Avivagen (TSX-V:VIV) has provided results of four new trials of OxC-beta livestock as a feed additive for swine in the Philippines and Vietnam, and broiler poultry in the Philippines and Spain.
In a new trial with the National Institute of Animal Sciences for Vietnam, the use of OxC-beta significantly improved the major commercial parameters of average daily gain (ADG), final body weight (FBW), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and rates of diarrhea and mortality, compared with non-supplemented animals.
When measured against a widely-used antibiotic regimen, the ADG, FBW, FCR, diarrhea and mortality benefits achieved with OxC-beta were equivalent.
In addition, a prospective customer’s “starter-grower” trial in the Philippines also provided a positive outcome, with less morbidity and mortality in the animals fed OxC-beta, compared with unsupplemented swine and those provided other antibiotic-alternative feed supplements.
In Spain, the Institute of Agro-food Research and Technology of Catalonia conducted a trial in broiler poultry facing dietary and crowding stressors. In that trial all bird groups exceeded the targeted growth performance for the breed despite the presence of the stressors.
In the Philippines, UNAHCO, a leading producer of pig and poultry feeds, co-sponsored a trial in broiler poultry, comparing birds provided OxC-beta to those with unsupplemented diets and those provided antibiotics plus antiparasitics.
The trial indicated that the OxC-beta groups matched the level of performance of the antibiotic-plus-antiparasitic control arm, which the sponsors consider a positive and commercially-relevant result.
Based on these results and the results of previous trials, Avivagen intends to conduct further studies in swine and broiler poultry to optimize protocols, facilitate regulatory approvals, encourage commercial adoption and expand use in those species.
