- What are enzymes?
- How do enzymes improve the digestibility of animal feed?
- What are the benefits of a heat-stable feed enzyme?
- Does my feed need to contain feather meal to get the full benefit of using Versazyme?
- What is the application, inclusion rate, and stability of Versazyme?
- Do you have a liquid application of Versazyme?
- How heat-stable is the Versazyme enzyme?
- Is the Versazyme enzyme compatible with other enzymes?
- Is the source organism for Versazyme genetically modified (GMO)?
- Where can I get a sample of Versazyme?
- Other than feathers, what proteins can be improved by using Valkerase?
- What is the application, inclusion rate, and stability of Valkerase?
- Where can I get a sample of Valkerase?
- What is the recommended batch process procedure for making Valkerase-treated feather meal?
- What other products or enzymes are you developing?
- How about the research BRI conducted on Mad Cow Disease?
- How can I invest in BRI?
About Animal Feed Enzymes
What are enzymes?
Enzymes are biological catalysts that build, degrade, and reshape the basic elements of all living things. Enzymes work by converting a specific set of reactants—or substrates—into specific products. Enzymes and their many applications are one of the fastest growing segments of the animal nutrition industry today. In addition to animal nutrition, enzymes are also used in detergents, food processing, and industrial and chemical processes.
How do enzymes improve the digestibility of animal feed?
The digestive tract of animals contain many naturally occurring enzymes, including pepsin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin for protein digestion, lipases for fat digestion, and amylases for starch digestion.
Once enzymes break down an animal’s feed components into their basic building blocks such as amino acids and sugars, they are readily absorbed as nutrients to fuel the animal’s growth. Very often animal feed will contain ingredients that are poorly digested by the animal’s own enzymes, and thus supplementing the animal’s diet with additional enzymes can increase the digestibility of these poorly digested feeds.
For example, the enzyme phytase is a feed enzyme that works specifically on phytate phosphorous (which is not bioavailable to monogastric animals such as pigs and poultry). Phytase breaks down the phytate molecule so that more phosphorous can be absorbed by the animal and less unabsorbed phosphorus ends up in the animals’ manure.
What are the benefits of a heat-stable feed enzyme?
Typical poultry diets are pelleted in a high-temperature and steam process to provide for ease of use and handling, better animal consumption, and better feed quality. Because many feed enzymes are not heat-stable, those enzymes must be sprayed on post-pelleting in order to maintain activity in the feed. Heat-stable enzymes such as Versazyme are desirable because they can be added as a dry powder prior to the pelleting process, resulting in a more uniformly mixed product and eliminating the need for expensive and complicated post-pelleting sprayers.
About Versazyme
Does my feed need to contain feather meal to get the full benefit of using Versazyme?
Because Versazyme is based on a protease that works on a wide variety of animal and vegetable proteins, you will get all the cost-saving and environmental benefits of using Versazyme — even with a corn/soy diet that does not contain any feather meal in it.
What is the application, inclusion rate, and stability of Versazyme?
Versazyme is a dry powder that can be added pre- or post-pelleting at a rate of 0.5 kg per metric ton (or 1 lb per U.S. ton) of feed. Dry Versazyme powder is stable at room temperature, resists pelleting conditions, and is heat-stable—even at high temperatures.
Do you have a liquid application of Versazyme?
Presently, Versazyme is only available in a dry formulation that is added at a rate of 0.5 kg per metric ton (or 1 lb per U.S. ton) of feed. We are, however, in the process of developing some liquid applications. If you are interested in learning more about this area of our research, please contact us for updated information.
How heat-stable is the Versazyme enzyme?
Because the Versazyme enzyme is isolated from a naturally thermophyllic bacteria that is able to grow at higher temperatures, Versazyme has an innate heat stability. BRI has performed multiple tests and feeding trials to study the heat stability of the Versazyme enzyme and has found that Versazyme retains at least 80% of enzymatic activity at the high temperatures typical of the pelleting process.
Is the Versazyme enzyme compatible with other enzymes?
BRI has performed a number of trials to show that Versazyme is completely compatible with other animal feed enzymes, such as phytase and xylanases, which may already be a part of your animals’ nutritional regimen.
Is the source organism for Versazyme genetically modified (GMO)?
The Versazyme protease is an enzyme that is produced by a naturally-occurring soil bacterium known as Bacillus licheniformis. This bacterial strain is not genetically modified in any way.
Where can I get a sample of Versazyme?
Our global distribution partner for Versazyme is Novus International, which markets the enzyme under the Cibenza DP100™ name. Contact us and we will put you in touch with the appropriate representative in your region.
About Valkerase
Other than feathers, what proteins can be improved by using Valkerase?
Valkerase was originally developed by BRI to improve the digestibility of poultry feathers, but anecdotal evidence suggests that it is possible to use Valkerase to improve the digestibility of other protein sources such as fish meal and meat and bone meals.
What is the application, inclusion rate, and stability of Valkerase?
Valkerase is a dry powder that is added at a rate of 1.5 kg per metric ton (or 3.3 lb per U.S. ton) of raw feathers before cooking. Dry Valkerase powder is stable at room temperature and dry storage up to 50° C.
Where can I get a sample of Valkerase?
In some regions, Novus International markets Valkerase under the Cibenza IND900 name. Contact us and we will put you in touch with a Valkerase distributor in your region.
What is the recommended batch process procedure for making Valkerase-treated feather meal?
1. Load 500 kg raw feathers (50%–60% moisture) into batch cooker
2. Dissolve 1.5 kg Valkerase™ into 10–20L of water (Valkerase™ Solution)
3. Add Valkerase™ Solution on top of feathers and mix well
4. Load additional 500 kg raw feathers (50%–60% moisture) into batch cooker
5. Incubate at 50°–60°C for 45 min (CAUTION: do not exceed 60°C during this 45 min stage)
6. Slowly increase temperature to 120°C–125°C and pressure to 1.8–2.0 bar (15-20 min)
7. Hold temperature and pressure constant for 20 min with agitation
8. Release pressure (15–20 min) and dry feather meal
About BRI
What other products or enzymes are you developing?
Our ongoing partnerships with research institutions, industry thought leaders, and multinational corporations help us understand many of the issues changing today’s animal agriculture industry. We would like to tailor a solution to help you. Tell us about the challenges you face by contacting one of our team members.
How about the research BRI conducted on Mad Cow Disease?
BSE (Mad Cow Disease) and its human counterpart, called CJD, are caused by infectious proteins known as prions, which resist standard chemical and physical sterilization processes. BRI, in collaboration with researchers in the U.S. and Europe, has developed a patented process for enzymatic degradation of infectious prions that is effective for disinfecting potentially contaminated instruments and equipment. While a completely effective solution for BSE could still be years away, BRI continues to research ways to stop this deadly brain-wasting disease in cattle.
How can I invest in BRI?
Enzyme feed additives are one of the fastest growing segments in the animal nutrition field today. BRI is not seeking funding at this particular time, but if you would like to learn more about our research and potential investment opportunities in the future, please contact us.
