The main functions of feed additives in feed include: improving feed utilization; improving feed palatability; promoting the growth and development of livestock and poultry; improving feed processing performance; improving the quality of livestock products; and rationally utilizing feed resources.
1) Improve feed utilization
Due to the lack of certain micronutrients in feed, especially under intensive production conditions, livestock and poultry are prone to nutritional deficiencies and nutritional metabolism disorders, which affect the growth and development of livestock and poultry, thereby causing economic losses. The use of additives in feed can improve the nutritional value of feed, improve feed utilization, give full play to the production potential of livestock and poultry, and improve livestock and poultry productivity.
2) Improve feed palatability
The application of feed flavoring agents has a positive significance in improving feed palatability and promoting feed intake of livestock and poultry. Chemical substances such as esters, ethers, fatty acids, and aromatic alcohols are used in many countries to produce feed flavors, which are widely used in artificial milk for piglets and substitute milk for calves. The use of feed flavoring agents can not only improve feed palatability but also achieve good feeding effects.
3) Improve feed processing performance
Nearly two-thirds of feed mills in the United States use various forms of binders when producing pellet feed to reduce dust, improve feed processing performance, and increase feed production capacity. Many nutrients contained in feed, such as vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids, etc., are easily oxidized or deteriorated. Almost all countries with developed feed industries use antioxidants and fungicides in compound feed production to reduce nutrient losses during feed processing and storage. Tests have shown that after 6 months of storage, the carotene loss of grass meal treated with antioxidants is reduced by 25% to 50% compared with grass meal without antioxidants. The use of antifungal agents, antioxidants, and other feed preservation agents in feed can prevent the loss of feed nutrients and avoid waste.
4) Promote the growth and development of livestock and poultry
Growth promoters have the effects of disease prevention and health care, and promoting the growth of livestock and poultry. Its use has grown rapidly in recent decades and has played a positive role in improving livestock and poultry production performance. In addition to antibiotics and synthetic antibacterial agents, many new growth promoters, such as prebiotics, oligosaccharides, organic salts, etc., have been used in livestock and poultry production.
5) Improve the quality of livestock products
With the improvement of people's living standards, consumers have increasingly higher requirements for the quality of livestock products. Through feed additives, the appearance, color, and intrinsic quality of livestock products can be improved, and the shelf life and sales price of livestock products can be extended.
6) Rational utilization of feed resources
Compound feed is formulated from a variety of feed raw materials. The use of additives can utilize certain unused or underutilized feed resources to produce feed with complete nutritional value, thereby expanding the utilization of those that cannot be used in a single state or are used in limited quantities. feed resources and reduce compound feed costs. In particular, some feed raw materials contain anti-nutritional factors, which are not good for the health of livestock and poultry when used alone, and may endanger the environment or human health. However, due to the use of corresponding additives, such feed resources can be fully utilized and obtained. Higher social, ecological, and economic benefits.
In short, feed additives play a multifaceted role in livestock and poultry production. The role of additives is permeated in almost every link of modern livestock production.
What needs to be particularly pointed out here is that in livestock and poultry production, not only a single additive is often used, but several additives or compound additives are often used at the same time. Therefore, the benefits of using feed additives in livestock and poultry production are often diverse or Comprehensive. To learn more about our premix products, you can click on this link: https://www.polifar.com/Feed-Premix-pl3774650.html