AveMix® Plus – The optimal solution for a balanced intestinal microbiota
Optimal gut health is underpinned by a balanced intestinal microbiota and conversely an imbalance in the microbiota – termed dysbiosis – represents a health issue. Gut dysbiosis is typically characterized by a higher number of pathogenic microbes (such as E. coli) and a lower number of beneficial microbes (such as Lactobacillus) in the intestinal tract. In poultry, gut dysbiosis is directly associated with wet litter, foot pad lesions and decreased performance. Palital has developed one optimal prophylactic solution, AveMix® Plus, that has several specific modes of action. Using this combination approach, AveMix® Plus promotes a balanced microflora and improves performance.
What is AveMix® Plus?
AveMix® Plus is composed of two principal active components:
Medium-chain glycerides, specifically caproic acid (C6) and caprylic acid (C8)
Aromatic compounds, specifically carvacrol, thymol and capsaicin
Firstly, the medium-chain glycerides (MCG) are medium-chain fatty acids esterified with glycerol in order to form a fine neutral oil that has a specific activity against pathogens. Due to its unique composition, the MCG in AveMix® Plus is specifically active against Gram-negative pathogens (such as E. coli and Salmonella) and suppress their growth. Beneficial bacteria (such as Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium) are unharmed by AveMix® Plus.
Secondly, the aromatic compounds are standardized phytogenic substances from aromatic plants and spices. These aromatic compounds work together with the MCG to enhance the antimicrobial activity of AveMix® Plus against pathogens. Furthermore, these aromatic components are also known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the immune system will be less overstimulated, and effects of stress minimized.
What is the mode of action of AveMix® Plus?
The MCG and aromatic compounds in AveMix® Plus work together synergistically to bring better health and performance to your animals. The mechanism of action of AveMix® Plus results in bacterial growth inhibition and death, as outlined in Figure 1.
Figure 1 - AveMix® Plus mode of action. (1) From medium chain glycerides (MCG), lipase releases medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). (2) MCFA penetrate the bacterial pathogen cell membrane causing leakage of cell contents. (3) Aromatic components increase the bacterial cell membrane permeability, and this synergistically enables the MCFAs to enter the cell more easily. (4) MCFA dissociates releasing a proton (H+). (5) Dissociated MCFA inhibits DNA replication. (6) Proton release causes acidification of the cell.
In addition, AveMix® Plus has a slow-release effect due to the esterification of the MCG and the encapsulation of the aromatic compounds. This enables the active components to be liberated in the small intestine, where the impact of dysbiosis is the greatest.
Benefits on animal performance with AveMix® Plus
To evaluate the ability of AveMix® Plus to promote gut health and performance, numerous trials have been carried out. In this article, the findings of a poultry trial conducted at the University of Life Sciences in Poznan (Poland) are presented.
A 42 day broiler trial was performed using a total of 160 birds which were randomly allocated into two groups of 80: control and AveMix® Plus. All birds received the same starter and grower diets, which were mainly composed of wheat, soybean meal and corn without any growth promoters. The AveMix® Plus group received the diets supplemented with AveMix® Plus, whereas the diets of the control group were not supplemented.
Figure 2 - AveMix® Plus improves the body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and European Production Efficiency Index (EPEI) of broilers without increasing feed intake (FI). Bars labelled with * were significantly different from the control group (P<0.05).
AveMix® Plus significantly increased the body weight gain without significantly changing feed intake (Figure 2). This results in a significant improvement of the feed conversion ratio and European Production Efficiency Index (Figure 2). These findings clearly show that AveMix® Plus is an effective solution to promote broiler health and performance. By stimulating a well-balanced microbiota, the animal can more efficiently use nutrients whilst loosing less energy fighting health issues. This means that the energy and nutrients are available instead for growth, resulting in improved feed efficiency.
In summary, AveMix® Plus is an optimal solution to fight against imbalance in the intestinal microbiota. Furthermore, its immuno-modulation, anti-inflammatory and energy saving effects also help support gut health. This results in improved health and performance. For more information on AveMix® Plus and Palital’s wide product range, please get in contact with us.
Literature references available on request.