How to Reduce Antibiotics in Monogastric Animal Feed

Most of our customer relationships begin with a unique application challenge, and this case was no exception.

An internist at a Midwestern medical hospital contacted us to discuss how our technology might be applied to reduce the use of antibiotics in monogastric animals; his concept was to deliver a blend of organic acids into the intestines to target harmful bacteria instead – essentially pioneering a solution to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in animals and in humans.

As you might expect, Maxx was eager to assist and confident we could deliver. But the internist remained skeptical. He had already developed a prototype that ended up dissolving before reaching its destination (the intestine). He sent us the raw ingredients with the expectation that we would get to his project in 4-6 weeks.

Two days later, the internist and his wife drove nine hours to meet us in Roanoke to continue the conversation. To their shock and awe, we met them with two prototypes screened on different mesh sizes. “How could you do this so quickly – and accomplish in two days what others couldn’t do in 6 months?” they exclaimed.

The internist departed that Friday and by Sunday he was sending back results. His methodology included the use of lipases, bile salts and amylases at pH 1.0 and 6.5. The dissolution curve below tells all – a net flow followed by the break down of our microencapsulated ingredients through the intestine.