Adisseo helps customers face short-term price volatility and long-term resource management questions with ‘Protect Your Margins’ platform

Between the immediate challenges of paying increasingly expensive feed bills, and the longer-term but no less urgent threats such as the overuse of critical resources and the pressure to feed an ever-larger global population, the animal production industry has several truly serious concerns to grapple with.

The animal nutrition industry, of course, can be an ally in doing so, given the importance of feed to the total cost and environmental footprint of animal production. Adisseo takes that mission seriously. To that end, it is launching the “Protect your Margins” platform, in order to empower producers to understand how the animal nutrition choices they make can impact their particular objectives in terms of both economic and environmental sustainability. In today’s Industry Perspectives piece, Stefan Jakob, Global Director of Monogastrics Solutions at Adisseo, discusses how everything from novel raw materials to feed additive format can play a role in helping its customers survive and thrive in a changing landscape.

[Feedinfo] The animal nutrition industry has been struggling with high and volatile prices for inputs such as feed raw materials. Do you believe that this situation will resolve itself? Or is the industry going to have to get used to doing more with less?

[Stefan Jakob] In today’s global market, the animal protein production industry is facing different challenges depending on the region. For example, in India, the cost of raw materials is still a major concern for the market. In contrast, in Europe, the wheat price has dropped below 300 €/t after reaching a peak above 400 €/t last spring. Although resolving the Ukrainian/Russian crisis may help relieve some of the pressure, climate change and the global scarcity of raw materials, arable land, and clean water will continue to challenge crop production. To address these challenges, the industry must recognize the problem and develop tools to improve resilience by doing more with less and doing things differently.

[Feedinfo] With feed costs serving as the main lever to reduce production costs, what kinds of solutions can Adisseo offer to help producers enhance digestibility, mitigate the challenges that come from formulating with novel local ingredients, or otherwise capture the full nutritive value of raw materials?

[Stefan Jakob] In the quest to reduce the pressure on feed costs, the use of less common raw materials has been suggested as an alternative to traditional protein and energy sources. Such raw materials are often readily available and potentially less expensive, thus presenting a promising solution to feed formulation challenges. However, there are concerns regarding the suitability of these new types of ingredients for feed processing, the absence of contaminants, and their ability to deliver the right amount of nutrients for optimal animal performance and health.

To address these concerns, several effective approaches are available to help make the right decision when using alternative feed ingredients. First and foremost, rapid feed testing methods such as Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR) can provide fast and accurate data on nutritional values, thereby aiding in quality control of alternative feed ingredients that are prone to variable nutrient contents. Adisseo’s PNE and Adict solutions are particularly helpful for improving feed formulation through better knowledge of raw material quality and variability. Unlike other NIR solutions, Adisseo’s PNE system evaluates many raw materials in-vivo, enabling the most precise digestibility data possible, which is an essential lever for reducing variations in practical formulations.

Secondly, the use of enzymes, particularly multi-NSPase enzymes like Rovabio®, can significantly increase the digestibility of alternative feed ingredients with high or complex fiber content. Enzymes can also help buffer the variability of ingredients, making them a valuable addition to the feed formulation process.

Lastly, palatability enhancers can help ensure consistent feed intake and performance by addressing the sensitivity of swine and ruminants to formulation changes. Even small changes in raw material usage can significantly impact feed intake and result in impaired performance. Therefore, flexible and targeted flavor technology is an important tool for ensuring consistent feed acceptance.

With the effective approaches outlined above, the use of alternative feed ingredients can be optimized, leading to better animal health, performance, and ultimately, profitability.

[Feedinfo] Beyond the price of cereals or oilseeds, high energy costs have also squeezed margins and focused more attention on the energy efficiency of the feed mill (and on operational efficiency in general). Is this an area Adisseo is involved in?

[Stefan Jakob] In the highly energy-intensive process of pellet production at feed mills, optimizing any area of the process can lead to significant benefits. Adisseo, a global leader in liquid feed additives, has conducted extensive studies showing that using a liquid source of methionine (OH-Methionine) instead of the powder form (DL-Methionine) can result in power savings of up to 13% during pelleting.

Adisseo’s Rhodimet® AT88, a liquid source of methionine, is just one example of our liquid ingredient expertise. Other liquid feed additives, such as multi-NSPase Rovabio®, emulsifiers, and palatability solutions, have also demonstrated clear advantages in the field with customers.

[Feedinfo] Proactively managing animal health is another solution bringing benefits for both the farmer’s bottom line and for the wellbeing of the planet. How have Adisseo’s portfolio and research efforts adapted to meet various animal health challenges?

[Stefan Jakob] Adisseo strongly believes in the concept of Health by Nutrition, which involves making animals more resilient against the various challenges they may encounter throughout their lives, ranging from nutritional to environmental and climate conditions. This approach includes promoting feed intake, enhancing the digestion process of animals and their microbiota, and ensuring optimal animal health, which includes supporting gut integrity, strengthening the immune system, and decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation.

To achieve these goals, Adisseo offers a targeted and flexible portfolio of additives, which includes probiotics, butyric-based solutions, glycerides, and pure form of organic Selenium. The company collaborates closely with its customers to identify and tackle specific issues, providing tailored solutions to meet their needs.

Moreover, Adisseo has launched the second edition of the Adisseo Research Grant in 2022, a program designed to finance promising and innovative academic, nutrition-oriented research projects. This initiative aims to address challenges such as reducing medication in livestock farming and addressing issues related to a warming global climate.

[Feedinfo] Tell me about the “Protect your Margins” platform. How does this go beyond just a slogan at Adisseo, and instead encompass how you prepare to help your customers meet future challenges?

[Stefan Jakob] The optimization of animal diets is a fundamental principle in animal nutrition. Achieving the perfect balance between animal requirements and costs is key to getting the best possible animal and economic performance. Given the multitude of nutrition practices available, it can be challenging for nutritionists to determine the most efficient and cost-effective approach. Adisseo understands this challenge and has recently launched a digital platform named “Protect your Margins” to help customers and partners navigate the potential limiting factors they face in their activities. By selecting their critical business issue, customers can access articles that detail specific solutions to their problems. This platform provides a map to identify issues and find ways to protect margins.

At Adisseo, our aim has always been to help partners navigate the complexity of their respective environments using our complete range of additives and services. We aim to ensure the sustainability of their production, now and in the future, and help deliver their business objectives. Our goal is to “Build a better future for animal nutrition” globally by unlocking the power of science.

[Feedinfo] Looking forward, what are some of those future challenges that you think the industry needs to be thinking about as of now?

[Stefan Jakob] Adisseo takes great pride in turning its vision of “Feeding the planet in a qualitative, affordable, safe and sustainable way” into a reality. The company has made a resolute commitment to lead the industry towards greater efficiency while reducing its impact on the planet. Adisseo recognizes that achieving economic, environmental and social goals hand-in-hand is crucial to sustainability. Therefore, the company is taking steps towards sustainability not only within its own operations but also by supporting its customers in achieving their sustainability goals. Achieving this three-fold sustainability goal is a huge task that requires all stakeholders to work together towards creating a better future for the planet.