New Direct-Fed Probiotic for Poultry, Swine Commercially Released

A new probiotic discovered by poultry science researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station recently became commercially available through co-development with KENT Nutrition Group and a partnership with Life Products, Inc. of Norfolk, Nebraska.

ARGIS™, a new Bacillus-strain probiotic developed as an additive in both poultry and swine feed, has been shown to improve gut health and weight-gain efficiency.

The Bacillus strain behind ARGIS™ was isolated and characterized by former University of Arkansas postdoctoral researcher Kyle Teague, under the co-advisement of Billy Hargis, Distinguished Professor of poultry science with the experiment station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, and Samuel Rochell, formerly with the Division of Agriculture.

Advantages of a Bacillus-strain probiotic, compared to common probiotic microorganisms of the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, include its ability to survive the higher temperatures and lower pH environments found in the intestinal tract.

“We’re proud to partner with Life Products, Inc., a family-owned company that shares KENT’s core values,” said Kale Causemaker, senior director of Innovative Solutions at KENT Nutrition Group. “We’re especially excited to collaborate with Kyle Teague, one of the lead researchers behind ARGIS™. This is an exciting nutritional technology because it helps animals utilize indigestible carbohydrates found in soybean meal the primary protein source in poultry diets.”

One of the major advantages of ARGIS™ is its ability to support digestion of these carbohydrates through enzyme production in the gastrointestinal tract, Causemaker explained. This capability may eliminate the need for multiple enzymes produced from genetically modified fermentation organisms. The probiotic is also heat-tolerant and viable in low-pH environments, making it well-suited for commercial poultry operations.