Earlier this year in February, AB Vista announced that it had acquired Progres®, a natural resin acids feed solution first developed by Finnish biosciences company, Hankkija, which is said to improve gut integrity and performance of production animals.
The company’s Managing Director, Juan Ignacio Fernández said the acquisition demonstrated AB Vista’s “commitment to growing our offer into the wider additives market” and that it “expands the support we can provide nutritionists, veterinarians and production managers, looking for strategies and production programmes that deliver improved gut health, nutritional optimisation, and food safety and security.”
In today’s Industry Perspectives, Mr Fernández and Global Technical and Marketing Director, Tiago Tedeschi dos Santos give Feedinfo a closer look at how the acquisition came about and expand on its strategic significance for the company. They also dig into the science powering Progres®’s impact on intestinal integrity in production animals and how it fits into and supports AB Vista’s “holistic” approach to animal nutrition.
[Feedinfo] Take us behind the scenes. How did the Progres® acquisition come about? What was the strategy behind it? How and when did this product first end up on AB Vista’s radar?
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Juan Ignacio Fernández |
[Juan Ignacio Fernández] Progres® is an exciting new addition to our product portfolio, and the acquisition is part of our wider strategic development at AB Vista. As you know, we have a strong reputation in the industry through our dedicated work with enzymes, live yeast and betaine. Several years ago, we decided to expand our offering and adopt a more “holistic” approach to animal nutrition, to further support our customers in addressing the challenges they are facing. As part of this strategy, we have focused on expanding our portfolio of feed intelligence solutions with products that support the gut health of animals, in terms of the impact on feed efficiency, performance, well-being and supporting more sustainable animal production. |
It was clear that Progres® – a unique, natural product that supports intestinal integrity – fitted well; not just with this strategy, but with our whole ethos of bringing pioneering products to the market, backed with proven application and scientific supporting information.
Progres® is backed by strong research and proven science – the backbone of all our work at AB Vista. It is already being sold in some of our key markets (mainly in Europe at present), with customers seeing impressive results.
[Feedinfo] What are the next steps following the acquisition announcement? What will be AB Vista’s main priorities over the following months? What are some of the logistics involved with purchasing a product that now need to be considered?
[Juan Ignacio Fernández] Our priority has been to ensure a smooth transition for Progres®’s existing customers. This has been possible thanks to our extensive support structure in several countries (such as Finland, Spain, the UK and the Netherlands) and a strong knowledge of the supply chain and delivery of products.
Our next step will be introducing Progres® to more of our key markets. In parallel, we are reviewing applications we would like to increase our focus on; Progres® delivers strong results in poultry, swine and young ruminants, but there are also excellent outcomes in other species, such as aqua. As part of this, we are working closely with Forchem, the product manufacturer, to assess further opportunities.
[Feedinfo] Let’s look at Progres® itself. Can you talk to us about the science behind its active compound – resin acids – and how this works to support intestinal integrity in production animals.
[Tiago Tedeschi dos Santos] Absolutely. What makes this product particularly exciting is the unique active ingredient within it: resin acids. These are natural compounds which form part of the protection mechanisms of coniferous trees. Tree resin has long been known for its wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties. These benefits can now be applied to farm animals and at a crucial time when the industry is looking for natural solutions to improve the sustainability of production processes and reduce medication usage in the food chain.
Progres® is the only product in the market making use of resin acids in animal feeding. Its efficacy is well supported by scientific studies, including 14 published scientific papers and 33 congress publications, as well as many field trials proving its benefits in multiple species.
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Initial studies demonstrated clear performance benefits of adding Progres® to feed, especially in challenged animals, through positively modifying intestinal microbiota and reducing the growth of Gram-positive pathogens. However, the full extent of its mechanism of action became clear in a 2019 research project in broilers with the University of Ghent, Belgium, led by professors Filip van Immerseel and Richard Ducatelle. The study demonstrated that resin acids reduce the inflammation-associated collagen breakdown (caused by the increased activity of specific matrix metalloproteinase enzymes) in the intestinal epithelium. Only minor effects on the intestinal microbiota were observed in the broilers. However, resin acids reduced collagen-degrading activity in the jejunum and ileum and lowered the density of inflammatory T-cells in the duodenum. |
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Significantly, the results demonstrated that the resin acids of Progres® can reduce the negative effects of a pro-inflammatory challenge to the small intestine, even in animals that are not under a pathogenic challenge. It improves intestinal integrity which has proven beneficial effects on the gut microbiome, allowing it to flourish.
[Feedinfo] Your website mentions that “Progres® should not be confused with plant extracts and other phytogenic feed materials”. Why is that?
[Tiago Tedeschi dos Santos] While Progres® originates from coniferous trees, it is a different category of product to phytogenic feed materials, due to its proven mode of action. The key difference is the known, researched and measured active compound – an important distinction. We can control the resin acids content in the production process of Progres®. Moreover, when it comes to the application in feeds, resin acids are non-volatile and stable during pelleting (i.e., they will remain in the produced compound feed in normal storage conditions). So, the way in which Progres® both works and is applied differentiates it from other plant-based products out there.
[Feedinfo] What can you share with us on its impacts on key performance indicators like growth rate and feed conversion in monogastrics and ruminants?
[Tiago Tedeschi dos Santos] As we touched upon earlier, numerous scientific studies and field trials with Progres® have demonstrated clear improvements in key performance indicators, mainly in monogastric animals. So, in poultry for example, we have observed a significant improvement in feed conversion ratio (FCR), which is a vital metric to assess flock productivity and profitability.
In addition, the proven benefits of Progres® in improving gut integrity can support our customers in their strategies to improve animal resilience, welfare and productivity, and contribute to more sustainable practices in animal nutrition.
[Feedinfo] You mentioned earlier Progres® studies showing “performance benefits” especially in challenged animals and also animals not under a pathogenic challenge. What is best practice here? Is this solution best applied as a preventative or therapeutic measure?
[Tiago Tedeschi dos Santos] Progres® reduces the damage caused by intestinal inflammation regardless of the specific cause of inflammation. Even in ideal production conditions there will still be stressors inducing intestinal inflammation: changes in diets (especially in young animals), pathogen pressures, environmental changes, transportation stress etc. This is where Progres® comes into play, helping to tackle the damage in the gut, thus ensuring efficient nutrient absorption and, consequently, improving animal performance.
While the product is not meant to replace veterinary treatments, it can offer a useful tool for customers looking for solutions to reduce reliance on medication, including antibiotics. Supplementing animals’ diets with Progres®, in combination with other actions, can help producers achieve more sustainable production strategies.
[Feedinfo] In preparation for this Industry Perspectives, it was mentioned that AB Vista plans to further develop the product. What exactly does this mean? What future developments are in the works?
[Juan Ignacio Fernández] Understanding the Progres® mechanism of action opens the door for further development. Potentially every animal with a gut could benefit from Progres®. Driven by our mission to deliver global feed intelligence locally, we will focus on specific challenges animal producers encounter in different regions and demonstrate how Progres® can help them address these obstacles.
AB Vista has a large portfolio of innovative products and services for the global animal nutrition industry, and this product is an exciting addition to our offering and complements very well what we already offer.
[Feedinfo] Earlier you mentioned plans to introduce Progres® into more of your key markets and other applications. Any progress on this front that you can discuss with us?
[Juan Ignacio Fernández] As mentioned, Progres® is already available in several regions and for multiple species, and we are looking at how to utilise our existing network and commercial relationships to expand its availability and application further. That way, we can bring its benefits to even more animals and producers worldwide, to further facilitate the transition to greater feed sustainability.
As part of our longer-term strategy, we are also looking to advance into other species beyond monogastric and ruminants, where we are successful today. Aqua is a key focus, and we already offer our phytase product, Quantum Blue, in certain markets. We have developed interesting data on the use of Progres® in aquaculture and we are excited to build on this further. We also see opportunities to combine Progres® with other products in our portfolio, to provide customers with tailored solutions according to their needs and situation. We look forward to sharing more on this in due course.
Published in association with AB Vista
