UAE : Olmix Group co-hosted the first Olmix Health & Nutrition Poultry Seminar with several partners in the United Arab Emirates. The event shed light on the hottest topics concerning the livestock sector and was particularly focused in poultry production.

Another milestone in the promotion of algae-based technologies at the service of plants, animals and humans was reached last week in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where Olmix Group hosted its first technical seminar in the Middle-East from 18-19 January.

130 attendees from the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Pakistan and India gathered together for a two-day journey that highlighted the diverse use and benefits of algal-resources and pointed out the high necessity to move towards better use of earth resources in animal nutrition and always more efficient animal production while reducing the use of antibiotics, where Olmix is precisely putting all the efforts in order to reach a full healthy food chain thanks to algae-based natural alternatives.

Poultry production and mycotoxin risk

After a short break, it was just a matter of time for the event to get into a more poultry-focused speech, and that came along with the presence of Dr Jayraman, Poultry Pathologist expert from India, on stage.
Although “a lot has improved” when it comes to poultry production, Dr Jayraman warned the audience that we still have a big challenge ahead of us if we want to produce in a more sustainable and respectful way for the sake of animals and humans.

“It can be said that the efficiency of poultry production has improved a lot during last decades but we still have a huge challenge to face. Sustainability, health and welfare for animals must be our priorities. Also, antibiotic resistance and its consequences for human health have to be taken seriously into account. Different natural alternatives to AGPs and antibiotics are now available including algae extracts with prebiotic, antimicrobial or immune modulation properties”, he explained.

Indeed, not only particularly in poultry, but in animal husbandry in general, producers and farmers are always seeking how to improve animal health, welfare and performance. That is why, among other factors, mycotoxin risk is always in the picture, and that is precisely what Ms María Ángeles Rodríguez, Olmix’s For Feed Manager, talked about through the last presentation of the seminar:

“As storage conditions have improved a lot, now the main mycotoxins originate from the field. So, fusariotoxins as DON, ZEA and FUMO are the most occurring toxins worldwide. In poultry, intestinal absorption of trichothecenes is low. However, they can still be dangerous as they can hurt before being absorbed! They are impairing cell membranes; especially they de-structure the intestinal wall, opening the door for other toxins and pathogens. As for fumonisins, they amplify the detrimental effects of trichothecenes as they inhibit the renewal of the intestinal cells. So, there is a really powerful detrimental synergy between DON and FUMO”, she said.

in order to improve the animal resistance to mycotoxins and get better status and results in the farm:

“Toxin binders must have the capacity to tackle a wide range of toxins with different structure, polarity, flexibility and size, among others. Together with toxin binders we can use algae extracts (Olmix MSP®) with immunomodulating properties, mucin secretion or lipid metabolism, to act in synergy to improve resistance of animals to mycotoxins”.