It’s hard to believe that it has been nearly 15 years since we wrote our first press article on the use of “herbs and spices” in cattle. We have come a long way since then, and the timing is good for some reflection. Where have we been and what have we learned? What does the future hold for this technology? And most importantly, how do you decide what the value is for your cattle?
The power of plants
Plants are fascinating. They create energy from sunlight, and they manage to thrive almost anywhere despite harsh environmental conditions. (Did you ever see a plant pushing up through a crack in the concrete?) Their ability to adapt and evolve is due to what we call plant genius, which is the information stored within the specialized metabolites they produce. Such tools – and plant genius – are powerful strategies for resilience that simply do not exist in animals. However, because animals and plants evolved together, animals do have the ability to understand and benefit from plant genius through receptors in their gut.
In animal nutrition, plant-based supplements are often referred to as botanicals – any plant or plant part used as an additive. Some commonly used terms you will hear are phytogenics, essential oils, plant extracts, etc. Basically, we are talking about ingredients from plants that have traditionally been used for their medicinal properties, often in humans, and applications developed for animal feed.
Traditional use of botanicals in animal nutrition
Some of you will remember that these types of products came to life as much as 20 to 25 years ago as part of an effort to reduce antimicrobials in animal feed. For cattle, the goal was to create natural rumen modifiers that could replace ionophores. This concept became all the rage as some products showed promise, at least in lab settings, for altering rumen fermentation and even decreasing methane emissions. Effects at the animal level were highly variable and inconsistent, leading to a lot of frustration around application and being able to capture the value. This is arguably still a big challenge today.
Later on, postruminal effects of botanicals were described, and the health benefits were much more striking and consistent. Still, all these years later, most botanical products on the market for ruminants are targeting natural cattle production and nutritional strategies to replace ionophores. With very few exceptions (for example, heat stress, an environmental challenge that will boost efficacy of almost any supplement), the products are suggested to improve rumen function. While it can’t be denied that the foundational work on botanicals in ruminants led to the creation of a few solid products that can bring value when used appropriately, we are not using the space to anywhere near its potential.
So what gives? Why hasn’t the industry caught up and started using plants for all they can really do? One answer is that it is extremely difficult to change paths once a story has been set in stone and accepted as the norm. Think about it: How many times have you heard that botanicals can replace ionophores? We both contributed to that old story, and we know firsthand how hard it is to shift gears. Another answer of equal truth is that, up to now, we have really underestimated the power of plants, and we have been approaching them from a very narrow lens.
When scientists first started working on the use of botanicals in animal nutrition, we had one goal: to replace antimicrobials in feed. This caused us to take a very pharmaceutical approach to plants and search for a single phytochemical (active compounds in plants) to solve the problem. While it was reasonable at first glance, this approach trivialized the magical, powerful plant with all its metabolites and the power that comes with keeping them together. It allowed us to address that one highly specific issue, but it never tackled animal challenges at the root, which limited further developments beyond replacing antimicrobials in feed. Basically, we stripped down the power of plants to meet our immediate specific need, and this approach has blocked us from reaching the full potential in the space.
Twenty years later, how can we get more out of it? What happens if we zoom out our lens and widen the perspective? What if we integrate all the progress we have made in animal science and incorporate the power of plants?
Looking ahead: Leveraging plant genius in modern production
As mentioned above, animals and plants can communicate thanks to millions of years of coevolution. Plants can then share their “genius” with animals via the specialized metabolites they produce, which stimulate the gut and change the physiology of the animal. Some beneficial effects of plant genius for animals include decreased systemic inflammation, improved muscle and liver function, altered nutrient metabolism and, of course, improved gut function. We now understand that keeping those metabolites together, in the ratios found in the plants, transmits this information to the animal in the most powerful way. This is what we call a phytocomplex.
A phytocomplex can be a whole plant or plant part, or even a full-spectrum extract or essential oil. A phytocomplex is never a single compound; it is a complex mixture of specialized metabolites that can do so much more than what we ever imagined possible. Instead of looking at antimicrobials in feed, we shift our focus to look directly at the cattle: What are their weak points? What do they need to be more resilient? What are the key organs to target and boost up during different phases of life? Which phytocomplexes can help? This then leads to discovery of a whole new range of products that target cattle in a holistic, multifaceted way.
Literally, through communicating with the animal, a phytocomplex can target organs such as the lungs, liver, immune system and even the udder to help cattle cope with various challenges they face throughout the production cycle. Use of a phytocomplex opens up a multipronged approach that brings consistent, reliable efficacy at shockingly low inclusion levels.
With all this knowledge and activity, how do you choose what is worth trying? As you start to see new products in this space, look for science and quality. Look for complex formulas with natural, standardized ingredients that target multiple weak points in the animal. Look for suppliers who appreciate that we can’t explain every single detail of how plant genius works, but we respect the observed responses of the animal. Be wary of promises to “replace” antimicrobials in feed. Instead, look for dose response work and multiple studies that show efficacy on top of standard feeding programs already working for you.
This space is evolving quickly, and with new approaches incorporating plant genius comes the opportunity for you to improve the resilience of your cattle and your bottom line.
