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Aim for zero: The ambitious total approach. Photo: Daniel Wenzel
Aim for zero: The ambitious total approach. Photo: Daniel Wenzel

Aim for zero: The ambitious total approach

Group
Royal Agrifirm Group Partner profile
14-11-2018 | | |
Aim for zero: The ambitious total approach. Photo: Daniel Wenzel
Aim for zero: The ambitious total approach. Photo: Daniel Wenzel

Nuscience has developed a global approach to reduce dependency of pig producers toward antibiotics and Zinc oxide in a context of growing challenges for livestock production. It avoids the detrimental effects of antibiotics and Zinc oxide on the microbiota and vital organs of animals. At the same time this programme provides an economically favourable and technically proven alternative to farmers, simplifies feed mills operations and contributes positively to the image of animal production from the end users’ point of view.

Nuscience has enlarged the approach of nutrition and health concepts by creating the Aim for Zero programme for pigs. 3 synergistic pillars provide personalised weaning solutions to farmers:

  1. Collaboration: The first step consists of gathering information about the current situation in the farm. An online survey containing 30 simple questions about practices and performances of the farm is completed. 3 sections are included about management, health and nutrition and focus on practices known to impact weaning quality. The resulting report helps the farmer to compare its practices with the trends of pig production globally or only for comparable situations (region, weaning age, genetics, etc). This feedback is a major part of the programme. It generates an objective exchange between the farmer and Nuscience specialists.
  2. Expertise: Based on the report, the experts of Nuscience identify, with the farmer or consultants of the farm, levers to increase weaning efficiency and animal performances. Resulting advices can include managerial actions or nutritional recommendations.
  3. Solutions: When necessary, recommendations toward Nuscience solutions are made. Solutions can be specific concepts from Nutrition 4U or products from Health 4U ranges. Vitazero, the new nutritional safety concept, is at the heart of the programme. It creates an exogenous defence shield that protects the weaning pig by killing or capturing bacteria and their toxins, preventing toxins’ contact at gut surface and, finally, keeping the gut barrier optimal.

Maintenance of gut health: Target of the Aim for zero program

The gastro-intestinal tract is the most impacted organ at weaning. Stressing factors such as transition from liquid to solid feed contribute to dysbiosis, oxidative stress, villi degradation and gut inflammation. The resulting diarrhoea and drop of feed intake and feed efficiency can be objectivated by the farmer. The 3 pillars of the Aim for zero programme act together at different levels to preserve microflora balance, mucosa integrity and gut morphology:

  • Upstream, via the questionnaire and the report to identify and reduce some of the risks factors around weaning.
  • Downstream, via the use of Nuscience solutions to reduce diarrhoea, inflammation and overstimulation of the immune system, preventing loss of energy and protein for growth purposes. Among the panel of solutions, Vitazero concept will create an exogenous defence shield.
Photo: Nuscience

Photo: Nuscience

Vitazero: A concept acting at both the microbiota and host levels

The mode of action of Vitazero focusses on creating an exogenous shield to protect the gut using 4 different approaches:

  1. Killing of incoming pathogens as early as in the stomach by a patented mixture of 4 medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), preventing the disruption of piglets’ microbiota.
  2. Agglutinating pathogenic bacteria at duodenum and colon levels by a specific health fibre combination, preventing damages to the gut villi.
  3. Blocking receptors from endotoxins’ binding by the health fibre combination, preserving intestine from inflammation and the resulting activation of local immune system.
  4. Fortifying gut barrier against pathogens and toxins invasion by using a unique mixture of polyphenols, countering the oxidative stress inside the intestine.

The synergies between the Aim for zero programme and Vitazero concept will lead to improved zootechnical performances of the animals, as shown in Figure 1 and 2.

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Group
Royal Agrifirm Group Partner profile

With more than 3.000 dedicated employees driven to excel every day, Royal Agrifirm Group contributes to a responsible food chain for future generations. The cooperative delivers measurable, relevant and sustainable value to farm, field and industry level. Founded over 120 years ago in the Netherlands, Royal Agrifirm Group is now a leading agricultural cooperative with an international network of subsidiaries in 16 countries within Europe, South America and Asia and a worldwide distribution network. Operating within these regions with their local brands: Agrifirm, Nuscience, Nutral, Nutrifarma, Preconex, Lusai, Cehave Korm, Bonda and Oldambt. By globally combining years of scientific research with local, specific know-how in the arable and livestock feed sector, Royal Agrifirm Group offers its customers worldwide the best solutions for the challenges they face every day. With high quality animal feeds, premixes, concentrates, mineral mixes, additives for the animal feed industry, crop cultivation products, animal and crop specific digital solutions and professional advice, their group of subsidiaries offers arable and nutritional solutions for enterprising livestock farmers, integrators, feed mills, distributors and growers. Royal Agrifirm Group strives to be the preferred knowledge and solution-driven partner for its customers in animal nutrition, crop cultivation and animal, plant and soil health. Better Together | www.agrifirm.com

Group
Royal Agrifirm Group Partner profile

With more than 3.000 dedicated employees driven to excel every day, Royal Agrifirm Group contributes to a responsible food chain for future generations. The cooperative delivers measurable, relevant and sustainable value to farm, field and industry level. Founded over 120 years ago in the Netherlands, Royal Agrifirm Group is now a leading agricultural cooperative with an international network of subsidiaries in 16 countries within Europe, South America and Asia and a worldwide distribution network. Operating within these regions with their local brands: Agrifirm, Nuscience, Nutral, Nutrifarma, Preconex, Lusai, Cehave Korm, Bonda and Oldambt. By globally combining years of scientific research with local, specific know-how in the arable and livestock feed sector, Royal Agrifirm Group offers its customers worldwide the best solutions for the challenges they face every day. With high quality animal feeds, premixes, concentrates, mineral mixes, additives for the animal feed industry, crop cultivation products, animal and crop specific digital solutions and professional advice, their group of subsidiaries offers arable and nutritional solutions for enterprising livestock farmers, integrators, feed mills, distributors and growers. Royal Agrifirm Group strives to be the preferred knowledge and solution-driven partner for its customers in animal nutrition, crop cultivation and animal, plant and soil health. Better Together | www.agrifirm.com

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