AB Vista Taking Holistic and Customer-Specific Approach to Gut Health - INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES

AB Vista is traditionally recognised for its enzyme products, and to some extent its live yeast and betaine offering. However, Vistacell (live yeast product of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae variety) has been available for a while in the market, but Signis (a stimbiotic delivered at low concentrations to signal and accelerate the fermentation of fibre already in the gut) was launched in 2019, and Progres® (a natural resin acids product that improves gut integrity) was only just integrated into the AB Vista portfolio earlier this year after acquiring the product from Finnish biosciences company Hankkija.

The strategic moves to further diversify AB Vista’s portfolio are in line with the company’s focus on proving a more holistic range of solutions to the gut health challenge, which differs depending on the region.

[Alexandre Barbosa de Brito] Different products in our portfolio deliver multiple benefits in their dedicated areas. So, Signis raises fibre fermentation in the lower gut to the maximum level, which beneficially modulates the intestinal microbiome and improves animal performance – at a low cost. Vistacell, our probiotic based on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, can among other advantages, decrease the rate of oxygenation in the intestine helping to optimise the environment for the fibre-fermenting bacteria community. Together, Signis and Vistacell have a synergistic effect. Progres®, our acid resin-based feed additive, supports intestinal integrity which helps the intestinal tract return to its ideal functions as quickly as possible – ensuring optimal nutrient absorption and preventing energy loss on inflammatory response. However, it’s not about picking one or two products from the portfolio – it’s about defining the optimal strategy together with the customer. And here our service offering plays an essential role, from the NIR service to gut health analyses, providing the crucial data to identify different paths to achieving customer goals.

[Feedinfo] Competition in the crowded gut health space is fierce and there are many technologies on offer. What differentiates AB Vista in the market? 

[Dieter Suida] Our many years of work with enzymes, live yeast and betaine has brought us deep insights into the challenges and needs of animal producers globally. We have been continually shaping our strategy based on this knowledge and expertise. Recognising the need for complete solutions rather than just products brought us to developing the “Feed Intelligence” concept. We adapted a holistic approach in our offering, and along with pioneering products we started developing our services, deepened our expertise in fibre digestion and gut health, and with this acquired new products. Our focus on customers’ needs is at the core of what we do – and that’s what makes a difference. Improving gut health is one of the best ways to help customers achieve their goals in today's dynamic market conditions. As part of our feed intelligence approach, we recognise the significance of regional differences within global trends. For instance, antibiotic usage varies widely, from routine incorporation of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) to deliberate efforts to reduce reliance on medication. As a global company we shape our offerings according to the needs of different markets and customer requirements. We are diligently monitoring market trends to gain insights into future needs, ensuring our readiness to provide solutions as they emerge.

[Feedinfo] Looking at regions now… in countries where antibiotic restrictions have been introduced, the use of gut health products has become imperative? And, in your experience, where are you seeing an uptick in the use of gut health products? 

Today, across different regions we see a consensus that there will not be a single product or solution for a total replacement of AGPs. Producers also understand that whichever path they choose will require an investment. The quest therefore is to understand the investment level for each of these solutions in particular production conditions and eventually the impact of those solutions on overall financial performance. That is how we see our feed intelligence concept: aligning solutions, services and expertise as a customised package for each customer.

[Feedinfo] The strategies will obviously vary a lot depending on customer goals. Are there any patterns in your customers’ attitudes towards gut health solutions used to respond to increasing regulatory pressure and consumer demand for more sustainable food production? 

[Alexandre Barbosa de Brito] In Latin America, we observe two main customer groups looking for gut health solutions. The first group are the customers working in more demanding markets – such as in Chile and Brazil for the poultry and swine industry, and Argentina and Uruguay for ruminants. The other group includes well-established domestic market players interested in entering niche segments of antibiotic-free foods or exploring potential benefits to improve gut health and performance independently of the use of antibiotics. Both groups are concerned about maintaining the sustainability of their businesses and using natural feed additives to sell their products in the target markets, while aiming for the highest possible financial performance.

[Jyrki Lehtonen] I would just add that European animal production along with other global markets is under severe pressure from different stakeholders. There has already been a clear shift in the industry to be more in line with the society it is operating in. As a part of this process, we’ve seen increasing investment in reducing medications, improving the living conditions of animals and managing the product portfolio according to customer preferences. Reducing antibiotic usage in animals is one of the key actions needed to maintain customers’ trust on animal production. When antibiotics are out of the toolbox, producers are looking for innovative alternatives. This is what will separate companies going forward; those that fail to keep up with this shift risk falling behind. Gut health solutions are an integral part of this transition, serving the purpose of managing animals in a more responsible way.

[Feedinfo] Can you mention some success cases with reducing reliance on medications? 

[Alexandre Barbosa de Brito] We have some customers who have decided to reduce or even eliminate the use of AGP with a stimbiotic additive capable of increasing fibre fermentation and maintaining the animal's performance. Our stimbiotic, Signis, provides benefits similar to other feed additives modulating the gut microbiome, but Signis achieves this at a significantly lower feed cost. These projects are becoming more common in Latin America, especially in countries with restrictions on AGPs.

Products like Progres® have been seen in commercial conditions to be helpful in aiming for safer consumer products. Integrating this Progres® science and field experience into AB Vista’s global expertise gives us deeper insights into different application opportunities of Progres® and synergies within the AB Vista portfolio.

[Feedinfo] Do producers who use antibiotics also use feed additives to support gut health (probiotics, prebiotics, stimbiotics, anti-inflammatory solutions)? 

[Alexandre Barbosa de Brito] This practice is common during the first phase of implementation of AGP replacement strategies, as the producer begins studying the impact of different feeding solutions. However, in the second phase, after establishing a culture of antibiotic-free production, antibiotics are usually completely withdrawn.

[Feedinfo] You keep mentioning the services as a part of AB Vista’s approach. Can you give some success examples? 

[Alexandre Barbosa de Brito] Transforming dietary fibre into a tool to enhance prebiosis is a global success. We’ve evolved in this concept since the launch of the stimbiotic at the International Fiber Summit in Barcelona in 2019. Today, we offer feed additives to take greater advantage of dietary fibre. This is supported by services that determine the standard of intestinal fermentation using molecular biology techniques and, in addition, NIR analysis to define the types of dietary fibre in the feed ingredient. This concept has been gaining great traction and AB Vista is proud to play a key role in the development of fibre analysis and how to best use fibre in nutrition. We use this information to transform the fibres into prebiotics of beneficial bacteria. This link between services more aligned with animal nutrition with others more associated with livestock production also shows the way the industry is moving forward – where barriers between different areas of animal husbandry like nutrition, animal health and animal production are reducing every day. We are getting into a new reality where nutritionists, veterinarians and production managers should work together to achieve the common goal to produce animals safely and responsibly. 

[Feedinfo] What’s next in the AB Vista gut health portfolio pipeline? 

[Dieter Suida] We are expanding our offerings around gut health, not only by introducing new products but also by recognising the increasing demand for expertise in this field. The development of Signis helped us to understand this category better and we continue to bring new solutions that address the needs of our customers. Our latest acquisitions involved bringing in experts who have been dealing with gut health related products and services for years. Expertise is the most valuable additive, indeed. Today our efforts involve the consolidation of our existing services, such as NIR and Emissions Reporting. Additionally, we are in the process of developing innovative tools for assessing the gut health of animals under real production conditions. While there are plenty of research approaches and scientific findings related to gut health, our focus lies in using this information as a tool for data-driven decision-making. We aim to bridge the gap between various approaches in improving gut health and the diverse goals of animal producers in different regions and production systems. We believe that our commitment towards ‘global feed intelligence delivered locally’ makes AB Vista well-equipped in providing the best solutions for the task.

Published in association with AB Vista