How to meet the needs of choline in an efficient and cost-effective way

Choline is an essential nutrient in most livestock species. It plays a crucial role in neurotransmitter synthesis (acetylcholine), cell membrane signaling (phospholipids), myelin synthesis and lipid transport (lipoproteins).  

Choline is a precursor of phosphatidylcholine, a phospholipid that besides being part of the composition of cell membranes, is involved in the generation and composition of bile secretions; therefore, it is directly related to the emulsification of fats.

The organism is capable of synthesizing choline in small amounts, and for this purpose it needs other nutrients, especially amino acids and vitamins of the B group. Although foodstuffs contain choline in their composition, the high production rates required make it necessary to supplement diets to cover the minimum requirements.

The diet has traditionally been supplemented with synthetic choline chloride. This ingredient can be found in liquid form (75% richness) or in powder form (50-60% richness). Choline chloride, once in the intestine, is metabolized by the microbiota and only about 30% is absorbed. The rest is converted into trimethylamine. Trimethylamine content should be less than 300 mg/kg since it is absorbed and transported to the tissues and may negatively affect the liver.

Moreover, choline chloride has serious technological drawbacks. It is known as a very corrosive and hygroscopic ingredient. It clumps easily, causing problems of mixing and homogeneity in the manufacture of feed. It is important to consider that choline chloride also interacts with vitamins and can lead to their degradation, thus reducing the shelf life of the final product.

SUPPLEMENTATION WITH NATURAL CHOLINE

Since 2013 LIPTOSA participates in several CDTI (Center for Technological Development and Innovation, associated to Science and Innovation Ministry of Spain) research projects aimed at improving the knowledge of certain plants and their bioactive components for use in animal feed. In 2013 we developed, in collaboration with farms, research centers and other companies in the livestock sector, a project called MEPROGAL which resulted in a designing process of herbal products with adjuvant effect combined with essential ingredients:

All these products have demonstrated a high level of efficacy allowing for improved nutrient utilization and production cost savings. 

NATURCOLIN - is a nutraceutical based on a combination of botanical ingredients with hepatoprotective effect and rich in choline (including phosphatidylcholine among other phospholipids). 

The selection of herbal components allows to perform the typical functions of choline as fat transport, to be a source of phospholipids, and to contribute to the maintenance of good liver health and endogenous production of choline.

Naturcolin allows a 1:5 substitution of 60% choline chloride, avoiding the bioavailability and technological problems, for feed and premix manufacture.

According to trials carried out, it is considered that 1 kg of Naturcolin could replace 2,600,000 mg of chemical synthesized choline depending on the kind of diet.

In a study carried out at the Animal Health Department of the Veterinary Sciences Faculty (Complutense University of Madrid), we analyzed livers of hens supplemented with Naturcolin from week 69 to 80, and comparing them with non-supplemented animals, we observed that the supplemented hens kept a better hepatic status. In the control group, a clear vacuolization of the hepatocyte cytoplasm was observed in a significant percentage of the livers.

Naturcolin used ‘’on top’’ at a dose of 200 g/MT, provides advantages from a sanitary (reduction of hepatic steatosis) and productive point of view (improvement of egg quality and shell hardness, reduction of fattening in broilers, better reproductive indexes in sows, etc.). These data are reflected in a trial carried out at the Agricultural Production Department, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering (Polytechnic University of Madrid) in May 2023. Productive and egg quality results were compared in a group of 500 hens supplemented with 200 grams of Naturcolin compared to a supplementation with 1000 grams of 60% choline chloride. This test showed how the substitution of choline chloride for Naturcolin in a 1:5 ratio improves the percentage of larger eggs (XL and L). In the same study it was demonstrated how the analysis of hepatic transaminases (GOT and GGT) maintained better levels in the group of animals supplemented with Naturcolin.

Different studies carried out on broilers have shown that Naturcolin can certainly replace choline chloride. Thus, a trial carried out in 2022 in the Netherlands (Feed Innovation Services BV, Wageningen) replacing 1000 grams of 60% choline chloride with 350 grams of Naturcolin demonstrated that conversion rates, feed consumption and growth rate showed no differences.

- LIPTOSA is the only European manufacturer of choline from a natural source.

- LIPTOSA manufactures under UNE-EN ISO 9001:2015 manufacturing standards. 

- We have specific formulas that can be manufactured under FAMI-QS quality standards.

- Our quality standards guarantee an adequate traceability of all our products and a high reliability and consistency in the results obtained.