Organic Trace Minerals for Swine Health Management Helps Improve Gut Health without High Levels of Zinc Oxide

Previously, we discussed how the zinc oxide ban in high levels changes swine health management and how to support weaning piglets with alternative solutions to zinc oxide.

Our industry continues to be challenged with the loss of technologies that have helped us improve pork production for many years. One of those resources is the use of pharmacological levels of zinc oxide – 2,000 ppm or higher – to reduce diarrhea in piglets. Beginning in June 2022, the use of zinc oxide at high levels was banned across the European Union (EU). In France, the ban took effect in January 2021. So we, as an industry, must continue looking for alternative methods to control and prevent bacterial infections in your herds.

Discovering Alternative Solutions to Zinc Oxide to Support Animal Growth Performance

Our expertise and commitment to producing responsibly raised pork have already led us to implement innovative solutions to this challenge. A few that we touched in our previous article about alternative solutions to zinc oxide included:

• The addition of specific enzymes
• Reducing protein and balancing amino acids in feed
• Utilizing inert fiber
• Acidification

Another tactic that can help reduce bacterial infections and diarrhea in herds is to include zinc from Zinpro® Availa® Zn. It is more absorbable than inorganic sources, like zinc oxide, and has been proven to strengthen tight junctions and boost piglet intestinal integrity and immunity. This allows you to reduce diarrhea in piglets even while supplementing with much lower levels of zinc.

Organic Trace Minerals Aid in Growth Performance and Supports the Pig Digestive System

Multiple studies have evaluated the effectiveness of Zinpro Availa Zn as part of a strategy to reduce the need for high levels of zinc oxide. On one farm in Denmark, a veterinarian did a similar comparison of pigs fed a high level of 2,500 ppm of zinc oxide, 100 ppm of zinc oxide and 250 ppm of zinc from Zinpro Availa Zn. As expected, the diet with the high levels of zinc oxide had the biggest impact, reducing diarrhea treatments by more than 80% compared with the diet with 100 ppm of zinc oxide. But the diet with Zinpro Availa Zn, even at levels just one-tenth of those in the high-level diet, reduced diarrhea treatments by 50% compared to the diet with 100 ppm of zinc oxide.

On another farm, piglets were provided a special feed formulation that included either zinc oxide at high (2,500 ppm) or low levels (100 ppm), or zinc from Zinpro Availa Zn at a low level (110 ppm). The pigs fed Zinpro Availa Zn experienced similar growth performance, feed conversion ratio and number of diarrhea treatments to diets containing pharmacological levels of zinc oxide.

These two situations show us that supplementing piglet diets with zinc from Zinpro Availa Zn can help reduce diarrhea and be an essential part of a complex solution to make high levels of zinc oxide unnecessary in pork production.

Prevention of Scours in Pigs is Essential with Alternatives to Zinc Oxide

The EU zinc oxide ban in 2022 could influence future regulations in other regions around the world. So pork producers like you must find new, innovative ways to reduce diarrhea in your piglets.

Diarrhea in piglets can be controlled with strict management and biosecurity protocols, proper cleaning procedures and appropriate environmental controls. However, even with all of those practices in place, we still need to improve herd health by preventing bacterial infections and enhancing immune competence through a excellent nutritional program that includes Zinpro® Performance Minerals®.

Our industry continues to look for alternate ways to boost intestinal integrity and reduce the risk of diarrhea in piglets without the use of high levels of zinc oxide. It’s always a good idea to supplement zinc in your pig’s diet, but you’ll get the best boost with zinc from Zinpro Availa Zn.

To learn more about how zinc oxide regulations could affect your pork production operation and explore the value of Zinpro Availa Zn, reach out to your Zinpro representative today.

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