Elanco’s Hemicell HT is now available in the European Union for use in broilers, turkeys and pigs following approval by the European Commission at the end of 2018.
Hemicell HT is a feed enzyme targeting ß-mannans. ß – mannans are anti-nutritional fibres found in many vegetable feed ingredients, notably soybean1. ß-mannans have a negative health impact when ingested, causing unnecessary gut inflammation and activation of the innate immune system. Hemicell HT breaks down these ß-mannans in feed, preventing this unnecessary gut inflammation and results in improved Intestinal Integrity and nutrient utilisation of the animal.
The efficacy of the product has been confirmed by a recent triali involving 4,500 Ross 308 broilers fed with three different diets. One group was administered a Positive Control (PC) diet, with high levels of ß-mannans above the risk level of 3,500ppm. The second was fed with a Negative Control (NC) diet, with high levels of ß-mannans and a lower caloric intake, while the third group was given a similar diet to the NC, but supplemented with Hemicell HT. After two months, the results showed how the group supplemented with Hemicell HT performed better than control groups, suggesting that the product can lead to increased growth efficiency and lower production costs.
The heat tolerant product will be available to the swine and poultry industries in the UK in both dry and liquid product formulations and can be used in feed that will be pelleted. Studies on the stability of Hemicell HT and Hemicell HT-L have shown that in feed supplemented with the solid formulation, recovery values after 3 months in samples stored at 25°C was 100% in the mash and 94% for the pelleted samples.
Eilir Jones, Poultry Nutrition Limited, said: Hemicell is an enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of the ß-mannans present in soyabean products. These ß-mannans activate the innate immune system, thereby diverting energy away from muscle (meat) growth and egg production. Although the precise extent of the energy sparing effect of Hemicell depends on key factors particular to each individual situation, my customers have observed a range between 60 and 90 kcal/kg dietary energy sparing.
“The availability of Hemicell HT as a mainstream premix ingredient makes it possible to ensure that the performance, welfare and economic return of all poultry flocks can be optimised.”
