Livestock Feeds

What is the difference between a feed supplement and a feed additive? What needs to be certified organic?

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By Jarod Rhoades

When reviewing livestock feed ingredients, it is important to first determine the intended function in livestock feed products. The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) regulations differentiate &#;feed supplements&#; from &#;feed additives&#; to determine the allowance of synthetic materials, so the first step in reviewing a feed ingredient is to discern the correct designation.  

 The NOP defines a feed supplement as &#;a combination of feed nutrients added to livestock feed to improve the nutrient balance or performance of the total ration and intended to be 1) diluted with other feeds when fed to livestock; 2) offered free choice with other parts of the ration if separately available; or 3) further diluted and mixed to produce a complete feed.&#; Feed supplements include such ingredients as routinely fed probiotics and digestion aids that are incorporated into the larger total feed ration. Plant-based meals may be incorporated into a feed supplement product, but OMRI typically only sees them used as carriers or diluents, as OMRI does not review complete feed rations for organically produced livestock. 

A feed additive is defined as &#;a substance added to feed in micro quantities to fulfill a specific nutritional need; i.e., essential nutrients in the form of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.&#; While synthetic materials are not currently allowed for use in feed supplements, §205.603(d) of the NOP regulations does allow for certain synthetic amino acids, vitamins and minerals that are FDA approved to be used in feed additives. In general, a restriction limits the use of these synthetics to an amount sufficient to meet adequate nutrition and health maintenance needs. Feed additives include a wide array of substances, from limestone calcium sources to a sizeable group of synthetically derived vitamin complexes.

Regardless of whether the feed ingredient is classified as an additive or a supplement, all agricultural materials &#;included in the ingredients list&#; for livestock feed must be produced and handled organically (according to §205.237(a)). The ingredient list refers to the product&#;s label, or, in the absence of a label, the ingredients declared to OMRI. All raw or processed plant-derived or livestock-derived substances must be certified organic if they appear on the ingredient list for a feed additive or supplement. This requirement applies to a substantial list of ingredients, including such variable substances as plant meals, seaweeds, nonsynthetic compound sugars, plant oils, molasses and vinegar, among countless others. More details about the review of feed additives and supplements are provided in NOP Guidance .    

This article was originally published in the winter edition of the OMRI Materials Review newsletter, and was reviewed and updated in February by Technical Director Doug Currier.

Radha Bai, Department of Animal Nutrition, LUVAS, Hisar
Shabnam, Department of Animal Nutrition, LUVAS, Hisar
Komal, Department of livestock Production and Management, LUVAS, Hisar

The objective of feed formulation is to derive a balanced diet that will provide appropriate quantities of biologically available nutrients required by the bird. In addition to energy and protein, formulations contain supplements to provide minerals, vitamins and specific amino acids. These supplements must be added to all diets as they provide essential nutrients necessary for health and performance. Modern feed formulations also contain a diverse range of non-nutritive additives, which may not be essential but have an important bearing on performance and health. Feed supplements and additives are used in only small quantities, and it is particularly important that they are mixed carefully with the main ingredients so that they are evenly distributed.

Nutritional supplements used in poultry feed formulations:

Mineral supplements:

Only part of bird&#;s mineral requirements is provided by the natural feedstuffs in their diets. Mineral supplements must therefore be included in feed formulations.

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Major minerals: Poultry require relatively large amounts of some minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus and sodium. Calcium and phosphorus are needed for normal growth and skeletal development, and poultry have unusually high requirements for calcium during the period of egg production, for the formation of strong egg shells. The calcium supplements commonly used in poultry feeding are limestone, crushed sea shells or sea-shell flour. Limestone powder can be included at no more than 3 percent, because higher levels will lower feed intake. It is therefore necessary to provide the extra calcium needed by high-producing layers as shell grit or limestone grit.

To meet the phosphorus needs of poultry, formulations must be supplemented with inorganic phosphorus sources. The inorganic phosphates used in poultry diets are dicalcium phosphate, bone meal, rock phosphate, defluorinated phosphate and tricalcium phosphate, all of which supply both calcium and phosphorus.

A recent development in phosphorus nutrition has been the availability of commercial phytase enzymes, which assist the bird&#;s digestion and utilization of the phosphorus bound in phytic acid. This enzyme improves the availability of phosphorus from plant materials and reduces the need for inorganic phosphates in feed formulations. This enzyme is a non-nutritive additive.

Common salt is included in all diets as a source of sodium and an appetite stimulant. Salt is added in poultry diets at levels of 0.2 to 0.4 percent. Excessive salt increases water consumption and leads to wet excreta. The use of salt can be lowered or even omitted if more than 5 percent fishmeal is used in the diet.

Trace minerals:

These elements are required in the diet at concentrations in trace amounts, usually about 0.01 percent. Trace minerals (zinc, copper, iron, manganese, cobalt, selenium) are therefore usually added in the form of propriety premixes.

Vitamin supplements: All vitamins, except vitamin C, must be provided in the diet. Vitamins are required in only small amounts, and are usually provided as vitamin premixes. Although vitamin premixes represent only 0.05 percent of the diet, they can have a large effect on bird performance.

Crystalline amino acids:

Pure forms of individual amino acids are now commercially available. Currently the limiting amino acids in poultry diets &#; methionine, lysine, threonine and tryptophan included in poultry diets to balance dietary amino acid levels. Amino acid supplements now play a very important role in improving protein utilization in animal feeding.

Non-nutritive additives used in poultry feed formulations:

So, these feed additives play a crucial role in poultry diet in terms of by improving the health and productivity of animals, enhancing the quality, palatability, digestibility and utilisation of feed, improve the growth efficiency and decrease disease chances and hence improve overall performance of birds.

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