DSM - New feed additive for piglets, environmental friendly

VevoVitall®, a relatively new feed additive to the market contains 99.9% of food quality, purified benzoic acid.

VevoVitall® has been registered as an acidifier for use in growing and finishing pig feeds since May 2003.

Recently, the European Union granted a brand specific approval for VevoVitall®, now providing additional authorisation for the use of VevoVitall® as a zootechnical additive in feeds for piglets from weaning to 25kg liveweight. The authorised inclusion of VevoVitall® for this application is 5 kg/t of feed.

VevoVitall® is the first and only product available to the pig industry which combines significant performance and environmental benefits.

VevoVitall® reduces the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria like E. coli, Klebsiella and Staphylococci. Two studies comparing different organic acids on their ability to limit E. coli growth clearly indicated that VevoVitall® was the most efficacious product and in-vitro trials have also demonstrated that VevoVitall® reduces the growth of Salmonella. This effect leads to a reduced incidence of diarrhoea and therefore better piglet health and welfare. In addition to VevoVitall’s® action against pathogenic bacteria, it effectively reduces the growth of yeasts and moulds. This gives additional benefits when used in feeds due to the well known preservation effect of VevoVitall®.

These properties result in better performance. Piglet trials conducted in various European countries under institute and field conditions, show that VevoVitall® increases daily weight gain by an average of 10% and improves feed conversion by approximately 4%. These performance improvements result in an additional margin of 0.25€ to 1.25€ per piglet during the post-weaning stage. Studies with grower-finisher pigs from 25 to 100 kg, also demonstrate that the addition of VevoVitall® to the growing/finishing feeds produces a benefit of 1.00€ to 3.00€ per pig.

Furthermore, VevoVitall® has a unique effect and reduces ammonia emissions. The specific metabolism of VevoVitall® leads to the production of hippuric acid in the liver, which is excreted via the urine. This strongly decreases urinary pH and efficiency of the ammonia producing enzyme urease. Ammonia emission from piglet houses is reduced by up to 12% when VevoVitall® is applied to weaner feed at the authorised rate of 5 kg/t.

Grower-finisher trials have demonstrated that pig house ammonia emissions can be reduced by up to 35% when VevoVitall®   is used at 10kg/t in the growing and finishing feeds.

Swine producers feeding VevoVitall® can now take advantage of a high performing feed additive with additional environmental benefits: VevoVitall® for piglets and growing/finishing pigs.