What is a concentrated premix?

A premix is a blend of micro ingredients (typically vitamins and minerals) mixed into a carrier substance (usually a mixture of calcium carbonate and rice hulls or wheat middlings). They can be added to final feeds to ensure that animals receive sufficient nutrients. The decision to concentrate or dilute a premix formulation may take into account the order quantity, packaging size, and customer needs in addition to the overall handling characteristics and potential ingredient interactions within a blend. The difference between a concentrated and dilute premix pertains to the inclusion rate in the final feed. Concentrated premixes will have higher nutrient levels (less carrier) and thus usually added at a lower inclusion rate, typically between 0.01 and 0.1 kg/tonne. Whereas dilute premixes will have lower nutrient levels (more carrier) and thus are typically added at a higher inclusion rate between 0.1-1.5 kg per tonne

Precision and stability:

Concentrated premixes typically have greater analytical precision than to dilute premixes. There is a greater potential for analytical error with lower nutrient levels in diluted premixes. For example, Vitamin D3 levels <1MIU/kg can result in up to -/+ 50% analytical variation. The reported values of known vitamin A concentrations increased in accuracy with an increase in vitamin A potency (from 6,000 IU/lb to 10,500 IU/lb) in a broad-scale investigation involving sixteen laboratories (Moore et al., 2010). Further, lower weighments of individual ingredients may vary outside the allowable range of -5 % to 10%. Given the lower weighments, there is a greater risk of uneven distribution of potent ingredients in dilute premixes during production of the final feed, which is especially relevant for species with a narrow safety margin for required nutrients.

Concentrated premixes may also provide greater shelf stability in some premixes. For example, in a 2023-2024 Global Stability study, vitamin A stability was greater in concentrated vitamin premixes (with ~20% carrier) than dilute vitamin premixes (50% and 70% carrier) stored in controlled ambient conditions (25◦C and 60% relative humidity) for up to 12 months.

Volume, transport and storage:

Additional benefits of selecting a more concentrated premix (at a lower inclusion rate) include reduced storage space and, as a result, a decrease in transportation costs and storage space. Concentrated premixes require less volume and, therefore, take up less space in storage and transit, which may be a better option for customers.

Overall, selecting a more concentrated premix has several direct and indirect benefits. For more information on available premixes or product-related questions, please contact a DSM-Firmenich representative.