Adressing livestock issues with Nor-Feed alternative solutions

Imbalance of the microbiota, red mite infestation, coccidiosis, oxidative stress … are among the major issues in animal nutrition. This section deals with it:

• Coccidiosis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites, mainly of the genus Eimeria, in the small and large intestines. Its economic impact on the poultry sector is major, estimated at $ 3 billion loss per year worldwide.

• The intestinal microbiota is the group of microorganisms (70 to 80% of which are bacteria) living in the gastrointestinal tract. Today, it is considered as an organ in its own right and numerous research studies show that a balanced microbiota is essential for the proper functioning of the animal’s organism, particularly in terms of growth, digestion and immunity parameters.

• Red mites (Dermanyssus gallinae) is a very common parasite in laying hens: 83% of average prevalence in Europe (George et al., 2015). Red mites has serious consequences on zootechnical performances, well-being of the animals and that of the operators. They are also responsible for the decommissioning of the stained eggs.

• Oxidative stress is caused by stressful situations of physiological origin (pathologies), environmental (breeding conditions) or nutritional stress. Rupture of the oxidative balance can have irreversible consequences on the performance and health of farm animals.