Fast Facts on DeStress
The science foundation underlying DeStress comes from many years of ground breaking research on stress impacts in livestock led by veteran agriculture research scientist Dr. Al Schaefer, based in Lacombe, Alta., Canada.
“DeStress is an extensively researched tool that gives producers and industry a new way o support animal welfare while improving economics at the same time,” says Schaefer, Science Lead for DeStress Nutritional Technology. “It’s an excellent fit with the pressures livestock sectors face today.”
Here are fast facts to know about DeStress:
The company
DeStress Nutritional Technology researches, develops and manufactures innovative nutritional technology products for animal feed.
It is headquartered in Alberta, Canada with a dedicated team and network serving expanding markets in North America and more broadly internationally.
The technology
Nutritional therapy is an emerging area of innovation in animal agriculture and performance animal industries. It involves the application of leading-edge nutrition science to promote health, welfare and peak performance with the animals.
DeStress is a pioneer and leader in bringing the benefits of nutritional therapy to animal agriculture and performance animal industries, through innovative animal feed products using the DeStress Nutritional Technology platform.
A major focus is protecting animals from the damaging effects of stress experienced in a variety of situations, such as transport, handling, regrouping, parturition, weaning and performance. DeStress guards against costly “stress loss” and support healthy, well cared for, high performing animals.
The products
Current product formulations include DeStress-Ruminants, DeStress-Swine and DeStress-Equine. Nutrition components custom tailored in the formulations include energy sources, electrolytes and bypass amino acids.
Formulations are designed to support, maintain and replenish critical nutritional needs in the face of stress, while also triggering additional positive and “calming” physiological responses.
The benefits
DeStress is a “triple win” technology – producing benefits for producers/industry, animals and consumers. It supports higher profitability for livestock operations and packers. It supports enhanced animal welfare. It supports higher quality products.
It also fits well with the expectations of today’s marketplace for animal-friendly, environmentally friendly, bio-based solutions supporting sustainable production.
Trials results examples
Among key examples:
- For cattle, packer trials evaluating post transport treatment show 10 percent improvement in quality grade with DeStress nutritional therapy. Trials evaluating results of pre-transport treatment show a significant improvement in carcass yield. Reduction in shrinkage rates represent 15 to 30 lbs on a 1,500 lb, market weight animal.
- With swine, research site trials show nearly 60 percent reduction in live weight loss in market pigs and over 45 percent reduction in frequency of aggressive acts with use of DeStress nutritional therapy.
Additional data is available on request.
Posted on March 10, 2017 by Brad Brinkworth
