Humic
acids can be successfully used as an additive in animal feed.
Various research trials conducted worldwide have all showed positive
results concerning the use of humic acids as an organic feed
ingredient. Increases in liveweight of animals, improved growth
rates, increased feed intakes and food conversion ratios and a
stronger resistance against diseases are the common results of these
trials. By improving immune function of animals, especially of young
animals, humic acids also reduce the incidence of enteric disease and
diarrhoea.
Increasing mass production of animal husbandry throughout the globe has had undesired impacts on the nature of animals, i.e. the natural development of animals and their immune systems. First vitamins, then antibiotics and finally hormones have been used extensively as growth promoters in livestock production. Recently, however, the negative effects of such growth promoters on animal and human health has been evidenced through various studies as well as real-life cases. Consequently, at present there is a new search for natural growth promoters without any environmental or residual problems.
As a result of increasing consumer pressure and in particular concerns about increased microbial resistance to antibiotics, a ban on the use of antibiotic growth promoters in animal feed has been already introduced in Germany recently. Already back in 1998, the European Union had banned antibiotics important in human medicine from use as growth promoters in livestock production.
There is considerable evidence that antibiotic arsenals are being depleted due to the development of resistant organisms.The more microorganisms that become resistant to antibiotics, the greater the risk of a resurgence of untreatable infectious diseases. The overuse of antibiotics not only in human medicine but also in livestock feeding is the major cause of antibiotic resistance in food-borne illness.
Almost 80% of antibiotics used in animal husbandry today are not used to treat sick animals, but merely to promote efficient growth of chickens, cows and pigs.
Similar to antibiotics, the use of hormones in animal feed can also have direct impacts on human health through their residues left in animal products. As of today, these effects have not yet been thoroughly studied.
There is quite a number of animal feed additives in the market currently, that do not contain any antimicrobial substances or hormones. These are mainly probiotics, prebiotics, plant extracts and organic acids presently enjoying a resurgence of interest following the EU-wide ban on antibiotics. These substances however present certain deficits regarding their effects on animal health and growth promotion.
Probiotics do not have any activity other than providing beneficial microorganisms to the natural microflora of the digestive system. The benefit of prebiotics is also limited to supporting the development of microflora. Both probiotics and prebiotics do not have any proven effects on the immune system of animals nor adstringent effects on the mucous membrane of the gastro-intestinal tract. They also do not have any antibacterial or virucidal effects against pathogenes either. Various performance studies have shown that both probiotics and prebiotics fail to show any considerable effects on animal growth.
Plant extracts are believed to be beneficial for the digestive system, but their functioning mechanism is not completely known and should be different for each product under this category. Organic acids give better results as protective agents rather than as growth promoters.
Increasing mass production of animal husbandry throughout the globe has had undesired impacts on the nature of animals, i.e. the natural development of animals and their immune systems. First vitamins, then antibiotics and finally hormones have been used extensively as growth promoters in livestock production. Recently, however, the negative effects of such growth promoters on animal and human health has been evidenced through various studies as well as real-life cases. Consequently, at present there is a new search for natural growth promoters without any environmental or residual problems.
As a result of increasing consumer pressure and in particular concerns about increased microbial resistance to antibiotics, a ban on the use of antibiotic growth promoters in animal feed has been already introduced in Germany recently. Already back in 1998, the European Union had banned antibiotics important in human medicine from use as growth promoters in livestock production.
There is considerable evidence that antibiotic arsenals are being depleted due to the development of resistant organisms.The more microorganisms that become resistant to antibiotics, the greater the risk of a resurgence of untreatable infectious diseases. The overuse of antibiotics not only in human medicine but also in livestock feeding is the major cause of antibiotic resistance in food-borne illness.
Almost 80% of antibiotics used in animal husbandry today are not used to treat sick animals, but merely to promote efficient growth of chickens, cows and pigs.
Similar to antibiotics, the use of hormones in animal feed can also have direct impacts on human health through their residues left in animal products. As of today, these effects have not yet been thoroughly studied.
There is quite a number of animal feed additives in the market currently, that do not contain any antimicrobial substances or hormones. These are mainly probiotics, prebiotics, plant extracts and organic acids presently enjoying a resurgence of interest following the EU-wide ban on antibiotics. These substances however present certain deficits regarding their effects on animal health and growth promotion.
Probiotics do not have any activity other than providing beneficial microorganisms to the natural microflora of the digestive system. The benefit of prebiotics is also limited to supporting the development of microflora. Both probiotics and prebiotics do not have any proven effects on the immune system of animals nor adstringent effects on the mucous membrane of the gastro-intestinal tract. They also do not have any antibacterial or virucidal effects against pathogenes either. Various performance studies have shown that both probiotics and prebiotics fail to show any considerable effects on animal growth.
Plant extracts are believed to be beneficial for the digestive system, but their functioning mechanism is not completely known and should be different for each product under this category. Organic acids give better results as protective agents rather than as growth promoters.
Humic
Acids as Animal Feed Ingredient Top
The use of humic acids in animal feed produces a number of
advantages for animal health and growth. Humic acids inhibit
pathogenic bacterial growth and growth of moulds, thus decreasing
levels of mycotoxins.
They improve protein digestion and calcium and trace element
utilisation. Humic acids improve gut health, nutrient absorption,
nutritional status and immune response in animals.Humic acids also improve diet digestibility as a result of maintaining optimum pH within the gut, resulting in lower levels of nitrogen excretion and less odour. By improving digestibility and food utilisation, humic acids improve gastric and intestinal conditions of animals. It follows from this that as well as improving physical and financial performance, humic acids also have a positive impact on the environment by improving digestibility.
Replacing antiobiotics with humic acids as growth promoter in animal feed does not cause any loss in the performance of animals. On the contrary, performance factors (daily liveweight gain, feed intake, food conversion ratio and the level of looseness of faeces - scour assesment - ) of animals are considerably improved.
Tests have shown that the use of humic acids as animal feed supplement leads to increased milk production and increased butterfat percentage in dairy cows. Using humic acids also resulted in improved feed efficiency, decreased feed costs, reduced fly population and reduced costs for insect control. Furthermore, the weaning weights increased and faster weight gains were observed in dairy cows, while problems with scours greatly decreased. On the whole, humic acids increase the animal's resistance against stress factors such as heat.
One of the most beneficial effects of humic acids on animals is the overall immune response increase in animals. By improving immune functions in the animal, humic acids are able to reduce the incidence of diarrhoea and other digestive upsets to a considerable extent as well as to improve the animal's defenses against pathogens such as E.coli.
Observed
Effects of Humic Acids on
|
|
Covering mucous membrane and adstringent effects |
Humic acids are able to form a protective film on the
mucuous epithel of the gastro-intestinal tract against
infections and toxins. The macrocolloidal structure of humic
acids ensures a good shielding on the mucous membrane of the
stomach and gut, the peripheral capillaries and damaged mucous
cells. As a result of this process, the resorption of toxic
metabolites is reduced or fully prevented, especially after
infections, in case of residues of harmful substances in animal
feed or when it is switched to new feeds. Furthermore, humic
acids also help to prevent excessive loss of water via the
intestine. |
|
Antibacterial and virucidal effects |
Humic acids have the ability to influence in particular the
metabolism of proteins and carbonhydrates of microbes by
catalytic means. This leads to a direct devastating effect
against bacteria cells or virus particles.A second mechanism is
related to the interionic bonds of high-molecular protein
fractions (toxins) of infectious microbes. Their toxic impact
on physiological processes of mucous membrane cells can be
weakened considerably or even blocked completely. |
|
Antiphlogical effects |
Dermal, oral or subcutaneous
application of humic acids leads to inhibitory effects on
inflammation. The ability to inhibit inflammation is believed
to be related with the flavonoid
groups contained in humic acids. |
|
Antiresorptive and adsorptive effects |
As high-molecular humic acids remain in the
gastro-intestinal tract almost entirely following the enteral
application (there is no self-resorption), antiresorptive and
adsorptive effects take place where they are needed: in the
digestive tract. Primarily cationoid noxes (protein toxins,
toxic substances) are fixed, their resorption is reduced
considerably or even prevented completely and their elimination
through faeces is promoted.As adsorption by humic acids
includes not only physical and chemical reactions, but also
complex-formation and ion-exchange, it is more intensive and
dynamic compared to pure physical adsorbents. |
|
Effects on the immune system |
Humic acids stimulate the resistance forces of the body and
lead to an increase in the phagocytosis
activity. The inducer effect of phenolic components (groups) of
humic acids is believed to be responsible for the immunological
effects and is the basis for the success of the treatment of
the so-called factor diseases in young animals. |
|
Ergotropic effects |
Humic acids stabilize the intestinal flora and thus ensures
an improved utilization of nutrients in animal feed (improved
feed efficiency). This leads to an increase in live weight of
the animal without increasing the amount of feed given to the
animal. |
Humic acids are purely natural. The use of humic acids in animal feed excludes any possibility of antibiotic residue or microbial resistance. Simultaneously, as a result of a higher food conversion rate and enhanced absorption of nitrogen by the animal, nitrogenous wastes and odour are reduced.
