How Customized Probiotics Are Reshaping Swine Production

In an industry where efficiency and animal health directly impact the bottom line, swine producers are increasingly turning to innovative solutions that go beyond traditional approaches. One such advancement is CERTILLUS, Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition’s customized probiotic solution, which is proving to be 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 the swine industry, the less visible subclinical challenges can 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 that the immune system is diverted toward fighting pathogenic challenges and 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. While there has been some research in this area, there’s still significant room for improvement in addressing these hidden issues.

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. “We understand that different probiotic strains do different things. This allows us to target our solutions specific to challenges in each region.” 

For swine operations, the approach is customer-specific rather than regional. “There’s less variation in challenges coming in through the feed because it's a more consistent, uniform feed source,” Thompson explains. The team collects samples from the operation and develops a customized formulation specifically for that facility.

What makes this approach particularly valuable is the ongoing optimization. “We’re going back and re-evaluating every six months to ensure that we have the optimal formulation,” says Thompson. “Because maybe in the beginning we identified a probiotic combination that's most effective to support their health and performance. But then over time, we know pathogenic and disease challenges can change. Therefore, what worked six months or a year ago might not be the most effective for what is the best fit today.”

Three Pillars of CERTILLUS

According to Thompson, CERTILLUS for swine is built on three key pillars:

• Customization to inhibit specific pathogens: As compared to other probiotics on the market, we customize our probiotics to inhibit pathogens specific to that operation.
• Improved gut integrity: Not only are we inhibiting pathogens, but we're improving gut integrity within the host. This tightened gut barrier function translates to tangible producer benefits including improved feed conversion efficiency, reduced treatment costs and more consistent weight gain. 
• Improving microbial succession: The third pillar in the monogastric space is really about improving microbial succession. We know that in any system, establishing a healthy gut microbiome at an early age is critical for the success of that animal throughout their lifetime.

Benefits Beyond Disease Prevention

While many swine producers view probiotics as a solution for acute health challenges, their benefits extend far beyond that.

“We've done a lot of trial work showing that we can improve the gut maturation so the gut matures faster, which leads to performance benefits,” Thompson shares. “Essentially, you're setting that microbiome up for success not only for the present 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. But benefits continue to outweigh cost through the full life cycle, including grow-finish. Producers should consult their nutritionist to help determine the proper protocol for their operation.

Not All Probiotics Are Created Equal

Thompson emphasizes the importance of scientific validation in probiotic solutions. “The effectiveness of probiotics depends greatly on the research behind them,” he explains. “Some products in the industry haven't undergone the same level of scientific scrutiny or testing that we believe is essential.”

This highlights why Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition invests significantly in research and development, ensuring that CERTILLUS formulations are based on extensive laboratory testing and field validation rather than assumptions about what might work in diverse production environments.

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 pathogen inhibition data showing how CERTILLUS strains perform against major competitors in inhibiting pathogens like Clostridia and E. coli.

A Solution That Evolves

Perhaps most important, CERTILLUS isn't a static product; 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. 

This is particularly important in the swine industry, where production practices and health challenges continue to evolve. By regularly reassessing and adjusting formulations, CERTILLUS ensures that producers are always getting the most effective solution for their current challenges.

Looking Forward

As the swine industry continues to face challenges from various fronts, solutions that enhance resilience and efficiency without adding management complexity will become increasingly valuable.

“Health challenges are big pain points at times and that's how people use probiotics today,” Thompson notes. “Getting better at informing the customer base about how crucial that early microbial succession is, that gut maturation and establishing the healthy microbiome at a young age is critical to set that animal up for performance success.”

For swine operations looking to enhance their operations, advanced probiotics like CERTILLUS offer a science-backed pathway to improved performance. By supporting gut integrity, optimizing microbial succession and addressing operation-specific pathogen challenges, these solutions help create healthier, more productive animals that can deliver sustainable returns on investment. 

As the industry evolves, this proactive approach to animal health and performance will become an increasingly important component of successful swine management.

Reach out to your Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition representative for more information.