Background

Young animals are most vulnerable to diseases, and antimicrobials are widely used in livestock production to maintain health and productivity. Due to the potential rise of antimicrobial resistance, there are increasing limitations on agricultural use of antibiotics in the EU, Canada and the USA.

Essential oils are an attractive alternative to antibiotics; these plant-derived natural compounds have positive effects on animal growth and health. The present invention addresses the chief challenge of using essential oils, which is to stabilize the compounds and prevent absorption in the stomach before reaching the mid-gut.

Technology Overview

Essential oils such as thymol and lauric acid are an effective alternative to antibiotic food supplements. This technology provides an effective and cost-effective delivery.

The present technology is a nano-particle formulation of lipopolysaccharides and fatty acids. This is a less costly and more efficacious way of protecting and delivering the beneficial oils as compared to micro-encapsulation.

Stage of Development

Results show the timed release of essential oils in salivary fluid, gastric fluid and intestinal fluid.

Benefits

• Less expensive compared to existing technologies
• All ingredients used are already approved for using in animal feeds

Applications

Pig Nutrition and Disease Prevention