Following a request from the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of the additive Bonvital for chickens for fattening. Bonvital is a preparation of Enterococcus faecium, containing a minimum of 1 x 1010 CFU/g. It is authorised for use in piglets and pigs for fattening, and in sows. The additive is intended to be used in diets for chickens for fattening at the minimum content of 0.5 x 109 and at the maximum content of 2.0 x 109 CFU/kg of complete feedingstuffs. A tolerance study was provided with chickens for fattening. Zootechnical performance was not
adversely affected by the supplementation at 100 times the maximum recommended dose of Bonvital. Therefore, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concludes that the additive is safe for the target animals at the maximum recommended dose.
Based on the efficacy studies provided, a significant improvement on body weight and/or feed to gain ratio was observed in three studies when Bonvital was added to feed at the minimum recommended dose. Therefore, the FEEDAP Panel concludes that there is evidence that Bonvital has the potential to be efficacious when fed to chickens for fattening at the minimum recommended dose.
