In an industry where efficiency and animal health directly impact the bottom line, swine producers are increasingly turning to innovative solutions beyond traditional approaches. CERTILLUS, Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition’s customized probiotic solution, is proving valuable not just for addressing gut health challenges but for enhancing overall production efficiency.
Understanding the Hidden Challenges
While acute gut health issues are well-recognized in swine production, less visible subclinical challenges often go unaddressed, according to Jesse Thompson, Sr. Product Manager for Microbial Solutions at Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition.
“There are stacked stressors, maybe moderate levels of pathogens that aren’t necessarily killing the animal, but the immune system is diverted toward fighting pathogenic challenges, ultimately dragging on production.”
These subclinical challenges can significantly impact performance without showing obvious symptoms, making them difficult to identify without proper testing and analysis.
The Microbial Customization Process
What sets CERTILLUS apart is its customized approach based on extensive sampling and analysis.
“We’re customizing probiotics based on the specific challenges present in each operation. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution,” Thompson notes. “Different probiotic strains do different things. This allows us to target our solutions specific to challenges in each operation.”
For swine operations, the approach is customer-specific. The team collects samples from the operation and develops a customized formulation for that facility.
What makes this approach particularly valuable is the ongoing optimization. “We’re re-evaluating every six months to ensure we have the optimal formulation,” says Thompson. “Pathogenic and disease challenges can change. What worked six months or a year ago might not be the most effective today.”
Three Pillars of CERTILLUS
According to Thompson, CERTILLUS for swine is built on three key pillars:
● Customization to inhibit specific pathogens: Unlike other probiotics, CERTILLUS is customized to inhibit pathogens specific to each operation.
● Improved gut integrity: Beyond inhibiting pathogens, CERTILLUS improves gut integrity within the host. This tightened gut barrier function translates to tangible benefits, including improved feed conversion efficiency, reduced treatment costs and more consistent weight gain.
● Improving microbial succession: “Establishing a healthy gut microbiome at an early age is critical for the success of that animal throughout their lifetime,” Thompson explains.
Benefits Beyond Disease Prevention
While many swine producers view probiotics as a solution for acute health challenges, their benefits extend further.
“We’ve done extensive trial work showing that we can improve gut maturation, which leads to performance benefits,” Thompson shares. “You’re setting that microbiome up for success not only at those young stages in life but even further on for development as an adult production animal.”
Practical Implementation
For optimal results, Thompson recommends starting with CERTILLUS in young animals. Swine producers are often more inclined to invest in prophylactic nutritional solutions in the sow-piglet production phase. However, benefits continue to outweigh cost through the full life cycle, including grow-finish.
Not All Probiotics Are Created Equal
Thompson emphasizes the importance of scientific validation. “The effectiveness of probiotics depends greatly on the research behind them,” he explains. “Some products haven’t undergone the same level of scientific scrutiny that we believe is essential.”
With a database of over 82,000 probiotic strains, Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition continuously evaluates which specific Bacillus strains will be most effective for particular challenges. The company routinely assesses competitive products and has comparative data showing how CERTILLUS strains perform against major competitors in inhibiting pathogens like Clostridia and E. coli.
A Solution That Evolves
CERTILLUS isn’t static; it evolves as challenges change. “We’re continuously evolving our products, and as challenges within the industry and pathogens shift, so do our solutions,” Thompson emphasizes.
As the swine industry continues to face challenges from various fronts, solutions that enhance resilience and efficiency without adding management complexity become increasingly valuable. By supporting gut integrity, optimizing microbial succession, and addressing operation-specific pathogen challenges, advanced probiotics like CERTILLUS offer a science-backed pathway to improved performance and sustainable returns on investment.
For more information, visit the Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition website.
