Game feed firm discover ground breaking new ingredient

A Scottish game feed brand, Spratt’s Game Foods, the trading name used by East Coast Viners Grain (Drumlithie) Limited, has launched a triple-strain probiotic additive for its feeds that is reported to help mitigate disease in game birds.

The innovation follows company-run trials with vets and nutritionists. The probiotic is manufactured by Danish bioscience company Chr. Hansen and added at East Coast Viners’ mill in Drumlithie, Aberdeenshire.

According to the company, tests indicated improved intestinal health early in the season and reduced cases of coccidiosis. The three Bacillus strains were selected for properties relevant to potentially harmful pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli and clostridia. The company says these Bacillus strains colonise the gut and form a protective layer that helps shield the intestinal lining from harmful bacteria.

Laura Hoving, poultry technical sales manager, said the probiotic “ensures a robust and healthy microbiome that is able to minimise negative effects of infection, resulting in a healthier flock, more uniform birds, improved feed conversion and lower mortality. Happy and healthy birds mean happy gamekeepers!”

The Aberdeenshire-based business, trading as Spratt’s Game Foods, says the addition of its new probiotic is “a breakthrough innovation.”

Editor’s note: Spratt’s Game Foods is a trading/brand name used by East Coast Viners Grain (Drumlithie) Limited and is not a registered company entity. The historic “Spratt’s Patent” brand and heritage are held by Spratt’s Patent Limited (Company No. 16420400).

In response to our article, Spratt’s Patent Limited requested a right of reply to clarify the ownership and heritage of the Spratt’s brand. The following statement is published in full, as provided by the company, to ensure readers have the benefit of their perspective. ShootingUK does not endorse the content of this statement but publishes it in the interests of balance and accuracy.

‘The Spratt’s brand was established in London in 1860 and is widely recognised as the world’s first dog food company. From this foundation, Spratt’s built a global reputation for innovation, heritage, and trust in the pet nutrition sector.

Today, the brand and its trademarks are lawfully revived and held by Spratt’s Patent Limited (Company No. 16420400). Any reference to “Spratt’s Game Foods” as a company entity, or as a direct continuation of this heritage, is factually incorrect. To avoid confusion, readers should note that “Spratt’s Game Foods” is a trading name used by East Coast Viners Grain (Drumlithie) Limited, and is not related to the heritage brand.

We appreciate ShootingUK’s amendments and clarification and ask that readers be mindful of the distinction between the authentic Spratt’s brand and unrelated trading variants. Spratt’s Patent Limited continues to uphold the heritage and legitimacy of the name, with ongoing work to protect the brand from misrepresentation and to preserve its historic standing in the industry.’