Calcium and phosphorus are two essential macrominerals in poultry production, for both broilers and layers. Meat and bone meal is widely used because it is cheap and adds protein and essential amino acids to the formulation. However, it carries a high biosecurity risk, as it is the main source of pathogens such as Salmonella and Clostridium.
Its growing use in pet food and aquaculture tends to push its cost up. As a result, phosphates are increasingly used as the main source of phosphorus in animal production. Phosphate is an unsustainable ingredient in high demand from agriculture, with rising costs and a growing risk of scarcity. Reducing the use of phosphorus sources is a central topic in modern ESG management, which covers environmental, social and governance issues.
With this scenario in mind, GFS Global Feed Solutions, a 100% Brazilian company, created Grow&Poultry. It contains GFS’s patented technology (Poligrow®), which carries calcium and phosphorus ions and increases their absorption and retention in the birds’ bodies. Used together with phytases, it allows lower levels of these minerals in production poultry diets, in line with the proposed matrix.
Among the most notable benefits of using Grow&Poultry are lower feed costs, lower biosecurity risk from animal-origin meals, fewer locomotor problems, higher hatching egg yield and greater breeder longevity, a better feed mill output rate (tons produced per hour) and lower phosphorus content in excreta, with less environmental impact.
Its effectiveness has been widely validated in the market over the past three years. In addition, two broiler trials validated the product’s nutritional matrix.
At Granja Sta. Lívia, UFRGS, weight gain, feed conversion, dry matter and tibia ash content showed that adding Poligrow® to a feed with reduced nutritional levels gave performance statistically equal to the control diet, validating the matrix. A greater amount of calcium and phosphorus was also deposited in the tibias of the treated animals.
Likewise, a trial at UFPR applied the Grow&Poultry matrix and compared it with a control feed. A cheaper feed with less dicalcium phosphate produced statistically identical results in performance parameters, bone strength, and carcass and cut yield.
Grow&Poultry is an innovation in feed formulation for broilers, heavy breeders and layers, bringing greater savings and sustainability to animal protein production!
