Farmers and meat producers around the world might still remember the moment of horror they experienced on December 11, 2018. That was the day that a major fast-food chain announced that in future they were only willing to process beef from suppliers who limited the use of antibiotics to a minimum. That measure was one of many steps the company has taken as a reaction to the bad publicity of the preceding years and changing consumer demand. In that context, the company is currently testing the prospects for success of plant-based burgers in Canada. In addition, since 2019, all European outlets have been only using chicken from birds that do not receive any antibiotics reserved for humans.
These measures have given a hugely important signal to the industry because they demonstrate that excessive use of antibiotics to accelerate growth is no longer a marginal issue. If they want to enjoy continued success, there is now also increased pressure on companies in the meat industry to use suitable replacements in animal feed.
n-Butyric Acid AF: Assisting Antibiotic-Free Animal Feed
Meat producers do not have to look far for an “assistant” for antibiotic-free animal feed. That is because it already exists, in the form of the carboxylic acid n-butyric acid AF. Animal feed manufacturers use its salts and esters, called butyrate and butyrin, in their products for feeding calves, pigs, poultry and aquacultures. Absorption of nutrients from animal feed, and thus growth of the animals, is supported by n-butyric acid AF.
OXEA is among the world’s biggest producers of animal-feed-grade (AF) n-butyric acid, which is not only good for the health of livestock, but also people. Why? In many countries, antibiotics are primarily used not to heal sick animals, but as a cost-effective growth promoter that ensures quick weight gain and prevents sickness among animals kept in close proximity to each other. However, the side effects of this “therapy,” which is now heavily regulated in the EU, are very dangerous – primarily for the global population. According to figures from the EU Commission, each year more than 700,000 people worldwide die of infections whose causes have now become resistant to certain antibiotics.
“Our n-butyric acid AF helps the animal feed industry develop sustainable solutions that allow farmers to reduce the use of antibiotics to a minimum without harming productivity,” explains Kyle Hendrix, Global Commercial Director for Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives at OXEA.