New app to evaluate heat stress and promote feed intake
A novel smartphone app has been developed to help farmers identify and evaluate the risk level of heat stress in pig, poultry, dairy and beef farms.
The app, called ‘ThermoTool’, has been developed and launched by French-based animal health & nutrition company CCPA Group. From 24°C and 70% of humidity, animals struggle with heat stress which adversely impacts welfare, performances and farm profitability.
The visual application enables farmers to anticipate heat stress over five days. Should the app indeed indicate a risk of heat stress, then farmers are advised to choose different apply specific feed solutions for ruminants, swine or poultry. These solutions, based on the company’s own research, consist of natural active ingredients. They have proven their efficiency in countries where climate conditions are often extreme.
This tool can be downloaded for free on App Store and Google Play.
Improve growth and laying performance
During hot periods, poultry have to cope with many metabolic disturbances. These troubles cause metabolic disorders and a dramatic fall of feed intake. In addition to hot periods, the premix additive Axion FeedStim can be used during the critical stage of laying peak in order to boost egg production. This product, consisting of synergistic natural active ingredients, is based on phyto-expertise within the CCPA Group.
The product supports performance during hot periods by:
- Reducing protein catabolism
- Boosting feed intake
- Improving laying rate by 2%
- Maintaining the feed conversion ratio
Securing beef and dairy cattle performance
When beef and dairy cattle undergo heat stress, their body temperature and breathing rate are higher, sweating and water consumption increase. This stress leads to a decrease of feed intake, a fall of performance and reproduction and acidosis risks.
The premix additive product Axion ThermoPlus, combining specific vitamins, trace elements and plant extract in order to fight against heat stress. Advantages include:
- Maintaining feed intake
- Enhancing production and growth performance thanks to the positive effect on feed intake and digestion:
- 1 to 4 litres of milk per cow
- + 100 to 200 g of ADG for beef cattle
- Improving milk fat content from 1 to 3 g/l
Promoting sow and finishing pig feed intake
Swine are very sensitive to ambient temperature increase. A temperature over 25°C affects swine performance adversely: feed intake decreases and the nutritional need for milk production or growth are no more covered. Sows lose body condition and piglets weight at weaning decreases.
For this reason, the company developed the complementary feed Axion ThermoControl, based on natural active ingredients, reducing the negative effects of high temperatures:
- Better feed valorisation:
- Improved nutrients digestibility
- More pancreatic and intestinal digestive secretions
- More production performance:
- Stimulation of appetite
- Less body condition loss
- Better comfort for the animal
