Official opening of a new facility dedicated to ACTISAF® production in Voronezh

It began in 1952 and was acquired by Lesaffre during the summer of 2011. Voronezh Drojjie has been able to adapt and increase its global production capacity in line with the Russian market‘s increasing demand. More than 1 billion rubles have been invested in the modernization and development of the plant.

This new facility, which commenced production at the start of this year and was officially opened today, is mainly dedicated to the production of live yeast for animal nutrition and health. This new development extends the range of yeast that is already produced at the site. The extension allows Voronezh Drojjie to achieve annual production exceeding 20,000 tons of dry yeast, becoming the largest yeast manufacturer in Russia and one of the most important in Central and Western Europe.

To better support its customers and to facilitate the development of high-quality animal feed in Russia, Lesaffre - Phileo, for the first time ever, is transferring its unique technology knowledge to produce Actisaf in Russia.

Previously, Actisaf was only manufactured at Lesaffre Marcq-en-Barœul’s production plant in France. 400 million rubles have been invested in this new industrial equipment. Frédérique Clusel, General Manager of Phileo, explains “We know that this huge country – Russia - has the potential and the desire to significantly increase its livestock production. Previously Actisaf® was imported but now, with our complete range of feed additive solutions and local production, we are well-placed to become the key reliable partner for progressive Russian farmers. We decided to invest in Voronezh – an area of Russia with strong dairy and meat production – and to support this investment, we will recruit local experts in each species to better serve farmers. Our team is here to help farmers with high-value technical support to help them drive their business performance forward.”  

Following advanced research within the extensive Lesaffre collection of live yeast strains, Actisaf® is produced with a unique patented process which delivers an excellent ability to withstand manufacturing processes, especially its record granulation thermostability at temperatures up to 92°C. Backed up by rigorous science, this unique probiotic can be relied upon to enhance the health and performance of ruminant and pig breeding and is now the standard solution for modern farming. Actisaf® offers far-reaching benefits for farmers and industry experts. Both food quality and safety are assured – factors that are fundamental to the future of sustainable production.

In dairy cows, Actisaf® preserves the balance of the cow's rumen ecosystem by acting in a complementary manner on the rumen biotope and microbiota. Actisaf® strengthens the reductive conditions in the rumen. It therefore encourages stabilization of the rumen pH, preventing the risk of acidosis. This global action at the level of the rumen ecosystem helps to increase the digestibility of the feed. By encouraging good rumen function on the farm, Actisaf® maximizes milk production and milk quality. It is regarded as the reference product in modern livestock farming.

In pigs, Actisaf® acts, on one hand, on the balance of the gut microflora and, on the other hand, helps to limit local and systemic inflammation caused by pathogenic bacteria present in the environment. In gestation and lactating sows, Actisaf® improves immune transfer to piglets, while significantly improving litter size and body weight gain of piglets pre-weaning. When used in the post-weaning period, it reduces the risk of diarrhoea. Actisaf® also acts on feed efficiency, for better animal productivity particularly in the fattening period.