Adisseo and Novozymes have entered into a partnership to develop and market probiotics for poultry
Probiotics are naturally-occurring live microbes added to feed to improve the gut flora of pigs, poultry and other animals. They improve animal growth, feed utilisation and have associated health benefits. They provide a natural alternative to antibiotic growth promoters.
According to the partnership agreement, Novozymes will be accountable for in-vitro screening, development and production, while Adisseo will manage in-vivo testing, marketing and sales.
The two companies are expected to launch the product within the next year.
Helle Warrer Poulsen, vice-president of animal health and nutrition at Novozymes, said, “The world needs new solutions to feed a growing global population in a sustainable way. We are developing a probiotic that can help farmers meet that need. We are excited to partner with Adisseo, who shares our vision of bringing innovation and science to the field of probiotics and offers great expertise and capabilities in feed additives. It is a promising new area for Novozymes where we can leverage our know-how in microbiology, fermentation and animal feed.”
For decades, antibiotics have been widely used in animal production to help livestock grow, but many countries are now banning non-medicinal use as part of strategies to tackle resistance to antibiotic treatments in humans, said Novozymes in a statement. Consumer-driven curbs on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters have further increased the demand for sustainable alternatives in animal farming, added the company.
“Innovation is part of Adisseo’s DNA and we are constantly investing, either organically or through strategic partnerships, in new solutions to help our customers optimise livestock performance while reducing environmental impact,” stated Jean-Marc Dublanc, CEO of Adisseo. “The decision to enlarge our specialty portfolio with probiotics was a natural one, as was the choice of Novozymes as our partner.”
The new product will be based on beneficial bacteria that promote weight gain and limit development of unwanted bacteria in the animal’s digestive tract. By using the product, farmers will better control gut health of their animals and achieve an improved feed conversion, which means less feed would be consumed to raise an animal. The product will be tailored for poultry, while the partners will explore future opportunities to expand into probiotics for both poultry and swine.
