Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health, part of IFF, is bringing its novel phytase solution, Axtra® PHY GOLD to the EU following a positive EFSA opinion late last year. This marks almost three years since the product – which the company describes as a highly bio-efficacious phytase enzyme – first hit shelves in the US, LATAM, Middle East, Africa and India.
In this Industry Perspectives, we are joined by Jose Luis Ecija Roux, the company’s Marketing Director for EMEA and Bart Hillen, Technical Director for EMEA to dig into the company’s strategy for the European launch of Axtra® PHY GOLD and some of the lessons learned from previous launches that it is applying this time around. We also explore the specific challenges in the EU market the company will aim to help its customers tackle, as well as how the market for phytases in the EU may evolve in the coming years.
[Feedinfo] Axtra® PHY GOLD was first launched in the US, LATAM and India in 2020. How has the solution performed in the almost three years it’s been available in those markets? Is it meeting initial performance predictions?
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Bart Hillen |
[Bart Hillen] Axtra® PHY GOLD has performed exceptionally well and continues to exceed our expectations in terms of adoption by the market. We believe two key factors are driving this interest. Firstly, our ground-breaking research showing that total replacement of inorganic phosphate is possible with Axtra® PHY GOLD. Indeed, we’re already working with some customers starting to take this approach with their nutritional feed strategies. And secondly, the fact that our matrix generation is the first to apply limestone solubility impact along with phytate level and growing phase. |
[Feedinfo] You received a positive opinion for Axtra® PHY GOLD in November 2022. How long did it take to receive that opinion, and what were some of the key challenges you faced during the process?
[Jose Luis Ecija Roux] As you would expect, we followed the regulatory guidelines set out by the EU and submitted multi-species trial data to demonstrate the efficacy of Axtra® PHY GOLD. Our dedicated regulatory team facilitated a smooth dossier submission and we’re extremely proud of their efforts. It took around two years from the submission of the dossier to EFSA until we received the positive opinion from them in November 2022. This is the first step in the authorisation. In May 2023, Axtra® PHY GOLD was authorised for in-feed use for poultry and swine.
[Feedinfo] Can you talk to us a bit about what has been happening internally in the months since approval? How did you ensure adequate supply for launch?
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Jose Luis Ecija Roux |
[Jose Luis Ecija Roux] We worked closely with our supply organisation and distributors to ensure every detail was ready for the launch. This included training our sales force and distribution network, as well as presenting the particulars of Axtra® PHY GOLD at dedicated customer events across the different EU markets. We have continued to invest in further research and will present new data around inorganic phosphate-free diets, soy-free diets, and other key areas at several industry events this year, including the 23rd European Symposium on Poultry Nutrition and the Poultry Science Association’s 2023 annual meeting. |
[Feedinfo] Also, can you talk us through some of the lessons learned in your US, MEA and Asia Pacific launches that you are now incorporating into the European rollout of Axtra® PHY GOLD?
[Bart Hillen] Since launching in those markets, we have built on our earlier research into inorganic phosphate-free diets and generated further matrix values to better serve the needs of our customers. Instead of fixed-dose recommendations, we provide optimal-dose recommendations based on actual feed formulations that maximise performance and economic impact every time. This required scientifically robust data, method transparency and the flexibility to adapt to different formulation approaches.
For Axtra® PHY GOLD matrices, this involved carrying out many animal studies covering globally representative diets, breeds, and wide ranges of phytate level and limestone solubility. With this data, we are now able to provide tailor-made matrix values which enable wider application and give our customers full confidence in the efficacy of this feed solution. Using Axtra® PHY GOLD continues to lower the cost of feed as our matrices are well proven and confirmed to generate additional savings for meat producers.
[Feedinfo] How can Axtra® PHY GOLD support challenges faced by customers within the EU?
[Bart Hillen] As the industry shifts towards more sustainable nutritional strategies, Axtra® PHY GOLD can help by making the total replacement of inorganic phosphate a viable possibility. It does this by increasing the digestibility of feed ingredients, which reduces undigested phosphorus and protein in excreta, thereby reducing phosphorus and nitrogen output.
Our studies also show that Axtra® PHY GOLD can successfully replace inorganic phosphorus supplementation from day one in all-vegetable diets while maintaining bone mineralisation for broilers, turkeys, piglets, and fattening pigs - if there is sufficient phytate in the diet. This is a particularly important finding because it directly addresses longstanding concerns that inorganic phosphate-free diets could potentially result in lameness and welfare issues.
We’re also exploring whether it’s possible to reduce phytate and ensure there is still sufficient levels in the diet for the animals’ requirements. Our initial findings show that performance can be maintained, adding further evidence to support the use of Axtra® PHY GOLD in more sustainable and efficient production systems.
[Feedinfo] What kind of support or resources are available to animal producers who want to incorporate this product into their feeding programmes?
[Bart Hillen] Every year we run a large number of animal studies to enhance our understanding of how our products perform across diets and conditions, with the resulting data being used to continually improve the precision of our application guidelines.
For Axtra® PHY GOLD, our focus is on improving phytase applications and collaboration is a key part of this journey. Our team of technical experts works closely with our customers to provide tailor-made recommendations according to their operational objectives, diet compositions, species, animal age, and so, is an equally important part of our support service.
Our customers benefit from more sophisticated matrix values that not only relate to phosphorus, but amino acids, energy and calcium too.
Our redesigned Optimize FeedTM online tool enables our customers to quickly check different approaches and adapt their feed formulations accordingly.
We recently collaborated with Single Spark on their free ‘Feed Calculator’ app, to give small farmers and feed mills in in emerging markets the opportunity to incorporate enzymes into their diets for greater flexibility in their feed formulations.
[Feedinfo] How do you anticipate the market for phytase enzymes in the EU will evolve in the coming years?
[Jose Luis Ecija Roux] The market is still growing and high performing phytases are opening up opportunities that were not available before, particularly in terms of sustainability initiatives. Environmental concerns around land use and change, as well as high CO2 emissions linked to the long-distance transport of soybean meal, will continue to drive the industry towards sustainable alternative feed ingredients. We are therefore investing in robust research to address the limitations of current options, such as low digestibility, and develop effective feed strategies that help our customers realise this ambition. Axtra® PHY GOLD has a key role to play in reducing nitrogen and phosphorus emissions, but we also expect to see growing interest in the use of enzyme combinations in soy-free diets.
Published in association with Danisco Animal Nutrition & Health (IFF)
