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Article from Canadian Meat Business - September/October 2009
The Next Generation of Probiotics
Antibiotic resistance, de-stressed animals among benefits for producers.

A Winnipeg-based company is offering what it calls "the most advanced second generation probiotic in the world" - which is said to have all the benefits of a regular probiotic, but with added advantages not previously available.

Galozyme is produced by Technavet and is available in several varieties, each designed for a specific animals - from household pets to cattle, swine and poultry. The company began selling the product in 2007 after receiving government approval. According to Health Canada, probiotics are "live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host." For human consumption they are commonly found in some food products - including yogurts, juices and soy products.

According to Technavet's operations director, Saverio Violi, probiotics have been in use for over 25 years, but are used more widely in Europe than in North America, especially in terms of meat production.

Violi said one of the problems with using what he calls "first generation" probiotics in the cattle or swine industry, is that when antibiotics are added to an animal's system they kill the bacteria and intestinal flora in the animal's stomach, making the probiotics useless.

He added that Galozyme is antibiotic resistant - so producers using antibiotics on their animals for certain illnesses can still use the probiotic and get all the benefits.

He noted the yeast in a second generation probiotic is protected by a tightened membrane that prevents the acidity of the stomach from destroying the living organism.
"Our second generation probiotic has the capability tto by pass the gastric barrier and works in the intestinal tract, where all the breakdown actually happens," he explained. "And for every carbohydrate molecule it comes into contact with it produces two lactic acid molecules, the fundamental building block for metabolizing."

Violi added that Galozyme has been certified by the Organic Producers Association of Manitoba.
He noted the product can help producers by allowing animals to better utilize vitamins, calciums and minerals, which can lead to "better marbled meat."

Other benefits, he added, include the prevention of common illnesses in cattle, such as ketosis, acidosis and scouring. He noted that product also has a natural destressing ability, which can help animals eat better, gain more weight and have stronger immune systems.

The product, Violi said has its origins in Italy, where it was developed (under the name Turval) for the ministry of defence for soldiers in Afghanistan. "The government needed something for the soldiers to assimilate vitamins, calciums and minerals a lot quicker because they were running themselves down in their tours of duty and were coming back with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)."

For more information on Galozyme, visit technavet.com.

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Balanced digestive microflora is grabbing the attention of pig producers

Dateline: Feed Formulator

Release Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2008

The quest for a balanced digestive microflora, and the potential benefits of probiotic yeast to achieve it, has been garnering much attention in the swine industry as more producers move away from the use of antibiotics as growth promoters. These issues were the drivers behind a technical meeting on pig production late last year hosted by Lallemand Animal Nutrition and ISPAIA, the French Institute for Animal Production and Agro Industry. Focusing on the nutrition and health issues surrounding farrowing, the event focused on the importance of a balanced digestive microflora and the unique potentials of probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii.

Research has shown that longer farrowing processes have led to decreased colostrum quality for the last piglets born. It appears that in recent years, the importance of colostrum quality has been largely overlooked. In a presentation about sow behavior during peripartum and colostrum quality, Dr. Nicolas Devillers, from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, analyzed the various factors determining colostrum quantity and quality.

The role of stress on sow health was also discussed at the conference. Beyond sow behavior, the influence of stress can be found in its impacts on the sow's digestive health. Until now, little was known about the sow's gut transit. But in an original study on that very issue presented by Antoine Grannec, from La Coop Fédérée (Québec), it was shown that a sow's transfer to the farrowing room prior to farrowing halted the digestive transit. Researcher Dr. Nicola Walker, of the BRI laboratory in Montreal (Lallemand/Institut Rosell), who studied the sow's faecal microflora populations with genetic analysis methods, showed that the stress generated by farrowing had a direct influence on the sow's microflora populations.

All this indicates there are a number of immense challenges to a healthy gut environment in the pig. Feeding yeast addresses many of them. Equilibrium, whether of the gut microflora or the outside environment of the animal, will continue to be key in addressing the needs of today's sow. Recent trends in the pig diet formulations, whether due to the move away from antibiotics as growth promotants or the increased use of alternative feed ingredients due to commodity costs, the role and significance of the digestive microflora is finally gaining attention. But with that attention comes a realization of how much is known about the factors affecting gut health. New technologies, such as DNA fingerprinting and other powerful genetic analysis tools, hold a lot of promise for understanding the world inside the gut. The face of pig nutrition is bound to change, with more interest drawn not only to nutrition and the interaction of the feed components with the microflora, but also to the animal's environment, stress factors and behavior. In this context, the ability of yeast to restore and maintain a the sow's digestive balance, offering a protection against pathogens or the effects of stress, while improving feed efficacy, offers great potential for pig production.

History: Balancing microflora in the pig gut

Manitoba News Release

April 11, 2007

ORGANIC PRODUCTS ACT DESIGNED TO BOOST PROVINCE'S GROWING ORGANICS SECTOR: WOWCHUK

Legislation Would Establish Standards, Regulate Production Of Manitoba-made Organic Food

Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk today introduced legislation which would formally establish a framework to regulate production of organic food and food products in Manitoba, a move the minister said will enhance consumer confidence in organic foods and strengthen opportunities for Manitoba producers.

"Organic production is a growing sector of the province's agricultural economy and our government will continue to play a lead role in developing Manitoba's organic industry," Wowchuk said.

The minister noted Manitoba was instrumental in helping the federal government to produce the national Organic Products Regulations in December and said the province would adopt the same federal organic standards and administrative procedures into new provincial legislation.

Federal regulations apply to interprovincial and international trade while the proposed provincial legislation would apply to trade within the province.

The proposed provincial law, the Organic Agricultural Products Act, would define the basis for organic food production and establish specific mandatory standards for food products that carry the organic label. Consumers would have greater assurance that organic production standards are monitored and enforced. The act would also cover organic livestock feed and aquaculture products.

"Organic foods are gaining popularity," said the minister. "Regulations reflecting approved production standards will increase confidence in Manitoba's organic products, benefiting our producers and rural communities.

"We were pleased to work with the Keystone Agricultural Producers, Canadian Wheat Board, Organic Food Council of Manitoba and the Organic Producers Association of Manitoba (OPAM) to establish this provincial act," Wowchuk noted.

Only two other provinces govern the production and marketing of organic foods. Quebec currently has a mandatory guideline and British Columbia has a voluntary system governing organic food.

OPAM, which obtained ISO65 accreditation in 2004, would be one of the primary certifiers of growers and processors in the province. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency would establish the Canada Organic Office and be the authority for regulating organic production.

Strengthening Manitoba's organics sector is consistent with Manitoba's Creating Opportunities Action Plan, said the minister. The strategy stems from recommendations contained in the Creating Opportunities committee report, the product of consultations with more than 330 participants in communities across the province.