Market Trends of Europe Feed Antioxidants Industry
Poultry is the Largest Growing Market Segment
Poultry is the most popular type of meat consumed in Europe. The consumption of poultry has increased in the country over the past few years. The consumption growth has pressured farmers to maintain the production growth rate the same as consumption to retain the demand-supply balance. The rising poultry production has led to increased feed production in the region. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), around 1.11 billion broilers, 39 million boiling fowl, and almost nine million turkeys were slaughtered in the United Kingdom in 2023.
Moreover, broiler feed antioxidants hold the largest shares in the poultry segment. The reason for the heavy demand for poultry meat is the augmented consumption of processed poultry in European countries and the rising export demand. The growing demand for processed meat and protein diets, due to the rise in household income levels, is anticipated to continue driving the demand for animal feed antioxidants. This factor, in turn, may lead to higher usage of feed antioxidants in various broiler farms.
In the region, there have been numerous cases of disease outbreaks, such as avian influenza virus H5N8. In addition to veterinary care to avoid these occurrences, suitable animal feed antioxidants, which are used in the right amount and administered efficiently enhance the overall health of poultry birds. This factor is leading to the growth in the demand for the same in the region.
Additionally, antioxidants are necessary for poultry birds to minimize lipid oxidation, improve the keeping quality of premix & feed, and minimizeoxidation in meat after slaughter.Moreover, feed antioxidants improve the efficiency of growing poultry without compromising the product quality. Antioxidants, such as Butylated Hydroxy Anisole (BHA) or Butylated Hydroxy Toluene (BHT), have been widely used in poultry feed for many years. BHT has been recognized by the FDA as a GRAS substance, and it is considered for consumption in a limited amount.
Germany is the Fastest Growing Market
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, in Germany, livestock accounts for nearly 64% of the revenue in agriculture in 2023. Antioxidant feed additives are attracting German consumers, due to their health benefits, such as restricting oxidation, thus removing potentially damaging oxidizing agents in a living organism. Moreover, it is highly beneficial in animal health and nutrition to increase the shelf life of feed additives and premixes.
In addition to protecting the feed, antioxidants in animal feed are beneficial for the animal’s health. For instance, antioxidants present in animal feed help to reduce oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals and protecting the animal cells from damage. This improves the animal’s immune function, reproductive performance, and overall health.
In 2022, Germany started a move to ban farmed animals from being routinely fed a diet of antibiotics. In the same year, amendments were made to the German Drug Act, which primarily aimed at gradually reducing the usage of antibiotics in livestock farming. In addition, there are new regulations in the country, which are allowing the relevant authorities to check the frequency of usage of antibiotics in farm animals. Due to such restrictions, growers are pressured to shift to feed ingredients, which is driving the demand for feed antioxidants in the country. Furthermore, this is projected to limit the market for antibiotics and boost the antioxidants used in compound feed.
