livestock Industry is becoming extremely competitive in India

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Dr. Pradip Linge, DSAND Animal Nutrition Pvt. Ltd.

Q1. We feel amazed to know that you bring more than 35 years of experience in Livestock Industry, please share with our readers how you utilize this wisdom to take DSAND to new milestones. 

Answer : Mr Dinesh as you know Livestock and Aquaculture industry in India has witnessed a long research-oriented approach that reflects in its present status of an organized industry contributing about 4.4 % of GDP in India thus it occupies an important industry status in Indian agriculture. The industry is consolidating its position in Indian economy by adapting to

  1. Consolidation of capacities
  2. Forward and backward integration
  3. Qualitative upgradation of farms for exports
  4. Branding and Marketing of products
  5. Integrators, Feed manufacturers directly entering into poultry production and branding.

Please note that particularly in poultry Industry that due to the continuous genetic improvement of the birds today the productivity of Broilers, Layers and Breeders has improved a lot since last 40 years. Along with the genetic development the nutritional requirements of the birds also have undergone tremendous changes. Unless balanced feed is  provided to the birds the birds will not yield to their optimum production capacities. Feed still is most important cost input for livestock production. With increasing costs of Protein source and Energy sources the aim and objective should always be for optimum utilization or digestion of these main feed ingredients. Consistently there are many solutions that are emerging to ensure the optimum digestibility of these main ingredients particularly through application of enzymes or beneficial microbes, acids or phytogenic ingredients. 

I have worked in various capacities in Livestock Industry in India and worldwide. During my association  of livestock Industry of last 35 years I had good exposure to various technologies that are adapted or researched particularly aimed at improving performance , productivity, and disease resistance. As you know the livestock Industry is becoming extremely competitive in India , therefore achieving and maintaining optimum performance becomes main criteria to sustain and grow the livestock production company be it Poultry, Dairy or Aquaculture.

The Livestock production company now must constantly upgrade their style and methodology of management and feeding to exploit the genetic potential to its fullest capacity. Since the feeding costs or nutrition comprise of about 70% of cost of production the efficiency in feeding is especially important. The present-day birds are fed not only for productivity but also to manage the immune competence.  For the available feed resources poultry is the direct competitor of human being, which makes it necessary to use them judiciously. Food safety is the growing concern worldwide and in India too. The nutritionists while formulating the feed must consider

  1. Management of stress
  2. Improving immunity
  3. Minimizing wastages which add to environmental pollution

To take care of the above lot of research has been done in last three decades which is aimed at

  1. Optimization of nutrient requirements
  2. Understanding interaction of nutrients and dietary variables
  3. To find out alternative feed resources and study their effect on efficient utilization of rations
  4. To find out alternate and safe additives to complement the efficiency of ingredients.

The intestine is the prime organ, which is responsible for growth and efficiency of the bird.  Any intestinal dysfunction or inefficiency always results in a reduction in the growth efficiency of the bird, which is very detrimental for the farmer.

The GI tract of birds has vast no of microorganisms, which are responsible for induction of changes in its microhabitat The microflora that develops in the gastrointestinal tract plays many important roles in the development of growing or developing birds and this has direct impact on the overall health and productivity of the bird. The changes in the microhabitat of the GI tract can be achieved by modification (qualitative or quantitative) of the diet or by addition of live beneficial or non-pathological bacteria.

To understand the actual role of intestine in the digestion and utilization of nutrients one must understand the role of microbial flora.

I know Dr Sandeep Gupta very well and have been in touch with him since a long time. I have witnessed his efforts and expertise in Animal Nutrition particularly in Poultry and Livestock also, I am  impressed with his approach in animal nutrition aimed at enhancing productivity by working on nutritional cost-effective solutions. One such example is PROEASE which is novel and unique protease different than the other proteases available in the market. The patented Protease in PROEASE has already proven far superior to other Proteases in the market. This scientific approach of Dr Sandeep Gupta encouraged me to work with DSAND as advisor for development of novel and cost-effective solutions targeting Performance, health, and immunity of various species.  

Along with working on the solutions for improvement of animal performances individually myself and Dr Gupta will also work on an important concept under banner of LIVESTOCK SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION ( LSDA).

  • Through LSDA we aim at building an association of scientist (poultry consultant and nutritionist), organizations (breeder, layer, broiler farmers and feed millers), companies (medicine and feed additives companies) and Institute (research institute and veterinary universities). LSDA will work as bridge in between scientists, organizations, companies, and institutes. The objective of LSDA is
  • To promote research and development in Indian poultry industry by conducting scientific trials in Indian environment.
  • To validate authentic /certified medicine/ feed additives for Indigenous poultry and livestock and aquaculture Industry.
  • To established central research station in India.
  • To promote advance research in India to help improve efficiency in Poultry, Livestock and Aquaculture business.
  • To evaluate quality of feed ingredients or micronutrients by introducing new technology and methods in poultry business in Indian condition.

 Q2. Under your leadership, DSAND will expanse in the market of Animal Health and Nutrition. How do you see these expansions and what are the future goals for DSAND? 

Answer: At present DSAND under able leadership of Dr Sandeep Gupta is focused on improvement of nutrient digestibility by application of enzymes particularly Protease, improving performance of Poultry and Livestock by application of effective combinations of micronutrients that consists of Omega-3 Fatty  Acid, Whey protein components like Lysozymes etc.

Since its inception in 2009 as a startup company DSAND is now one of the fastest growing animal nutrition solution providers in India. Centrally located at Indore the DSAND production plant is now FAMI-QS certified | FSSAI Registered.

Along with Nutrient digestibility the focus of DSAND now on is aimed at solutions for Improving Gut Health, Immunity and body resistance, disease control and prevention and also end product quality (like Poultry meat, Eggs, Milk and Milk Byproducts and Shrimp quality).

We are working now on certain biocatalysts, beneficial microbes, typical plant extracts and specific purified micronutrients .    

I am very sure that the future of Livestock feed additive companies will be based on their approach to provide solutions to reduce cost of production for Poultry and other livestock companies and we are constantly working for the same.   

 Q3. What were the biggest challenges in Animal Health & Nutrition sector you have faced during the journey and how did you overcome them?

Answer: Feed ingredients availability and increasing costs have always been one of major challenge for Livestock Industry. For the available feed resources poultry is the direct competitor of human being, which makes it necessary to use them judiciously. Changing the traditional farming practices and adapting to modern technologies is only way forward. Better nutrient digestibility and constantly working on Feed cost per Egg produced or Feed cost per Kg of Meat or milk produced shall only be a criterion to ensure constant profitability. Many modern technologies to increase feed digestibility like application of Probiotics, Prebiotics, Synbiotics, Essential oils, Enzymes, Biocatalysts, Organic acids are now available. Farmer must be extremely cautious to select from above since everybody is making tall claims for whatever they have got. The basic criteria for feed additive selection should be based on its mode of action and not zootechnical trials.

Apart from rising feed costs emerging diseases is another big challenge farmers had to face, be it Salmonella, E Coli, Clostridium or Avian Influenza and various other viral problems. The disease prevention and Biosecurity techniques have also improved and most of Livestock companies are now technically equipped to deal with this challenge.

Food safety is the growing concern worldwide and in India too. In the feed safety system, there are many risks like Pesticides/Industrial Chemicals, Micro Elements such as  Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Selenium, Mycotoxins, Pathogenic microbes like Salmonella, E Coli, BSE that must be addressed. Ensuring safe feed is a vital component of efforts to reduce and prevent food safety hazards. Potential measures to ensure safe feed include Applying valid methods for decontamination, disinfection and cleaning, developing rapid and economical analytical methods for screening feed and feed ingredients, reporting the presence of undesirable substances to national and international authorities, rapidly notifying the competent authorities of feed safety incidents that could result in human food safety hazards, training regulators, inspectors, feed and livestock industry personnel and farmers to produce and use safe feed, implementing communication strategies to address consumers and the food industry, highlighting the importance of feed safety in producing safe food products,

Q4. DSAND holds a good market chunk of poultry feed supplements and additives. How do you observe this market and what will be the future growth here? 

Answer : With the growth of livestock production industry all the ancillary businesses such as feed additive production business will grow. Subtherapeutic/low doses of in-feed antibiotics are the most widely used growth promoters and have been used in animal feed since decades. However, in the wake of increased public awareness about the pathogenic resistance owing to overuse of antibiotics, alternatives such as probiotics feed enzymes, Phyto biotics and organic acids are being developed by companies to meet the demand for growth promoters.

There are many factors that that are driving the growth of the global animal growth promoters and performance enhancers market such as the rising meat demand globally, research studies to find alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters, rise in animal epidemic outbreaks.

Moreover, use of growth promoters decreases the cost of meat significantly and hence is seen as a strategic solution to the rising cost of animal feed. DSAND animal Nutrition Pvt Ltd has now focused its research on developing alternatives to antibiotic and hormonal growth promoters.

Countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, and countries in EU-27 have banned the use of antibiotic growth promoters and it is likely that other countries including India might follow suit considering their health hazards on humans. Therefore, feed enzymes, organic acids, probiotics, and prebiotics are being looked upon as potential alternatives to antibiotic and  growth promoters, and hence are the best markets to invest in.

DSAND is also exploring ways to enter global markets with their solutions, and we see a great future for DSAND animal Nutrition products globally.

Q5. Sir, Tell our readers about your state-of-the-art innovation and production set-up of DSAND, Indore. 

Answer: At DSAND Animal Nutrition Pvt Ltd manufacturing plant the emphasis is given to production of unique and cost-effective Feed additives. The products and product mix  introduced in the market is tailor-made in terms of optimizing the bird or cattle performance. In DSAND Animal Nutrition Pvt Ltd manufacturing plant we are providing propriety tailor-made formulation to customers looking at the need of today’s bird, cow, or shrimp. These formulations ensure good nutrient digestibility , they are cost effective and ensure Uniformity and homogeneity in feed.

While making feed additives the critical issue to be considered is Homogeneity of final product since some of critical micronutrients or components are added in milligrams or micrograms. For proper homogeneity of final finished product, the mixing must be state of art and the quality of finished product depends on mixing procedures and facilities. 

At DSAND animal Nutrition Pvt Ltd manufacturing plant we have best equipment from trusted manufacturers. These equipment’s ensures 99.9 % homogeneity of finished product. The plant is completely automated and has a production capacity to produce twenty tons per day of various products.

The carrier being used for is of utmost importance; the proper mash size of carrier for best homogeneity is extremely critical. We ensure that the various carriers used are specific to those formulations. The proper mash size of carrier material is always maintained. The finished product of DSAND animal Nutrition Pvt Ltd has best market acceptance since products are proven and are supported with lot of Invitro and In vivo laboratory trials, Products are homogenous, cost effective, and improve profitability of end users i.e. farmers, breeding companies. All the products from DSAND animal Nutrition have unique formulation without any competition till today.

Q6. Looking at the current market condition of the Post-Covid situation, how do you see the market will perform in the first quarter. 

Answer: Animal feed additive labelling may be subjected to enhanced scrutiny following the COVID-19 pandemic. More information on the potential role of food in the transmission of the virus through local and international trade is being sought by many national food safety authorities and the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) Secretariat. We really do not see much action on this from in India at present, but we are sure Indian authorities will also create such norms in future and at DSAND animal Nutrition we are ready for such requirements if any in future. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has recommended certain standards to maintain food hygiene and food safety practices to prevent transmission of COVID-19 through food. Clean label legal animal feed additive products will be in high demand as a result of these trends. The recovery of the global economy would eventually lead to an increase in per capita income and the adoption of healthier animal lives, which will boost the animal Feed additive market.

Q7. It’s been a pleasure to interview. We welcome your closing remarks or announcements for our readers. 

Answer: Stay Safe eat well-nourished food particularly Eggs and Chicken meat that will ensure the good immunity to fight this pandemic  . Thank you.

Dr Pradip P Linge is working at present as advisor in Livestock Industry and is lead advisor to DSAND Animal Nutrition Pvt Ltd. 

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