Description
AVIMATRIX® is a high-performance, granulated feed premixture designed to optimise digestive processes and stabilise gut health in poultry. Manufactured by Novus International, it utilises proprietary Premium Blend Technology to deliver a unique combination of nature-identical flavouring compounds and preservatives—specifically benzoic acid (49.5%) and calcium formate (3.0%)—to the digestive tract.
Core Technology and Mechanism of Action
The defining feature of AVIMATRIX is its unique manufacturing process. Unlike standard ingredients or simple encapsulation, the active substances are embedded within a protective fat matrix.
- Targeted, Slow Release: This matrix ensures that the active ingredients are not immediately lost in the upper digestive stages (crop or gizzard). Instead, it peak at the beginning of the duodenum and provides a slow, continuous release throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract, including the small intestine, cecum, and colon.
- Efficiency at Neutral pH: While many organic acids lose efficacy in the neutral pH conditions of the lower intestine, the benzoic acid in AVIMATRIX remains highly effective at inhibiting pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli in these environments.
Impact on Gut Health and Microflora
AVIMATRIX supports a healthy microbial balance through two primary actions:
- Pathogen Reduction: It significantly reduces the levels of harmful bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens.
- Promoting Beneficial Bacteria: It encourages the growth of various Lactobacilli species. This triggers a process known as “cross-feeding,” where the lactic acid produced by these bacteria is utilised by other beneficial microbes (such as Clostridia Clusters IV and XIVa) to produce butyric acid, a vital indicator of a healthy gut environment.
Proven Performance Benefits
Extensive research and commercial trials across Europe have consistently demonstrated that supplementing feed with AVIMATRIX (standard dosage of 500 g/t) improves key production metrics:
- Feed Efficiency: Trials show a consistent reduction in Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), with improvements often ranging from 2% to over 6%.
- Growth Rates: It supports higher Average Daily Gain (ADG) and increased final body weight, even in operations facing health challenges like Salmonella or Eimeria (coccidiosis).
- Economic ROI: By reducing feed costs per kilogram of gain, AVIMATRIX offers a significant return on investment; some commercial trials have shown a 14% increase in profitability per bird.
Animal Welfare and Litter Quality
A major secondary benefit of improved gut health is the enhancement of the birds’ living environment:
- Dryer Litter: AVIMATRIX significantly reduces litter moisture (up to 13.7%) and ammonia levels (up to 21%).
- Reduced Dermatitis: Dryer litter directly leads to a decrease in the incidence and severity of foot pad dermatitis (FPD), a critical animal welfare indicator.
Handling and Regulatory Status
- Practical Advantages: The product is designed for ease of use in feed mills. It is dust-free, free-flowing, non-corrosive, non-irritating, and has no unpleasant odour. Its uniform granules ensure excellent homogeneity when mixed into feed and remain stable during pelleting.
- EU Authorization: AVIMATRIX is authorised by the European Commission as a zootechnical feed additive for chickens for fattening and those reared for laying.
