Improved intestinal integrity with GBM butyrate solutions

Experts discuss animal health portfolio

To meet a growing demand for health solutions in the animal feed industry, Eastman has entered into a global commercial partnership with Sanluc, a functional feed additive supplier and pioneer in developing calcium butyrate-based products. The partnership covers its gut health portfolio and reflects Eastman’s commitment to offer specialty solutions to the animal nutrition industry.

Combining Sanluc’s products with Eastman's organic acid-based feed additive solutions, the partnership creates an extended Eastman portfolio that will help feed and feed raw material producers reach performance targets in preservation, hygiene, and animal health.

The benefits to customers are explained in the following conversation with three Eastman experts: Sabien Vermaut and Elke von Heimendahl, application development and technical services managers, and Kyosti Rikkola, market development manager.

How does the Sanluc partnership enhance Eastman’s animal nutrition portfolio?

Kyosti Rikkola: Eastman continues to invest in innovation and application development capabilities in the Animal Nutrition business. Cooperating with Sanluc is one of the first steps we’ve taken to complement our current organic acid portfolio, which is already the broadest in the industry. Sanluc calcium butyrate-based products are the perfect complement to our organic, acid-blend portfolio. The partnership enables us to offer our customers more specialty solutions than ever before.

Sabien Vermaut: The Sanluc calcium butyrate products are fat coated and slow releasing. Therefore, they bypass the crop and stomach and release in the intestines, which is different from our former portfolio.

What are the strengths of the Sanluc products?

Elke von Heimendahl: The high active ingredient content combined with the unique shell coating is a real differentiator which enables a gradual release of the acid. The GBM Enhanced, for example, uses synergies between active ingredients, resulting in cross-feeding of favorable microbiota. In addition, product handling is more convenient because the coating reduces dust and odor.

Vermaut: Sanluc also makes nice, homogeneous products. Sanluc was established in 1998 and was a pioneer in calcium butyrate-based products. The company has the most experience and has proven itself over many years. They are the best in class at what they do.

What role do these products play in antibiotic-free production?

Vermaut: A healthy gut is key to maintaining overall swine and poultry health and performance. Butyric acid-based feed additives optimize the microbial intestinal balance, reduce the risk for cell and oxidative stress, and improve gut integrity—similar to the hypothesized mode of action of some antibiotic growth promoters (AGP). Due to less inflammation, there is less energy cost for the immune system and more for performance.

von Heimendahl: GBM products are part of the solution for AGP-free and zinc oxide-free production but can never be the only solution. That’s why we work with customers to come up with holistic solutions to meet their needs.

How can the use of these products improve sustainability in the feed chain from field to fork?

Vermaut: The animal nutrition industry is placing great emphasis on sustainable food production development. GBM products can really help. They support animal well-being and health by controlling the wet litter and foot pad quality in poultry. They also result in less diarrhea in piglets and more robust and vital piglets. They improve lifetime performance for sows, which means less turnover of reproductive animals. The same with laying hens.

von Heimendahl: GBM products result in better nutrient utilization, which means less feed is needed for the animals and less protein is excreted by the animals in the environment.

What are the benefits of Eastman’s extended portfolio for customers?

von Heimendahl: With a more complete portfolio, we’re able to find specific solutions for the challenges we see in the market. We can provide concepts, do trials, and find synergies with other products. We don’t just offer products but provide extended solutions.

Rikkola: Eastman also has a growing and dedicated team in animal nutrition. We have wide know-how of organic acids and technology. And our product development work can use technology from other business areas at Eastman. Customers can expect a growing number of global proof points through Eastman's application development expertise.

What type of individual support can Eastman’s technical teams provide?

Rikkola: We always approach our customers first to understand their challenges and needs. Only then will we offer solutions. In this way, we ensure that we solve our customers' problems.

von Heimendahl: We have broad teams with extended backgrounds, training, and education. Our experience involves working at feed mills and in feed additive companies related to various additives across species and different markets. We can do extensive cooperative trialing with our customers and suggest parameters to prove their concepts.

Vermaut: The mode of action of products impacting gut health parameters is very complicated. Our team can explain it in a clear, simple way. We also work closely with our customers for the final validation of the products’ beneficial activity, which is always in their own trials, with their own animals, and under their own unique conditions.