During this decade Canine breeders, handlers, veterinarians and nutritionists will gain more exposure to NGP’s (Natural Growth Promoters). In this bulletin, we will point out new terminologies and their application to Canine nutrition.

Nutritional Strategies

In recent years, the importance of gut health associated with a well-balanced gut microflora has been recognized as a fundamental precondition for optimizing Canine nutrition and overall health. Especially in periods of stress – such as weaning, change of diet, antibiotic therapy, going to shows, new homes, natural disasters, etc. – a stable gut microflora is vital to protect the host against pathogenic invasions.

In view of the educated opposition of Dog owners and their desire to eliminate, antibiotic overuse in Canine, intensive research has been focused on the development of alternative strategies to maintain health and performance status in modern Canine husbandry.

Different substances, referred to as natural growth promoters (NGP’s), have been identified as effective alternatives to antibiotics. At present, there is a large number of NGP’s available and marketed by Nature’s Farmacy, including organic acids, immune modulators, probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, and phytobiotics.

All of these products have the potential to beneficially affect gut health and growth performance by establishing and maintaining a well-balanced gut microflora that protects the host against pathogenic invasion.

Organic Acids

At present, organic acids (acidifiers) are considered a promising option to replace antibiotics in Canine nutrition. Organic acids are natural constituents of plants and animal tissues, and their use as feed additives is already established in many countries (Frennier and Mroz, 2003).

Acidification of diets with organic acids and their salts is widely used to secure feed safety by preventing microbial degradation of foodstuffs in storage.

Furthermore, growth promoting effects of organic acids have been reported for different species, including dogs, pigs, cats, fish and birds.

Acidifiers commonly used in Canine nutrition are based on formic, propionic, citric, benzoic, or fumaric acid.

Addition of organic acids to diets results in a reduction of the pH values in both the foodstuff and the gastrointestinal tract, thus creating the unfavorable conditions for pathogenic microorganisms. Moreover, the decrease in gastric pH values improved the efficacy of pepsin, thus resulting in increased protein digestion, especially in puppies.

Immune-modulators

The gut mucosa is the largest contact surface between the host and the environment, representing a potential entrance gate for pathogens to invade the body.

Healthy dogs are protected by against pathogenic invasion by a highly efficient immune system. In puppies, however the acquired immune system starts to develop quite slowly after birth, thus making the puppy susceptible to gastrointestinal infections.

Recently, it has been recognized that the gut-associated immune system can be can be modulated by nutritional means (Adams, 2001). Among others, bacterial cell wall fragments and algae extracts have been shown to assist in stimulating the immune system by activating macrophages and lymphocytes. In addition, specific probiotic bacteria and phytogenic compounds originating from herbs and spices exert beneficial effects on the host immune system.

Microorganisms

Probiotics are live microorganisms that beneficially affect gut health by modification of the gut microflora, especially in puppies in which a stable gut microflora has not been established. These microorganisms must be encapsulated to remain effective and alive.

The only effective species in Canine are as follows; Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium thermophilum, Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus subtillus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus oryzae, and Aspergillus niger.

Probiotics beneficially affect gut health by suppressing pathogenic bacteria through: (1) competition for attachment sites and nutrients in the gut, (2) reduction of the gut pH by producing organic acids, (3) release of bacteriocins such as lactoferrin, (4) stimulation of the host immune system. Undoubtedly, probiotics have the potential to decrease the risk of infections and intestinal disorders.

Prebiotics such as Fructo-ogilosaccharides (FOS), Manan-ogilosaccharides (MOS), or inulin are non-digestible carbohydrates that selectively stimulate the growth of beneficial bacterial species such as Lactobacilli or Bifidobacteria.

Depending on their chemical properties, prebiotics represent a substrate for these beneficial microorganisms. In contrast; prebiotic carbohydrates may not be used by harmful bacteria.

NSP enzymes

Commercial Canine kibble contains substantial amounts of insoluble and soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP’s) such as arabinoxylans, beta-glucans and cellulose. Insoluble NSP’s are main constituents of cereal cell walls. Thus, they encapsulate nutrients and limit their availability.

Furthermore, soluble NSP’s increase viscosity of the digesta in the gut, which impairs the accessibility between nutrients and digestive enzymes.        Additionally, high digesta viscosity is known to produce sticky stools, especially in canine.

Supplementation of digestive enzymes reduces digesta viscosity and increases nutrient availability by breaking down NSP fractions (Simon, 1998). Consequently, microbial fermentation of undigested nutrients in the large intestine is reduced, coinciding with lower production of ammonia and toxic amines.

Phytobiotics

Phytobiotics originate from leaves, roots, tubers, and fruits of herbs, spices, or other plants. They are either available in solid, dried and ground forms or as extracts (essential oils).

Phytobiotics and animals have lived symbiotically since the beginning of time. Most of our modern medicine and nutritional planning stems from modifications of animals self-healing instincts with phytobiotics.

Depending on their composition and influence of climatic conditions, locations and harvest time, phytobiotic preparations may vary in their ingredient composition.

To obtain optimum nutritional standards it must be recognized that the canine body is an intricate biosystemic collection of organs, cooperative cells, microbes, enzymes, nutrients, and synergistic energies.

Conclusion

The use of NGP’s represents a promising approach to replacing antibiotic therapies in modern canine feeding and management.

Different NGP’s, combined in a well-adjusted way, have the potential to successfully compete against pathogenic invasion and unfavorable dietary conditions such as changes in feed composition or quantity.

Perhaps nowhere else in animal husbandry has the danger of commercial kibble and modern medicine caused as much unnecessary suffering and death than in the care and treatment of the canine species. Yet, nowhere else in animal husbandry has the caretaker recognized the importance to seek out a balance of old and new technologies to extend the quality and longevity of life. The key to accomplishing this task lies in the continued use of NGP’s in canine nutrition and health management.

 

Nature’s Farmacy, Inc. 

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 at 10:10 am and is filed under Digestion, Enzymes & Probiotics, Supplements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.