Danisco Animal Nutrition wins Innovation Award for Novel Phytase

Danisco Animal Nutrition, a business subsidiary of DuPont Industrial Biosciences, has won an award in the “innovative technology” category for its advanced, highly bio-efficacious phytase, Axtra^® PHY, at VIV Russia 2015. The award, which was judged by key members of local scientific committees such as ARSRIPPI, VNITIP, the Russian Academy of Sciences and the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute for Poultry Processing Industry, was presented during a ceremony to mark 50 years of the Russian Poultry Union and to celebrate all that is new in Russian poultry/meat technology.
The winning product, Axtra PHY, was introduced to the market in February 2013 in USA.  It is currently available in 16 countries and will be launched in another ten, other than Russia, this year. Further roll out in other EMEA and Asia Pacific countries is expected during 2016.
Standout features for the judges included:


• Exceptionally (and unprecedented) high and rapid activity in the bird’s upper digestive tract ensuring maximum phytate degradation with fast release of ‘extra-phosphoric’ nutrients (e.g. amino acids and energy), which saves money on feed costs and improves performance. The activity of Axtra PHY, a Buttiauxella phytase, at pH 4.0 is almost double that at pH 5.5, the level at which all commercial phytases have their activity standardized, and much higher than other phytases. Axtra^® PHY also improves sodium - and therefore also protein, glucose and nutrient - absorption from the gut, with positive effects on growth performance.
• Unique Thermo Protection Technology (TPT) that ensures the phytase remains active and retains optimum bio-efficacy at temperatures up to 95°C (203°F) during steam conditioning and subsequent pelleting of feed. This maximizes performance/bio-efficacy, not only saving money but also production headaches.
• Support through extensive and flexible evidence-based matrix values that enable customers to optimize dosing according to diet, species and animal age.
Johan Jansen-Storbacka, Regional Industry Leader, Danisco Animal Nutrition, EMEA, commented, “This award is the ‘icing on the cake’ of an already successful launch for Axtra PHY in Russia. We look forward to working with local poultry producers to deliver savings of an additional $~1.23 per metric tonne of feed over E.Coli phytases through extra nutrient availability and an extra $~1.36 per tonne of feed in terms of energy and costly amino acids.” (Savings based on 2014 feed costs)

USPOULTRY research program contributes to understanding phytase use

The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) research program is celebrating 50 years of accomplishments. During this time the research program has focused on the most important issues facing the poultry industry, according to the group.
Feed nutrient utilization and environmental management have always been high priority areas for the poultry industry, and the research program has provided significant resources toward funding research in those areas. For instance, a few years ago, the industry became focused on developing methods to improve the birds' utilization of phosphorous from the feed so that less phosphorous would be deposited in the litter. Since 1993, USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation have provided $498,000 in research funds to six institutions for 14 different research projects to study this topic. The projects have focused on the use of phytase to enhance the utilization of phosphorous by poultry and also studied the basic metabolism of phosphorous by birds. The results of these studies have provided the knowledge required for the effective use of phytase. Today, there is widespread use of phytase in the poultry industry.
"The USPOULTRY research program has provided the funds that have helped the poultry industry learn how to use phytase to enhance phosphorous utilization by the birds and minimize the amount of phosphorous deposited in the litter," said Dr. Tom Frost, director of nutrition and research, Wayne Farms. "This helps the industry feed birds more efficiently and also allows us to reduce our environmental impact."
During its 50 year history, the USPOULTRY research program has always focused on those topics that are critically important to the poultry industry, according to Dr. John Glisson, vice president of research, USPOULTRY. "Over the years, the emphasis has changed to mirror the changing needs of the industry," he said. "Environmental management and feed utilization are very important to the poultry industry, and the USPOULTRY research program has focused significant resources in those areas."

USPOULTRY research program contributes to understanding phytase use

The USPOULTRY research program is celebrating 50 years of accomplishments. During this time the research program has focused on the most important issues facing the poultry industry. Feed nutrient utilization and environmental management have always been high priority areas for the poultry industry, and the research program has provided significant resources toward funding research in those areas.
A few years ago, the industry became focused on developing methods to improve the birds' utilization of phosphorous from the feed so that less phosphorous would be deposited in the litter. Since 1993, USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation have provided $498,000 in research funds to six institutions for 14 different research projects to study this topic. The projects have focused on the use of phytase to enhance the utilization of phosphorous by poultry and also studied the basic metabolism of phosphorous by birds. The results of these studies have provided the knowledge required for the effective use of phytase. Today, there is widespread use of phytase in the poultry industry.
"The USPOULTRY research program has provided the funds that have helped the poultry industry learn how to use phytase to enhance phosphorous utilization by the birds and minimize the amount of phosphorous deposited in the litter. This helps the industry feed birds more efficiently and also allows us to reduce our environmental impact," said Dr. Tom Frost, director of nutrition and research, Wayne Farms.
"During its 50 year history, the USPOULTRY research program has always focused on those topics that are critically important to the poultry industry. Over the years, the emphasis has changed to mirror the changing needs of the industry. Environmental management and feed utilization are very important to the poultry industry, and the USPOULTRY research program has focused significant resources in those areas," commented Dr. John Glisson, vice president of research, USPOULTRY.

Optimizing use of phytase key topic at International Phytase Summit

Incomplete destruction of phytate is compromising the profitability and sustainability of the animal feed industry, according to information presented at the second International Phytase Summit held in December 2012.
Hosted in Rome by AB Vista, the University of Sydney, University of Maryland, Massey University and Schothorst Feed Research, the summit welcomed more than 70 delegates from 18 countries and nearly 50 universities, institutes and companies. Collectively these delegates account for around a third of all scientific papers published on phytase research in the past few years.
Under the summit's overarching theme of "optimizing the use of phytase," presentations and open discussions covered a wide range of topics including the formulation of animal feeds with phytase; the content and nutritional influence of phytate in animal feed; and the use of phytases to destroy phytate.
Many themes emerged, such as how to formulate diets according to animals' mineral requirements, dietary phytate contents and the effect of phytases. This led to a discussion about the differences between phytases and their varied abilities to degrade phytate and release minerals and nutrients. There was also extensive debate about the anti-nutritional effects of phytate and the use of "super doses" of specific phytases to make animal production more efficient by rapidly destroying phytate in the foregut. Finally, the summit explored the role phytate and phytase play in animal health and welfare, and on the sustainability and efficiency of animal production in general.
"A number of novel and exciting hypotheses were floated at [the summit], including that phytate may be an enemy in the intestines but desirable in the body," said Dr. Mike Bedford, research director at AB Vista. "It is clear that research into many new areas is warranted and that not all the benefits of phytase use have been unearthed and explained."

Quantum Blue tested in trials worldwide

One year since the launch of Quantum Blue, its performance benefits have been demonstrated in more than 20 university and commercial trials around the world.
AB Vista introduced Quantum Blue, an enhanced E. Coli phytase specifically developed to destroy phytate, while at the 2012 International Poultry Expo.
Known to be a potent anti-nutrient, phytate is currently costing the global poultry industry over $2 billion per year in lost performance. The concept of destroying phytate for improved performance has been proven with Quantum Blue Superdosing -- a Low Phytate Nutritional Program. A composite of 6 broiler Superdosing trials showed a four-point improvement in body weight corrected feed conversion, the equivalent of a $6-7 savings per ton of feed.
At the 2013 International Poultry Expo in January, attendees can learn more about Quantum Blue Superdosing at the AB Vista Booth. They can also learn about the second International Phytase Summit held December 2012 in Rome, where leading academics discussed the latest findings in the field of phytate and phytase research. Copies of the abstracts from the summit will be available at the AB Vista booth, stand 2239, Hall A of the Georgia World Congress Center.
Expo visitors will also have the chance to enter a prize draw at the AB Vista stand to win an iPad by signing up on www.phytate.info, a free online resource for the animal feed industry. 

Academics address how to deal with and destroy phytate

More than 70 of the world's leading academics in the fields of phosphorus, phytate and phytase nutrition took part in the Second International Phytase Summit, held Dec. 11-13 in Rome, Italy.

Presentations there covered whether phytate should be considered as the enemy, how to deal with phytate and how to destroy phytate, including an evolution of phytase "superdosing."
"There was an interesting blend of papers on a diverse but inter-related series of topics, from plant breeding through human nutrition to formulating animal feeds with phytase," said Dr. Hadden Graham, AB Vista's technical director. "The major focus of the summit was on the anti-nutritional effects of phytate, and the subsequent benefits in animal performance of destroying phytate through the use of highly effective phytases."
The original summit took place in Washington, D.C., in 2010.
"[The second International Phytase Summit] was a great success," said Dr. Nathan Cowieson, a delegate to the summit. "It's important for academic researchers, like myself, to understand the priorities of the industry and the event was a great way to achieve this."
The summit was jointly hosted by Schothorst Feed Research; Massey University, New Zealand; University of Maryland; University of Sydney, Australia, and AB Vista. 

Danisco research highlights benefit of E. coli phytase in animal nutrition

Danisco Animal Nutrition announced new research in understanding the antinutrient effect of phytate in animal nutrition, which can reduce feed costs for pig and poultry producers. The research from Danisco is published in the Analytical Biochemistry journal.
Danisco says phytate acts as an antinutrient in the diet by binding to dietary protein-forming phytate-protein complexes and trapping nutrients. Phytases derived from E. coli were found to be significantly better at breaking down these phytate-protein complexes than fungal phytases, according to Danisco's research. Of all the phytase tested as part of the research, Danisco says its Phyzyme XP showed the greatest efficacy and the more it was included, the faster the breakdown occurred, resulting in greater energy and amino acid release. 
“Phytate-protein complexes occur naturally in the upper digestive tract of animals," said Peter Plumstead, of Danisco Animal Nutrition. "The investigation confirmed that under pH and temperature conditions close to those found in the upper part of the animal’s digestive tract, E. coliphytases showed higher activity in breaking down phytate-protein complexes.”

First International Phytase Summit covered efficiency, future trends

Research workers in the field of phytase met at the first International Phytase Summit in Washington D.C. during late September. The event was hosted jointly by Massey University, New Zealand; the University of Sidney, Australia; and the University of Maryland. AB Vista was the commercial co-sponsor.
Topics considered included nutrient digestibility, analysis of phytate, evaluation of phytase efficiency and future trends in the application of phytase in animal nutrition.
“The first IPS has pulled together a group of leading scientist and other experts from around the world to discuss issues related to the application of phytase as an aid to improving efficiency in the use of phosphorus in animal nutrition,” said professor Colin Whitehead, vice president of the World Poultry Science Association.
“The introduction of phytase to the animal nutrition industry is one the success stories of the last two decades,” added Richard Cooper, managing director at AB Vista.
With an estimated market value in excess of $350 million, phytase enzymes are used in 60% of all monogastric feeds generating a benefit to the animal feed industry worth $2 billion globally.
Further information can be obtained from Laura Nye.