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Comparison of Oregano Oil for Animals

Malcolm Mottram

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Summary

  • Not all oregano oil products are equal.
  • Make sure the formulation has the active constituents to meet your needs. Also make sure it is formulated in a way that ensures optimum and consistent performance. With Oregano oil an effective emulsification process is important in the formulation.
  • Sourcing from dedicated growers and regions will ensure consistency and take out biological variation.
  • Make sure the product offered has supporting evidence for the claims it makes.
  • Regano meets all the key criteria when comparing oregano oils and extracts.
  • A good overview of what to look for can be seen on the youtube video

 

https://youtu.be/RwvnDq2DWSM

 

There are many different Oregano sources and products being offered to the marketplace. The claimed level of active constituents can vary considerably and while they may technically all meet the definition of oregano extract, there is great variability in purity, activity and performance. So, what should you look forward when comparing oregano extracts for animal production/feed?

 

    1. Formulation of constituents to achieve your goals (economics & specific challenge)
      1. Essential oil/phenols have been shown to have anti-microbial, protozoa and fungal effects. The most recognizable and important constituents from oregano oil are carvacrol and thymol. However, it’s important to have those constituents in the right ratio and to understand that in oregano extracts there is 34 constituents that all contribute in some way. Getting the right combination of phytochemicals and getting them consistently performing is critical in the formulation.
      2. If you’ve got the right actives from pure oregano oil, how is it formulated to ensure optimum performance is essential? Oregano oil is just that an oil. Oil must work in an aqueous (water) environment so having an effective emulsifier in the formulation is critical.
    2. Methods for ensuring consistency of constituents
      1. Each plant can have dozens of different varieties which won’t have the same levels of essential oils/constituents. Even the same variety from different regions and agronomic practices will produce different results. We would suggest you ask, how the product formulated is sourced and how consistency is managed within that sourcing procedure.
      2. The manufacturing process and formulation must meet standards and external audits. FAMI QS or GMP are well known and well accepted in animal production.
    3. Ensuring effectiveness in the animal & application
      1. This is a relatively simple item. Make sure that the product works. Where is the evidence supporting the claimed application? Because it says “oregano extract” don’t accept it at face value. There is too much variation in products being offered on the market NOT to ask this question.
      2. I will say that proprietary formulations make this question very important. We can all understand the need for commercial confidence, but we MUST have the confidence in the product and its formulation.

Conclusion
There is growing pressure to reduce the use of antibiotics and essential oils, especially oregano oils are a viable option. However, the understanding of what makes up an oregano oil that works maybe doesn’t have the level of scrutiny expected. The three simple questions above will go a long way to help you. Its what we’ve used when asking why is Regano the best Oregano oil for our clients? Regano has the following attributes:

 

      1. Ideal ratio of carvacrol and thymol formulated with a patented microfusion emulsification process.
      2. Souring of raw material is through contracted growers in a defined region that meets the raw material specifications every year.
      3. Research and commercial use supporting the claimed applications.

A good overview of what to look for can be seen on the youtube video
https://youtu.be/RwvnDq2DWSM



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