – and simultaneously still get milk from the sow. It’s advantageous for both the sow and her piglets. "It has been great. The piglets

are at least 2 pounds bigger now when ready for the nursery. Furthermore, I produce more piglets per sow on a yearly basis".

Saving time and money Christina concludes that even though she spends more money on milk powder, she spends less on expensive starter feed."It is far easier to nurse in the farrowing pen. I am such a big proponent that I would never consider using any other milk system. It saves me time and money and the piglets thrive".

Results gained through the use of the Pump'n'Grow milk system:

+ 250-300 kg extra pig per farrowing pen

+ Increased growth of +70-100g (in nursery)

+ Reduced mortality in the farrowing pen

+ Increase in weaning weight

+ Easy weaning

+ Effective usage of the farrowing pen

+ Efficiency progress (3-4 piglets/sow/year)

It is a cost-effective solution and I loved it from the beginning.

Christina Sejersen.

48 49

There is a lot of pressure in the farrowing pen. Many sows deliver 18 - 20 piglets per farrowing, and it is hard for the sow to provide enough milk to feed them all. By installing a milk system, the farrowing pen becomes a much calmer environment for all involved; the sow, the piglets and the staff. "Farmers use the Pump'n'Grow system because it is reliable, easy to use and does not require a large financial investment. When the milk system is installed, the sow can take care of more piglets. All the piglets get enough milk to meet their requirements for maximum growth" explains Kristian Brokman, Area Sales Manager for Agilia™.

In a busy production unit, looking after nursing sows can take up a significant amount of time,

and can involve moving piglets to ensure they receive enough milk. A milk system, such as Pump'n'Grow, takes pressure off the nursing sow. It also lowers the risk of infection because the piglets do not need to be moved around.

Happy pigs, happy farmersInstalling the Pump'n'Grow system is easy and makes use of a lot of parts already available in the farrowing house. Many farmers choose to mount the system themselves, but Agilia™ will gladly assist with the installation and system set-up.

"It only takes a couple of hours to install the Pump'n'Grow system; that is it! Once the milk is in the system, you can watch piglets drinking from the cups almost immediately. It is a good experience. There is no doubt that the piglets like the milk it and they really thrive," continues Mr. Brokman.

In any pig production facility, hygiene is critical. Simple cleaning of the Pump'n'Grow system must be carried out each day to ensure only the cleanest, freshest milk is delivered to the piglets.

Milk systems mean less stress for piglets and humans

With the automatic, cost-effective Pump'n'Grow milk system, piglets thrive because they get enough milk and they can stay with the sow for longer.

It only takes a couple of hours to install the Pump'n'Grow system; that is it!

Kristian Brokman.

➜

50 51

Happy piglets mean heavier pigletsMr. Brokman has first-hand experience of seeing how quickly piglets learn to drink from the Pump'n'Grow cups on many farms where he helped with the system installation.

"I have seen groups of four or five piglets standing around the drinking cup in the first 24 hours of their life. Even the smalles