An Extension Swine Specialist with Kansa State University encourages pork producers to be continuously evaluating and revaluating the effectiveness of feed additives.
Feed additives are any ingredient added to the diet meant' to improve animal health and growth that do not directly meet the nutritional needs of the animal including such things as probiotics, prebiotics, phytogenics and others.
Dr. Joel DeRouchey, an Extension Swine Specialist with Kansa State University, says there is a broad range of classifications of feed additives available and the level of producer confidence in these products will vary, especially in cases where the data is mixed.
Dr. Joel DeRouchey-Kansa State University:
It's very important from the standpoint, any time we put something in the diet it costs money and we have to determine if we're going to get a return or not.
Really the way to do that is you have to have confidence in the product.
Many companies have their internal data, they often times have their own research facilities which is a very good way to help generate information but also then it's getting third party verification in different environments in different circumstances.
Source : Farmscape