A nature identical "appetising agent" makes no claims to enhance digestion, or to affect the intestinal microflora. Despite this, it still manages to help improve performance, and yet does not need to be registered in the same way as a "classical" feed additive or performance enhancer. So what is the secret of enhancing appetite?

Adding phytogenic flavouring substances to the diet can help the overall performance and health in a natural way. Recent trials showed an allivated immune response and a positive effect on the metabolic transfer in chicks and piglets.

Maintaining optimal immune response in birds has become a major challenge in modern poultry production. As nutrition is a major cost in animal and poultry nutrition, maintaining optimal health via this route is desirable. It is well known that antioxidants can enhance the immune system. Combining this with the antioxidant and immunostimulant potential of some plant extracts may increase the benefits.

The rumen is a very efficient organ, producing microbial amino acids and making them available to the animal. However, rumen fermentation also brings some disadvantages such as methane production. Together with the nitrogen losses due to inefficient utilisation of dietary protein, this brings a great risk to the environment. To find new solutions to this problem, a large European project was set up to explore new plant extracts with methane inhibiting characteristics and animal health promoting qu...

Many studies have been made on feeding supplements that contain plant extracts. Although their application in pig diets is an area of rapid development, research at the University of Leeds is being done to find the effects of some supplements on pre-weaning growth.

A three year research project conducted at the university of Leeds in the United Kingdom focusing on the use of plant extracts in sow diets has revealed novel applications for the improvement of sow and litter performance.

Livestock require a constant supply of high-grade nutrients. Christian Lückstädt, Gwendolyn Jones and Walter Nies believe that combining of organic acids with their salts and phytobiotics have proved promising in economic antibiotic-free feeding, via improved feed safety, digestion and intake.

Heat stress and age are common causes of reduced egg shell quality and incur large economic losses in the Indian poultry industry. A number of plants are known to contain high levels of metabolically active vitamin D3. Studies have shown that under adverse conditions, these can be useful in reducing the egg shell quality problems associated with age.

A three-year PHD study at the university of Leeds and continuing research have shown the potential for the combination of thymol and carvacrol as a feed microadditive to limit the production impact of eimeria challenge. Henry Greathead and Chris Kamel explain.

Herbal additives have aroused much scientific interest over the past few years. Most of the studies have been performed on extracts of herbs and used in feed for monogastrics and pre-ruminants. Polish scientists have recently discovered the potential of a mixture of four plants in dairy cow nutrition to improve the technological properties of milk for butter and cheese production.