Strong Performance of OceanFeed in poultry trial

Ocean Harvest Technology Group PLC

02 November 2023

 

2 November 2023

Ocean Harvest Technology Group plc

("OHT", the "Company", or the "Group")

Strong Performance of OceanFeed in poultry trial with necrotic enteritis challenge

Ocean Harvest Technology Group Plc (AIM: OHT), a leading researcher, developer and supplier of blended seaweed products as an additive for the global animal feed industry, announces the results of a recent study designed to show the effect of OceanFeed^TM Poultry ("OFP") on performance in necrotic enteritis ("NE") challenged broilers or meat chickens.

The trial, which demonstrated encouraging results, was conducted at the Southern Poultry Research Group in Georgia USA, which is globally recognised as a leading poultry health and nutrition research institute.  A summary of the trial results is below:

·      Sample size of 200 birds

·      Mortality reduced significantly from 49% to 33% (P<0.05) in the group which had OceanFeed^TM Poultry included in their diet

·      Enhanced weight gain and improved intestinal lesion scores in the OceanFeed^TM Poultry group

·      Data supports existing research on the ability of OceanFeed^TM to bind the pathogen Clostridium perfringens, the bacteria causing NE

Such data enhances the use case of OFP in the global poultry industry and will be useful data in discussions with customers currently using and/or looking to use OFP.

Market Opportunity:

The global poultry sector faces an annual cost of up to US$6bn from the impact of NE, according to the Poultry Federation*. Necrotic enteritis is a disease endemic to poultry, stemming from the overgrowth of the pathogen Clostridium perfringens in the gut, which tends to increase in prominence with the reduced usage of in feed antibiotics.  With consumer and regulatory pressure globally to reduce or eliminate the use of antibiotics in animal production, helping producers combat NE using a natural and sustainable feed ingredient is increasingly important.

Mark Williams, CEO of OHT, commented:

 "We are very pleased to see these results.  We have previously released trial data which demonstrates improved growth rates and feed conversion ratios in broilers and improved egg production, egg quality and feed conversion in laying hens with the dietary inclusion of OceanFeed^TM.  This new data shows the additional benefits of significantly lower mortality in the presence of a necrotic enteritis challenge, highlighting the greater potential commercial advantages for customers using OceanFeed^TM Poultry in their diets."

"This is another example of how the ongoing R&D program at OHT is demonstrating multiple commercial and health benefits in numerous animal species from the inclusion of OceanFeed^TM in their diets."

*Source: BROOM, L. (2017). Necrotic enteritis; current knowledge and diet-related mitigation. World's Poultry Science Journal, 73(2), 281-292. doi:10.1017/S0043933917000058

For more information please contact:

Ocean Harvest Technology Group plc	Tel: [phone]
Mark Williams, CEO
Cavendish Financial Ltd (Nominated Adviser and Sole Broker)	Tel: [phone]
Geoff Nash / Seamus Fricker / George Dollemore (Corporate Finance) Charlotte Sutcliffe / Harriet Ward (ECM)
Camarco (Financial PR Adviser)	Tel: [phone]
Tom Huddart / Rosie Driscoll / Letaba Rimell	[e-mail]

Notes to Editors

Ocean Harvest Technology Group plc is a global leader in the development and commercialisation of value adding products from multiple species of seaweed. The Company provides a range of natural ingredients focused on improving animal performance whilst protecting the environment, through its unique and proven intellectual property portfolio. The Company's products are produced in its facility in Vietnam from seaweeds soured from multiple markets across the world.

For more information, please visit www.oceanharvesttechnology.com.

 

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