LEAF IT TO PLANTS!!!

As the global demand for sustainable and natural agricultural practices intensifies, the use of plants in animal nutrition is emerging as a promising solution to reduce reliance on synthetic additives.

Plants serve numerous purposes in animal nutrition. The polyphenols and their role as antioxidants is already well known. Grape seed extract and trans-anethole reduce oxidative stress and enhance antioxidant capacity, supporting overall health. To modulate the immune system, Astragalus roots stimulates immune function and resilience, while Echinacea boosts the immune response against pathogens.

Gut health can also be significantly improved through garlic, which balances gut microbiota, and oregano, which provides antimicrobial properties to enhance gut integrity.

In aquaculture, plants provide specific benefits, such as spirulina, which enhances pigmentation and immune function, and kelp, which supplies essential minerals and polysaccharides for stress resilience and growth.

But in this month nutricle, I would like to have a specific approach on the plants recommended for promoting feed intake and growth performance.

For Piglets, Broilers, and Fish

 1 - Fenugreek stimulates appetite through bioactive compounds like saponins and alkaloids, enhancing feed palatability and promoting digestive enzyme secretion.

 2 - Curcuma acts as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, promoting better feed utilization and growth.

 3 - Ginger improves gut health and enhances enzymatic activity, boosting growth rates.

For Sows and Layers

 1 - Fenugreek stimulates appetite and supports lactation by promoting milk yield and improving nutrient availability, making it particularly valuable for enhancing sow productivity.

 2 - Maca enhances reproductive performance and hormonal balance, improving recovery post-farrowing and supporting egg production in layers.

 3 - Ginseng strengthens metabolic energy and immunity, contributing to productivity and resilience.

For Shrimps

 1 - Curcuma acts as an antimicrobial and antioxidant, reducing disease incidence and improving feed efficiency.

 2 - Fenugreek, due to its high saponin content, helps reduce toxic ammonia levels while enhancing appetite and digestive efficiency.

 3 - Similarly, Yucca, also rich in saponins, improves water quality by reducing toxic ammonia, supporting better growth.

As illustrated above, Fenugreek plays a pivotal role in animal nutrition, particularly in improving feed intake and optimizing hormonal balance. Its active compounds, including saponins and diosgenin, drive these effects.

Feed Intake and Growth Performance

Saponins, abundant in fenugreek, play a significant role in improving feed intake and growth performance across species. Their amphiphilic structure interacts with taste receptors, particularly those responsive to bitter and umami flavors, making feed more palatable. This leads to increased feed intake in species like piglets, broilers, and fish, which are particularly sensitive to feed taste and texture. Additionally, diosgenin enhances energy metabolism by stimulating insulin secretion and improving glucose utilization, ensuring nutrients are effectively converted into energy for growth. This metabolic optimization directly supports better feed conversion ratios and promotes weight gain, especially in fast-growing species like broilers and aquaculture fish.

Ammonia Reduction

Saponins contribute significantly to reducing ammonia levels in the digestive system. They bind to nitrogenous compounds during digestion, preventing their conversion into ammonia by gut bacteria. This mechanism protects the gut environment, enhances nutrient absorption, and lowers ammonia emissions into animal housing systems. The reduction of ammonia is particularly beneficial for species like pigs, where it improves gut health, and shrimp, where lower ammonia levels in water enhance growth rates and survival.

Estrogen Precursors and Reproductive Benefits

Diosgenin, a steroidal sapogenin found in fenugreek, acts as a precursor for estrogen and other steroid hormones, leading to distinct reproductive benefits for sows and layers:

1. For Sows:

   • Diosgenin enhances lactation by promoting estrogenic activity, which is critical for mammary gland development and milk synthesis.

   • Improved milk yield ensures that piglets receive adequate nutrition during their early growth stages, enhancing their survival and growth rates.

2. For Layers:

   • In layers, diosgenin’s estrogenic effects support ovulation and reproductive health, optimizing egg production.

   • Estrogen also contributes to the development of the oviduct and calcium mobilization for eggshell formation, ensuring consistent egg quality and production over extended periods.

Fenugreek emerges as the most versatile plant additive for promoting feed intake and growth performance, appearing across multiple species with a wide range of applications. Its ability to stimulate appetite, enhance digestive efficiency, and support reproductive health makes it invaluable for piglets, broilers, fish, sows, layers, and shrimp alike.Numerous in-vitro studies have confirmed the mechanisms of action of fenugreek, such as its role in modulating taste receptors and hormone precursors. Furthermore, empirical research in real-world conditions consistently demonstrates its positive effects on feed intake, growth performance, and reproductive success.By leveraging the diverse benefits of plants, the livestock and aquaculture industries can move towards more sustainable and efficient production systems, meeting consumer demand for natural and eco-friendly and more marketable solutions.