The use of antibiotics as growth promoters, suspected of contributing significantly to the increase in pathogen resistance, was banned by the European Union in 2006.
This new awareness and these regulatory changes have stimulated innovation. HERBAROM, like many players in the animal sector, has conducted research and found relevant alternative solutions based on the use of essential oils.
The various alternatives to antibiotics used as growth promoters include :
Plant extracts, particularly essential oils, especially Labiatae essential oils (thyme, oregano, rosemary)cinnamon and other tropical plants have also been studied.
This research has provided proof of the value of these biomolecules in animal nutrition as a substitute for certain allopathic or chemical solutions.
The wealth of active ingredients and the complexity of their chemical composition give essential oils a broad spectrum of action, resulting in interesting and varied zootechnical responses.
Download the guide to find out more about essential oils in animal nutrition!
Essential oils are volatile products obtained by extraction of plants or parts of plants. They contain numerous active components and are naturally developed by plants as a means of defence against insects, fungal diseases or herbivores, or as a means of protecting them from the harmful effects of insects, fungal diseases or herbivores.s attractive to insects or animals.
To capture these essences, they need to be carefully separated from the plant, the art of extraction relies above all on know-how and mastery of the process usedwhich, depending on the plant, can be :
It is also sometimes necessary touse secondary processes (rectification / fractionation / re-distillation) in order to select or remove certain molecules depending on the desired use.
The essential oils thus obtained can be classified according to different typologies:
Unfortunately, these complex natural extracts are often adulterated by the deliberate or accidental addition of substances of lesser value. (synthetic or natural) or contaminants. Now, the term "essential oil" must define a pure and natural productThis is the quality criterion par excellence.
To meet these requirements, the regulations impose standards represented by an analytical triptych: organoleptic, physico-chemical and chromatographic.
These characteristics, defined by standards established by AFNOR, the ISO group and the Pharmacopoeia, are essential but are not sufficient to demonstrate the pure and natural nature of the product. To be sure, in some cases it is advisable toraise the standards and technical nature of analyses (using chiral chromatography or carbon-14 isotopy, for example).
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