Our Trials
In this section you can find the tests performed in research centres specialized in animal nutrition and coordinated by Linneos, designed to evaluate and optimise the performance of our products under field conditions.
For more information, please contact the technical department.
Introduction
Linneos conducts ongoing research to continue to achieve maximum nutritional benefits in both production animals and pets.
The advances achieved allow us to optimize the nutritional formulation of feeds in such a way that feed intake is encouraged and digestibility is increased.
The results of our studies benefit both the animals, by promoting their welfare, and the farmer, whose productive results are supported.
Objectives
The objective is to design and develop flavours, sweeteners and palatants that adapt to the needs of both production animals and pets.
Our research areas are aimed at the improvement, design and development of new sensory additives for animal feed that have an impact on the animal’s behaviour towards the feed, flavouring animal welfare and zootechnical indexes.
Ultimately, our desire is to expand and improve our product portfolio based on research results.
Parameters assessed
The parameters that we evaluate in our animal tests basically include preference and acceptance of feed in trials with dogs and cats.
In production animals, we measure daily feed intake, improvement in animal weight at the end of the production cycle and improvement in feed conversion rates.
We do research to identify the components of the additives and to prove and validate their efficacy, but also to check how they influence the animal’s development. In addition, we gather crucial information to guide decisions, advise our customers and develop innovative nutritional concepts.
By determining the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the components of flavours, sweeteners and palatants, we can learn what factors condition the way they relate to the feed.
Internal and external research centers
We have access to pioneering technology thanks to the collaboration of research centers both internal to the Pintaluba group, such as APSA R&D, and external, such as DeMorgenstond Kennel (Dussen, Holland), the Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentària de la Generalitat de Catalunya – IRTA, the Servei de Sanitat i Benestar Animal de la Facultad de Veterinaria at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona – SNiBA, or the Departamento de Producción, Sanidad Animal y Salud Pública Veterinaria at CEU Cardenal Herrera University.
Quality standards
Sustainability
Linneos researches committed to sustainability, based on processes that minimize environmental impact.
We develop feed additives that not only improve animal health and welfare, but also promote responsible and sustainable agricultural practices.
We innovate with awareness, integrating green technologies into our operations and collaborating with local organizations to protect the natural environment.
References supporting our research lines
01Athenol, cinnamaldehyde and eugenol inclusion in feed affects post-weaning performance and feeding behaviour of piglets. Blavi, L. et al. (2016). DOI: 10.2527/jas.2016-0760
A flavouring mixture included in the sow diet improved growth performance of piglets after weaning. Increased feed intake and daily weight gain were observed during the pre-starter and starter phases (0 to 35 days post-weaning) due mainly to maternal exposure to aroma.
02Comparative effects of sodium butyrate and flavours on feed intake of lactating shows and growth performance of piglets. Wang, J. et al. (2014) DOI: 1111/asj.12193
The addition of a fruit-lactic-aniseed flavouring (containing 9.4% anethole and 33.2% eugenol) to the lactating sow diet, suckling piglet feed and weaning diet during the first 8 days increased the average daily weight gain and average daily feed intake of piglets compared to control.
03Effects of pre- and postnatal exposure to garlic and aniseed flavour on pre- and postweaning feed intake in pigs. Langendij, P. 2007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2007.01.083
This study supports the hypothesis that exposure to an aroma through the mother’s diet can increase acceptance by piglets, and this study clearly shows that familiarity with dietary aromas increases feed intake in weaned piglets after 6 weeks of lactation.
04Effect of lactation and nursery diets supplemented with a feed flavor on sow feed intake and lactation performance and subsequent weaned pig nursery performance. Spinler, S. 2023 DOI: 1093/tas/txad056
Piglets weaned from dams fed the flavoured diet weighed more (p = 0.039) at weaning compared to piglets weaned from dams fed the control diet.
05Impact of sensory feed additives on feed intake, feed preferences, and growth of female piglets during the early postweaning period. Clouard, C. et al. 2014. DOI:10.2527/jas.2013-6809
Sensory additive 2 increased the palatability and acceptance of the starter diet by the piglets, with which they were unfamiliar on the day of transition, while sensory additives 1 and 3 increased the palatability of the starter diet after a few days of exposure, most likely through long-term familiarization processes.
06Evaluation of dietary stevioside supplementation on anti-human serum albumin immunoglobulin G, Alpha-1-glycoprotein, body weight and thyroid hormones in broiler chickens. Daneshyar, M. et al. (2011)
Inclusion of stevioside in the diet can attenuate the proinflammatory response following stimulation of the innate immune reaction in broiler chickens.
07Safety evaluation of rebaudioside A produced by fermentation, Rumelhard, M. et al. 2016. DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2016.01.005
The results were consistent with those of previous studies conducted with plant-derived rebaudioside A, suggesting similar safety profiles for fermentative and plant-derived rebaudioside A.
