Probiotics: Microbes poised to transform food production and health.

Microbes poised to transform food production and health. At Canada’s Food University, microbes are rapidly emerging as a star player in the quest to produce food safely and sustainably, and improve gut health in both food animals and consumers.

This is because microbes – ubiquitous yet virtually invisible to the naked eye – play essential but usually unsung roles across the food chain. 

 Some of these roles are well known; for example, microbes help cycle nutrients in soil, making them available for crop uptake and growth, and without microorganisms we wouldn’t have some of our favourite foods such as cheese, yoghurt, wine and beer. 

But other roles are just beginning to be understood, such as the ability of “good” microbes to suppress harmful pathogens in soil, plants, food products and the gut. Microbes poised to transform food production and health.

Probiotics have a ‘positive effect’ on stress and anxiety: Meta-analysis

Probiotics have a ‘positive effect’ on stress and anxiety: Meta-analysis: Probiotics consumption may have advantageous effects on mental health by lessening the psychological symptoms of perceived stress, depression and anxiety, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis.

‘ Probiotics : How probiotics is used to stop malnutrition

‘

Probiotics are microorganisms that promote health and well being . The probiotics have gained prominence especially in improvement of gut health by promoting proliferation of good bacteria in the gut. Probiotics improves the microbiome with resultant health improvement.

 Studies have shown use of probiotics to tackle malnutrition.  Enhanced probiotics’ pave the way in tackling malnutrition: ‘Smart’ gut bacteria that can improve the fermentation process? Super-efficient microorganisms that can turn empty calories into complete nutritional food?

Holistic approach to pet care.

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria — so-called superbugs — is a global problem with both short- and long-term implications for human and animal health. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified antibiotic resistance as one of the greatest threats to human health in all communities. In time, even simple infections, usually easily treated, may not respond to antibiotics.

 Animal health providers, farming industries and even pet owners have an important role to play in reducing the overuse of antibiotics. 

The Australian Veterinary Association provides guidelines to reduce their use. These include avoiding use for infections not shown to be caused by bacteria; for example, some urinary tract problems, pancreatic disease, many gut problems and viral respiratory diseases. Antibiotics should be used only after test results identify bacterial infection and, ideally, narrow-spectrum antibiotics are chosen on the basis of sensitivity testing. 

Treatment should be carried out only for the time required to eliminate infection. Unfortunately, in practice, the time and money required for such tests isn’t always easy to find in an environment where there’s emotional pressure to heal animals quickly and cheaply. A holistic approach to animal health and wellness provides alternatives to antibiotic use. These are some steps animal owners and carers can take to reduce antibiotic use : 1) Avoid use of antibiotics where not required. Bacterial infection does not play a part in some common illnesses in veterinary medicine but antibiotics may be prescribed anyway. 2) Use alternatives where safe and effective. It’s always best to consult your vet, or holistic vet, before using them. 

Natural treatments may cause side-effects in some individual dogs or cats. Never use essential oils in or on cats. 3) If antibiotics are prescribed for your pet, make sure you complete the entire course. If you have trouble giving the medications or you think they may cause side-effects, your vet or support staff can give you suggestions.

 Resistant infections can be passed on from pet to owner so always wash your hands, especially before eating. 4) Practice good hygiene: wash your hands. No need to use antibacterial washes; soap and warm water are sufficient. Make sure you wash all surfaces of your hands, including the web between your fingers. (Follow with vitamin E cream if washing dries out your hands).

 As an alternative to antibacterial cleaners around the house, use hot water, vinegar and bicarb of soda. This will reduce the emergence of resistant bacteria and also reduce toxins your pet is exposed to.

 5) Use probiotics after courses of antibiotics to replenish good bacteria and support gut health and immunity. 6) Preventative healthcare for your pet will reduce infections and the need for antibiotics. This includes judicious use (but not overuse) of vaccines, flea, mite and worm control and regular health checks (annually for younger pets; biannually for older pets) for early detection of health problems. 

Dental disease is one of the commonest health issues in pets, resulting in gingivitis, periodontal disease and the need for antibiotics and dental surgical procedures. Make sure your pet has a dental check every six months. continue

Cattle Feeding Probiotics offer alternative to in-feed antibiotics.

Focusing on gut health may help cattle producers find replacements for in-feed antibiotics now that the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) is in place. By 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will require medically important antibiotics — those approved for use in both humans and animals — to be used in animals only under the order of a veterinarian. When producers incorporate specific medications into feed, the rate and timing must be based on a VFD issued by a licensed veterinarian. Producers will also be required to retain VFD records for two years. An easy, cost-effective additive — that is not regulated under a VFD — is a probiotic or direct-fed microbial (DFM). These natural products help tip the balance in favor of beneficial microbes in the gut. Supporting the dynamic and robust bacterial communities in the lower intestinal tract can naturally promote a positive systemic immune response within the animal. In turn, this positive response can act as a natural preventive to help reduce the need for treatment or even the use of on-arrival antibiotics. One probiotic, Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii CNCM I-1079, has been proven to naturally activate cattle’s immune response and decrease the need for treatment. In fact, S. c. boulardii CNCM I-1079 has been shown to improve cattle feed uptake, lower morbidity and lower mortality. In a study of cattle sourced from auction barns across the southeastern United States, cattle fed S. c. boulardii CNCM I-1079, had 39 percent fewer re-treatments for Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRDC) as compared to controls.2 “Probiotics offer an alternative way to fight the battle against BRDC,” Dr. Barling says. “In many respects, the lower gut powers the day-to-day immunity and health of any animal.” Active dry yeast probiotics like S. c. boulardii CNCM I-1079 can be fed to cattle before or during a period of known stress. Then, it is typically fed after arrival while cattle are adjusting to their new surroundings. In addition, S. c. boulardii CNCM I-1079 can be fed in conjunction with vaccination and either feed grade or injectable antibiotic treatment programs. Instead of thinking about treating disease,think about improving an animal’s well-being so they’re better prepared to fight off health challenges. The losses are reduced on all fronts: losses from treatment expenses, costs from the additional labor required to pull and treat cattle, production declines and losses from mortality. source; drovers

STEPS TO ENSURE ANTIBIOTIC FREE POULTRY PRODUCTION.

Taste and health concerns has made clamor for antibiotic free production in the poultry sector a global issue,hence various methods and strategies have been employed to faze out antibiotic use.The following steps are some of the measures; Diets to promote growth and positive microflora. What a bird eats plays a large role in the success of an antibiotic-free (ABF) operation. To combat negative microflora in digestive tracts, growers need to pick feed and additives that promote the right kind of gut environment. They also need a diet that can replicate the effects of antibiotic growth promoters. A strictly vegetarian diet when switching to ABF is recommended. Growers should try and get as close to all-vegetarian diets as possible and find out the animal by-product content of the product. looking for feed with more high-quality fats and less indigestible protein is essential for antibiotic free production. Reducing the presence of bacteria in feed and water is essential as well. The issues with bacteria can be solved through good feed mill management and ensuring the feed is heated to at least 185 degrees Fahrenheit to kill bacteria. Keeping a clean water supply prevents the spread of disease and is essential because birds drink twice as much as they eat. Antibiotic alternatives There’s a variety of feed additives being marketed as alternatives for growth-promoting antibiotics such as organic acids, phytogenics, probiotics, prebiotics and short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids. These products look at one major goal: establishing a healthy gut microflora and preventing the growth of harmful microbes. Using a combination of probiotics and prebiotics has shown promises in doing exactly that, but they are not a silver bullet. The use of a combination of probiotics, prebiotics and other feed additives will help promote a healthy gut in broiler flocks. The importance of starting a feeding program that will promote healthy gut in chicks and pullets as soon as possible cannot be overemphasized. Getting the right microbes in place early can prevent unwanted bacteria and other microbes taking up residence inside the gut.

DYSBIOSIS.

This basically refers to an imbalance in the gut flora leading to various illness such as inflammatory bowel disease,cancer, bacterial vaginosis and colitis.

The disruption in the normal flora of the gut is largely due to abuse of antibiotics which not only have harmful effect in man but in animals as well.

 Campylobacter is an important player here; causes intestinal infections as it normally inhabits the gut of warm blooded animals such as poultry and cattle and are usually detected in products derived from them. 

Campylobacter are the major causes of food borne illness in homes,usually characterized by abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.

 The prevention of food illness from campylobacter is to embrace basic food hygiene protocol and cook beef and poultry thoroughly as the bacteria is killed by heat.

Yoghurt for stronger suckling piglets and sows.

Feeding yoghurt to suckling piglets, starting the day after birth improves the piglets’ feed intake in the first weeks of life. This results in higher weaning weights and higher growth rates after weaning. Also, the sows lose less weight during lactation and gain more weight during the following gestation. Large litters put a strain on the lactating sow, leading to impaired growth rate of her offspring. Sustaining a high level of milk production requires a lot of energy. With large litters, sows are unable to nurse their litters sufficiently to reach piglets’ genetic growth potential. Large litters often contain small piglets and it is a challenge to provide these small piglets with enough nutrients to increase survival rates, and reach adequate weaning weights and growth rates after weaning. A key factor to obtain healthy sows and piglets is a high feed intake of piglets in the suckling period. In order to meet the requirements of young piglets, Dutch animal nutrition company Sloten developed a new sustainable feeding concept, called Nuklospray Yoghurt. The yoghurt is fed in liquid form to suckling piglets, starting the day after birth. To prove that the concept improves the piglets’ feed intake in the first week of life and increases higher weaning weights and a higher growth rate after weaning, a study was performed in LZ Haus Düsse in Germany. The trial was conducted with 92 litters, divided into two groups: from day two after birth 49 litters received the yoghurt and 43 litters were offered another milk replacer. On the first day, 250 ml of the yoghurt (400 g powder per litre) was provided, and 500 ml of the control milk replacer (125 g powder per litre). The yoghurt was given during three weeks, while the control milk replacer was fed for two weeks. The offered amount of milk replacer during the suckling period increased up to 2.5 litres per litter per day. Piglets were subsequently offered a pre-starter (Milkiwean Granito Premium) in the yoghurt litters and a commercial pre starter in the control groups. The higher weaning weights and the lower mortality rate in the yoghurt litters were obtained by the higher intake of milk replacer and pre-starter. It shows that the yoghurt initiates early feed intThe improvements in piglet and sow performance with the yoghurt addition include: a higher feed intake of suckling piglets, less piglet mortality, higher weaning weights of litters, and better fertility and condition of sows. Read details of experiment here;http://www.pigprogress.net/Special-Focus/Piglet-Feeding/Yoghurt-for-stronger-suckling-piglets-and-sows/

ADDITIVES ; BETTER ALTERNATIVES TO ANTIMICROBIAL GROWTH PROMOTERS IN POULTRY.

The demand for healthier safety-proven production methods and the trend to reduce antibiotic uses is undeniable, and is steadily expanding. Simultaneously, the increasing ineffectiveness of antibiotics due to resistance 
development is another concern. The concern about antibiotic residues in meat products is solved in many countries, but the bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a much more complex problem, involving the entire medical profession. In animal production—poultry production in particular :ceasing the use of antibiotics as growth promoters has changed the technical approaches used to counter the removal or reduction of these products. Without antibiotics, the microbiota in the birds’ gastrointestinal tract must be viewed as an entity to implant, develop and control to ensure that the animals are healthy and can grow according to their genetic potential. The removal of antibiotic growth promoters has revealed that it is crucial to manage the makeup of the birds' intestinal microbiota to avoid or at least limit the risks of health problems inherent to intensive production, hence alternatives are necessary to ensure health of birds and food safety. The main strategies can be outlined as follows: Selectively introduce favourable bacterial populations from a very young age; Provide a regular supply of nutrients specific to the beneficial bacteria; Act directly on pathogenic bacteria. Different methods are available, such as the dietary supplementation with probiotics, prebiotics, organic acids and essential oils. These products act either avoiding bacterial adhesion to the intestinal cells or through bactericidal or bacteriostatic effects. The goal is to achieve the most stable balance on the microbiota in order to avoid the trouble caused by bacteria like E. coli, Clostridium and Salmonella. The gastrointestinal microbiota profile depends on numerous factors such as the health of the breeding stock, production system, stressors (vaccination, viral episodes, etc.), nutrition and stocking densities. The first bacteria to colonise the animals’ digestive tract will shape the intestinal ecosystem for the introduction of global intestinal microbiota. Selectively colonising the gastointestinal tract with beneficial bacteria can modulate the expression of certain genes in the tract’s epithelium, creating conditions for establishing beneficial microbiota. Since the first micro-organisms that come into contact with a newly hatched chick’s gastrointestinal tract are from the breeding stock, controlling the microbiota in the parents would be ideal. Studies have demonstrated that the use of beneficial bacteria in low doses in the hatchery improves chicks’ resistance to pathogens. Other studies have validated that an in-ovo injection of FOS (fructooligosaccharide) helps maintaining higher levels of bifidobacters, with positive effects on zootechnical performance and mortality rate. Most of the microbial strains in probiotics are of the genus Bifidobacterium or Lactobacillus. In certain conditions, lactobacilli can produce metabolites that limit the growth of Salmonella by modulating immunity and avoiding bacterial binding to the epithelial cells of the intestine. However, according to some publications, this type of effect is limited. In poultry production, interactions between the birds’ feed and their intestinal health have been amply demonstrated. In the past, the use of antibiotic growth enhancers had the potential to mask a number of problems. In the field, functional diet-based strategies need to be adapted to the different sanitary and production contexts for each production system. Selectively introducing favourable bacterial populations for young chicks, providing a regular supply of nutritious substrates specific to the beneficial bacteria and effectively controlling pathogenic bacteria are important courses of action to ensure the intestinal health of the birds via their feed. Prebiotics, enzymes, and combinations of organic acids and essential oils can be viable alternatives to antimicrobials. story credit; world poultry.

FEEDING YOUR HORSES.

Learn how to keep your horses happy and colic free!!! http://www.thehorse.com/ecards/Nutrena_102915.html

Probiotics : a paradigm shift in animal production.

Animal husbandry/ production has gone through turns and curves,coming up with different strategies and methods to enhance production of the animals. The industry is currently under fire to stop the use of antibiotics in feed as growth promoters. 

The feed additive directly affects the animals,their production rate and their products which indirectly impacts human health. 

 

The impact of antibiotics in animal feed on human health has been linked to antibiotic resistance resulting in superbugs,thus more and more people are looking for alternatives. There is a paradigm shift in the animal food industry on how animals are raised and managed,some older forms of management are been ditched for newer approaches. 

 The just concluded international production and processing expo (IPPE) in Atlanta,U.S Dr Andrew Read of the Pennsylvania state university remarked that vaccination makes viruses "hot" more dangerous,he sited the Marek's disease stating that some vaccines drive the evolution of more virulent pathogens. 

 Prebiotics and Probiotics have also been added to feed to ensure git health,thus promoting better absorption of feed in animals resulting in enhanced growth and excellent feed conversion.

 Probiotics are alternatives to antibiotic in feed,these are incorporated into feed to manage the normal microflora of the gut which ensures the following 1) strengthen bowel wall. 2)improve mineral absorption. 3)it nurtures good bacteria , stifle production of bad,disease-causing bacteria and it causes multiplication of beneficial bacteria. 

 Probotics are usually live bacteria ,examples are Lactobacillus spp, Enterococcus faecum, Bacillus spp and bifidobacterium spp. 

 Prebiotics are specialized plant fiber that beneficially nourishes the good bacteria,the plant fibers act as fertilizers to promote the growth of many good bacteria in the gut.The prebiotic usually contain both inulin and oligofructose,which treats the entire bowel wall for maximum effectiveness. 

 The combination of prebiotic and probiotic is referred to as synbiotics, is an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters. The change train is on the move, join in now.Stop the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed.