Plandai Biotechnology, Inc. (OTC Markets: PLPL) (the “Company” or “Plandai”), a producer of nutraceutical and highly phyto-available extracts, is pleased to report positive results from chicken studies on how Phytofare® infused SORBEO™ is beneficial as a feed additive in poultry diets.

The commercial studies demonstrated on average a 7% increase in weight at a lower mortality rate for the chicks. Extrapolating the data from the experiment and projecting it to what the potential effect could be for a broiler farm indicates that over a period of one year the profit per chick can be increased by up to 18%. This equates to increased profitability for the producer as the chicks reach weight faster, and on less feed, while also having more birds reach maturity. Earlier studies showed that there was no change in taste, color or appearance in the meat of birds fed a diet supplemented by Phytofare®–a true win-win for the poultry industry.

SORBEO™ proprietary PREMIX is an affordable and cost-effect formulation that is recovered from live green tea leaf and consists of a proprietary complex of all eight catechins, caffeine, amino acids, minerals and other phytonutrients.

Red Gold Biotechnologies (Pty) Limited, Deltamune (Pty) Limited, and LabServe, have undertaken ethics-approved clinical pen and commercial studies to determine the wellness benefits of improved gut maintenance to the poultry industry provided by the use of Phytofare® in the SORBEO™ proprietary PREMIX. The studies examined the benefits of Phytofare® when delivered in a low dosage formulated in liposome iotas, then added to feed formulations which were fed to the control groups of chickens. Four scientifically documented studies independently validated that Phytofare® catechins were transferred to and remained in the chicken plasma for more than 24 hours.

These overall pen study findings have established that Phytofare® formulated in Liposome Iotas and mixed with chicken feed, delivers a notable benefit to the growth performance of broilers. Commercialization of SORBEO™ proprietary Phytofare® premix commenced in October 2017 in new studies at Mikon Farming Sidwale Caves, Mpumalanga South Africa, with control and Phytofare® poultry houses each containing flocks of 14,000 birds.

The findings showed that the Phytofare® group had an overall weight increase with lower mortality levels and improved co-efficiency ratios when measured against the control group. The treated group weighed on average 7% more at the time of slaughter than the control group. The difference between the treated group and the control group were noticeable from week 1 (2%) and slowly increased to 7% at slaughter. At the same time the weight-coefficient variance percentage (CV%) of the treated group was 10% lower than the control group. The difference in CV% between the treated group and control was evident as well from the first week and the difference increased over time as well. Feed intake for the treated group was only 3% higher than the control group although the weight advantage was at 7%.

Extrapolating data from the experiment and projecting it to what the potential effect could be for a broiler farm has indicated that over a period of a year the profit per bird space can be increased by up to 18% over current values. This was based on the fact that with earlier slaughter by two days per cycle an additional cycle could be fitted in every 15th cycle while also having lower feed costs per bird.  That value was multiplied by the improved performance of the treated group over the control group. Add to that the anti-microbial effects of SORBEO™ PREMIX on pathogenic bacteria and it is likely that mortality rates will decrease as well leading to further improved profits. With increasing pressure from the World Health Organization, consumers, food processors and retailers to eliminate antibiotics from the feed of the broilers, SORBEO™ PREMIX can make this huge difference.  If the performance is even better, and results in slaughter three or four days earlier, the effect on profit is even more dramatic.

The beneficial effects of green tea catechins have been studied in poultry and are well documented; however, the bioavailability of green tea extracts is extremely low due to poor absorption and retention after passing through the stomach and gizzard.  Furthermore, the poor bioavailability of all other green tea extracts has restricted the commercialization of using catechins as a feed supplement, with further difficulties airing from the otherwise high dosage levels that would be required to achieve a clinical effect also impacting taste to the consumer.