Alquernat Yucca improves animal welfare and productive performance in pigs

The product proved effective to reduce the environmental levels of ammonia, a compound that is related to many diseases in pigs

In pig production, an adequate air quality is essential because animal welfare, productivity and economic performance depend on it. Ammonia is the most important gas that affects air quality in pig farms.  High densities, high-protein diets, and the difficulty to have good ventilation lead to the accumulation of this gas in the farms, which causes problems. Ammonia comes from the decomposition of organic material, such as urine and feces, and, since it is highly soluble and easily evaporates, it rapidly disseminates in the usual temperature and moisture conditions of the facilities and causes many problems.

Ammonia, a predisposing factor for many diseases

Ammonia is an irritant gas that can damage the respiratory airways. It affects the tracheal mucosa and the bronchia, causing cilia paralysis or drop, or even the necrosis of the epithelia. The type and severity of the damage depends on the ammonia concentration and the exposure time, which is usually long in pigs, because of the duration of the production cycles.

When the mucosa or the cilia are altered because of the irritant effect of this gas, the mucus, which acts like a defensive barrier to retain microorganisms and harmful particles, cannot be eliminated and these agents can reach the respiratory organs, including the lungs, and cause infections.

Because of ammonia, animals become susceptible to respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia, but also to other diseases, such as neonatal mortality, cannibalism (caudophagia) and skin or eye lesions.

Alquernat Yucca, effective to reduce ammonia levels

Alquernat Yucca is a nutritional supplement of a natural origin that reduces ammonia concentration in the farms. On one hand, it eliminates ammonia-producing bacteria, and, on the other hand, it binds this compound in the gut and feces to avoid the negative effects of this gas.

The efficacy is based on the activity of its main components: saponins, cimenol ring and glycocomponents. Saponins inhibit ammonia-producing bacteria by affecting the permeability of the cell membranes. They also reduce the tension of the villi’s cell membrane, which favors nutrient absorption, and inhibit gut ureases to reduce the concentration of intestinal ammonia. The cimenol ring enhances this antimicrobial activity, as it immediately eliminates bacteria by destabilizing cell membrane. Glycocomponents can bind and neutralize ammonia to reduce the high concentrations and transform it into non-toxic nitrogenous compounds that do not interfere with nutrient absorption.

Multiple field trials show the efficacy of the active principles in Alquernat Yucca to reduce ammonia and, consequently, to improve productive performance in pig farms.

Alquernat Yucca was evaluated in pig farms with high ammonia concentrations, where it reduced ammonia levels by 75%, which had a positive impact on feed conversion (18% improvement). In addition, there was a 30.4% improvement in daily weight gain when air quality got improved thanks to Alquernat Yucca.

In conclusion, Alquernat Yucca is an effective natural product that can be administered in any production phase, because it does not act pharmacologically, requires no withdrawal period, does not leave residues nor does it generate resistances.