Minimum inclusion levels of copper and zinc proteinate maintain performance and reduce faecal excretion in growing and finishing pigs

Hernandez et al (200S) found that total dietary levels of 25 ppm copper (Cu) and 40 ppm zinc (Zn), in the sulphate or proteinate form (Bioplex®), reduced the concentration of Cu and Zn in faeces by 80 and 60% respectively and maintained the growth of growing pigs, compared to a diet containing 160 ppm of both Cu and Zn. These results indicated reduced levels of supplemental Cu and Zn might be possible. In the present study we therefore measured the impact of increasing inclusion levels (IL) of Cu together with low (treatments 1-4) or high (treatments S-8) IL of Zn in the Bioplex® form on performance and faecal levels

Performance and gastric ulcers in growing-finishing pigs fed alfalfa hay meal or a coarse-milled pelleted diet

Danish producers using pelleted feed and experiencing problems with gastric ulcers in their herd are sometimes advised to use diets containing alfalfa hay meal or diets that have greater mean particle size. However the effects of such interventions have not fully been investigated. These experiments investigated the effect of alfalfa hay meal and coarser milling in pelleted diets on growth performance and occurrence of gastric ulcers in growing-finishing pigs

Low levels of copper and zinc proteinates maintain a normal mineral status in growing and finishing pigs

A significant reduction in the levels of copper (Cu) (90%) and zinc (Zn) (40%) in the faeces of growing pigs was achieved without affecting pig growth when the inclusion level (IL) of Cu in the diet decreased from 50 ppm to 0 ppm Cu, and Zn from 80 to 40 ppm, both in the Bioplex® form (Hernandez et al, 2007). However it is important to establish if these low mineral levels enabled a normal mineral status to be maintained in the pigs. During digestion, minerals interact with each other and also with digesta components (e.g. phytate), which reduces the amount of each mineral that is absorbed. However it is likely that such interaction is less when minerals are supplied in the organic form due to the protection offered by the amino acid or peptides to which the mineral is chelated during manufacturing (Fairweather-Tait, 1996). In this study we examined the effect of feeding increasing IL of Cu together with low (treatments 1-4) or high (treatments 5-8) IL of Zn in the Bioplex® form on the status of biochemical markers of Cu, Zn and Fe in growing pigs

Only severe gastric ulcers reduce performance in growing-finishing pigs

Ulceration in the pars oesophageal region of the stomach of pigs is frequently registered at slaughter. Pigs with gastric lesions are reported to have lowered productivity (Ayles et al., 1996), but other studies have found no significant effects on performance (Guise et al., 1997). The objective of this study was to quantify the correlation between ulcer severity and growth performance in growing-finishing pigs

Different fibre sources fed to weaner pigs influence production performance and acute phase protein levels

Dietary fibre is fermented by microbiota in the distal gastrointestinal tract (GIT) to short-chain fatty acids (SCF A). Previous studies (e.g., Pluske et al., 2002) have shown differential effects of SCF A on growth performance and the incidence of disease such as post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD), however more recently the SCF A have become recognised as potential mediators in inflammatory and immune functions in the GIT (Vinolo et al., 2011). This experiment examined the effects of infection with an enterotoxigenic strain of E. coli on pig performance, SCF A production, and biomarkers of inflammation after weaning

Intermittent suckling in combination with an older weaning age improves growth, feed intake and aspects of gastrointestinal tract carbohydrate absorption in pigs after weaning

This study tested the hypothesis that intermittent suckling (IS) with or without an older weaning age would improve post-weaning gastrointestinal tract (GIT) carbohydrate absorptive capacity in pigs while reducing post-weaning stress and aspects of the inflammatory response. Three weaning regimes using primiparous sows were compared: (1) conventional weaning (CW28) (n = 22), where piglets were weaned conventionally at day 28; (2) IS28 (n = 21), where IS started at day 21 until weaning at day 28; and (3) IS35 (n = 21), where IS started at day 28 until weaning at day 35. Sugar absorption tests (10% mannitol or 10% galactose) were used to measure GIT absorptive capacity. All measured parameters were compared in relation to weaning across treatments (i.e., different physiological ages were compared). The IS35 pigs grew fastest in the 12 days after weaning (p < 0.01) and had the highest solid feed intake before and after weaning (p < 0.05). Irrespective of treatment, pre-weaning mannitol levels were higher than post-weaning levels (p < 0.01), whereas post-weaning galactose levels were highest in IS35 pigs (p < 0.01). Cytokine data did not show any treatment effects. In conclusion, these data suggest that IS in combination with an older weaning age (day 35) improved post-weaning adaptation as evidenced by improvements in performance measures and galactose absorption. However, IS28 did not improve post-weaning performance

A novel barley β-glucan extract (Glucagel TM) in combination with flax or coconut oil influences cholesterol and triglyceride levels in growing rats

A 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was used to test the hypothesis that inclusion of a novel P-glucan extract (GlucagelTM) in cholesterol-free synthetic diets containing coconut oil or flax oil would lower circulating total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels in growing rats. Inclusion of Glucagel™ (100 g/kg) tended to decrease TC levels (P=0.07), however TC level was not influenced by oil type (P>0.05). A significant interaction (P0.05), respectively. Faecal digestibility of fat was reduced by 7% (P=0.08) in rats fed coconut oil plus P-glucan. These data suggest that reduced TG levels caused by addition of p-glucan may be mediated in part by reduced fat digestion in the small intestine, an effect most likely caused by the unique gel-forming properties of Glucagel

Separate and combined effects of oligofructose and inulin on post-weaning coli bacillosis and weight gain: a preliminary study

Trends for a reduction in the use of dietary antibiotic growth promoters have caused increased interest in the use of alternative feed additives to maintain 'gut health' after weaning. Oligofructose and inulin are 'prebiotic' fructan-containing carbohydrates purported to enhance 'gut health' in newly-weaned pigs by altering microbial diversity (Konstantinov, et al., 2003). However, their effects using a challenge model of post-weaning colibacillosis (PWC) have never been examined. The aim of the present study was to compare the separate and combined effects of oligofructose and inulin supplementation on the occurrence of diarrhoea and the weight performance in piglets experimentally challenged with enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC)