Antioxidants are also generally termed as shelf-life extenders. Feed antioxidants protect deterioration of other feed nutrients in the feed such as fats, vitamins, pigments and flavouring agents, thus providing nutrient security to the animals. Oxidised feed can result in decreased animal health and performance; therefore it is essential to prevent feed from oxidation.
According to a new report from Research and Markets, it is expected that with globally increasing demand for livestock products such as meat, eggs and milk, demand for antioxidants as feed additives will also rise. Globally, livestock producers will focus on higher usage of antioxidants in the feed to reduce loss due to feed deterioration and to save cost on feed inputs.
Antioxidant use in animal feed also depends upon the climate. In humid climates of Asia and South America, the increased levels of moisture in the air make the feed more susceptible to oxidation which may result in deterioration of feed quality.
The revenue generated by global animal feed antioxidants in 2011 was US$162.4 million and is estimated to reach US$216.8 million in 2018, growing at a CAGR of 4.2 per cent for the next five years.
Feed antioxidants are of two types, natural and synthetic. Natural antioxidants are made by using raw materials such as oilseeds, corn, rapeseed and others which are blended with various ingredients such as soybeans and grains to match the requirements laid down by the FDA. Synthetic antioxidants are made as pure substances of constant composition and are applied in well defined mixtures with different pure substances.
Some of the factors driving the growth of the market are rise in global meat consumption and disease outbreaks. Stringent government regulation and the difficulties working with natural antioxidants are some of the restraints for growth of the market.
There are different antioxidant firms operating in the industry with different products and market focus. The major players of the markets are BASF SE, DSM, ADM and Danisco.
