Nucleotides, fundamental for animal nutrition
By Oriol Roigé, Product Manager of Animal Nutrition, Bioibérica
Nucleotides are not new, but they are increasing being used in nutrition for young production animals (pigs, fish, birds, cattle...) across the world. Why is this so?
Experts consider nucleotides to be semi-essential nutrients that carry out a wide variety of functions in cellular metabolism, which translates to good intestinal and immune system health. In scientific terms, a nucleotide is the basic piece of nucleic acids. RNA and DNA are polymers made up of long chains of nucleotides.
In order to form, nucleotides need significant energy input. When an animal is small, it cannot synthesise all the nucleotides that the body needs, so these can be supplemented through the diet.
A study from Bioibérica's Animal Nutrition R&D department conducted on a sample of piglets showed that if the animals receive a diet supplemented with nucleotides as soon as possible, that is, from their first moment of life, they grow and develop better. To achieve this objective, we recommend introducing nucleotides into feeds for gestating and nursing sows so that they can travel through the mother's milk.
Nucleotides function in three situations:
1) In young animals to enhance their development, growth and cellular reproduction.
2) In stress-inducing situations such as infections, illnesses, and high temperatures, among others.
3) In recovering from a wound or a disease which injures the organs such as the intestine.
In Bioibérica our commitment is clear: we have developed the Nucleoforce line based on yeast extracts for each species of animal, which in addition to the benefits listed above also tastes better for the animals. Nucleoforce is already available in several countries.
We recommend the interview of the farming community Engormix to Oriol Roigé: