The farming industry is constantly evolving, and new technologies are emerging to help farmers increase productivity while ensuring the health and care of animals and crops.

One such technology is local manufacturer Pratley’s Clinomix, a “high-tech zeolite-based feed additive”, which is registered as a stock remedy with the South African Department of Agriculture.

Clinomix is a natural zeolite-based mineral that does not contain any harmful chemicals and ensures sustainability in the farming industry. Its desiccant properties help to reduce the caking of the feed, keeping it free-flowing and allowing for the uniform mixing of all the ingredients throughout the feed.

Its unique cation exchange, molecular sieving and surface structure have considerable benefits when mixed into animal feed, explains Pratley marketing director Eldon Kruger, who says the additive is “also extremely effective as a mycotoxin binder”, which is a crucial factor in advancing and ensuring animal health and wellbeing.

Mycotoxins are harmful toxins that can proliferate in certain feeds and can have serious health consequences for animals. Pratley’s Clinomix, however, effectively binds these toxins to ensure that they pass safely through the gastrointestinal tract without being absorbed into the animal’s body.

The efficacy of Clinomix as a mycotoxin binder was confirmed by tests conducted by South African National Accreditation System’s approved SGS Agrifood Laboratory, where it was found to be over 99.9% effective, he adds.

To conduct the test, an animal feed sample was spiked with a huge number of mycotoxins and then treated with Clinomix. Kruger says the results concluded that Clinomix is “extremely effective at binding mycotoxins”.

“In a sample in which the initial aflatoxin count was 4 196 µg/kg, the total aflatoxins dropped to below 4 µg/kg. This amounts to more than 99.9% of aflatoxin binding,” he explains.

Further, farmers in drought-stricken areas, such as the Eastern Cape, often mix urea (NPN) into their feed to increase the uptake of protein for the animal.

However, feeding too much urea can generate high levels of ammonia, which can be toxic, he adds.

“Clinomix effectively absorbs excess ammonia, keeping the animal healthy and enabling the farmer to feed more NPN, resulting in a healthier animal that eats more and gains weight faster.”

The feed additive is also said to have a probiotic effect by providing a suitable environment within the animal gut, where beneficial intestinal flora can flourish.

“In vitro studies have shown that the production of some natural antibiotics by nonpathogenic microbes is significantly increased. Odour is reduced by the absorption of excess ammonia in the feed, and the fecal moisture is reduced by the superior desiccant properties of Clinomix. All of this, ultimately, improves animal health and lowers mortality,” Kruger says.

Overall, he notes that the feed additive has been “received extremely well” and that it is used extensively by farmers, especially in drought-stricken areas. It also assists farmers in high-humidity regions, which he says are “renowned for the existence of mycotoxins in animal feed”.

The product is distributed through most co-ops throughout the country, Kruger adds.

Pratley also produces Clinoxin, a natural zeolite-based remedy aimed specifically at the poultry industry. The company is also well known for its perlite-based growing medium Grolite, which improves the growth of seedlings and other plants and is currently extensively used in the horticultural industry.

“One of the cornerstones of Pratley is research and development, and we do a lot of it. The farming industry is very important to Pratley, and we are constantly developing new products to meet farmers’ needs and improve the economics and sustainability of farming in South Africa,” Kruger concludes.