Sweeteners are used in animal nutrition to positively influence the taste of feedstuffs. They significantly increase feed intake in animals by masking bitter tastes. Common sweeteners used include saccharine, glycyrrhicine, and NHDC, with saccharine being the most well known but having a metallic aftertaste. Sweeteners are added to feeds to improve palatability, though high levels of sugars can cause diarrhoea. Their importance lies in increasing appetite and total calorie intake through improved feed palatability.

1. Flavours (sweetners)
• pleasant feelings
• The possibility of influencing the taste of feedstuffs positively
is by the use of sweeteners
• In pigs and cattle the preference for sweet substances
decreases with age

2. USE OF SWEETENERS IN ANIMAL
NUTRITION
Specie Number of buds
Chicken 24
Cat 473
Calf 25.00
Rabbit 17.00
Dog 1.706

3. What are sweeteners used for?
• Available for consumers who watch their weight
• However, it was realised that the opposite effect was being
achieved.
• These ‘light’ products lead to an increase in weight (because the
appetite is increased by the sweeteners and therefore the total calorie
intake increases as well. )

4. Importance
• Significantly increase feed intake in animals
• Obvious alternative to mask the bitter taste in feedstuffs
• Added to feed to improve palatability
• High application rates of sugar can encourage diarrhoea

5. Criteria
• Registration according to feed law
• Stability (heat, pH)
• Cost effectiveness

6. Non-calorie sweetners used in
AN
Name Origin Intensity of sweetness
compared with sugar
Glycyrrhicine Extract of liqrice root 50-100
saccharine Synthetic 300-400
NHDC = neohesperidin
dihydrochalcon
Hydrated component of
citrus fruits
2000-4500
Thaumain Protein of the katemic plant 200

7. Saccharine
• Best known
• Favourable price
• Its disadvantage is the metallic aftertaste
• Its not long lasting

8. Glycyrrhicine
• Disadvantage applies to glycyrrhicine which has a liquorice-like
aftertaste which is not surprising as liquorice originates from
glycyrrhicine
• Feed intake can be negatively influenced

9. NHDC = neohesperidin
dihydrochalcon
• Metallic taste of saccharine can be masked by the addition of
NHDC.
• NHDC with saccharrine can increase the original additive
sweetening power by up to 80%.
• Effects slowly but is long lasting

10. Thank You  