Adisseo and Novozymes, two global companies in the animal nutrition and feed additive industry, are partnering to develop and market a probiotic for poultry.

Novozymes will be responsible for in-vitro screening, development and production, while Adisseo will manage in-vivo testing, marketing and sales. The partners expect to launch the product within the next 12 months.

Alternative to antibiotic growth promoters

For decades, antibiotics have been widely used in animal production to help livestock grow, but more and more countries are now banning non-medicinal use as part of strategies to tackle resistance to antibiotic treatments in humans. Consumer-driven curbs on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters have further increased the demand for sustainable alternatives in animal farming.

Probiotics are naturally-occurring live microbes added to feed to improve the gut flora of pigs, poultry and other animals. They improve animal growth and feed utilisation and have associated health benefits, thereby providing a natural alternative to antibiotic growth promoters.

Feeding the growing population

"The world needs new solutions to feed a growing global population in a sustainable way. We are developing a probiotic that can help farmers meet that need," says Helle Warrer Poulsen, vice president of Animal Health & Nutrition at Novozymes. "It is a promising new area for Novozymes where we can leverage our know-how in microbiology, fermentation and animal feed."

"Innovation is part of Adisseo's DNA and we are constantly investing, either organically or through strategic partnerships, in new solutions to help our customers optimise livestock performance while reducing environmental impact," says Jean-Marc Dublanc, CEO of Adisseo. "The decision to enlarge our specialty portfolio with probiotics was therefore a natural one, as was the choice of Novozymes as our partner."

Improving feed conversion rates

Novozymes and Adisseo's new product will be based on beneficial bacteria that promote weight gain and limit development of unwanted bacteria in the animal's digestive tract. By using the product, farmers will better control gut health of their animals and achieve an improved feed conversion, meaning less feed consumed to raise an animal. The product will be tailored for poultry, while the partners will explore future opportunities to expand into probiotics for both poultry and swine.