How can sow productivity and health be improved?

Sow reproductive performance is central to profitable sow production. Providing the proper nutrition throughout the sow’s reproductive cycle — from gestation to farrowing and lactation — will enhance the sow’s performance and longevity and will provide benefits for her piglets, too.

Signs of poor sow productivity and health

• Reduced feed intake
• Poor viable piglets
• Low-birthweight piglets
• Reduced colostrum and milk supply
• Longer wean-to-service interval
• Increased sow mortality

Causes of poor sow productivity and health

• Inadequate nutrition: Nutrition plays a critical role in sow productivity.  Maintaining the proper nutrition and body condition score (BCS) from gestation to farrowing to lactation improves the sow’s health and piglet viability.
• Stress: Heat stress can reduce reproductive performance and feed intakes, both of which can lead to decreased milk production and poor piglet growth.
• Mycotoxins in feedstuffs: The presence of mycotoxins in feedstuffs can greatly reduce production potential, cause abortions and/or stillbirths and negatively impact overall sow health, if not properly addressed.

3 ways to improve sow productivity and health

1. Increase mineral absorption: Provide minerals that are better absorbed and utilized, such as the organic trace minerals found in Bioplex® and Sel-Plex®. Studies have shown that providing a better mineral source can lower the number of small pigs without affecting the size of the pigs that are an adequate size.
2. Maintain a quality nutrition program: This can help provide a proper immune response to vaccination, resulting in improved herd health and colostral antibody production.
3. Improve gut health: Diseases, stress and poor growth can all be managed and potentially avoided with a healthy gut and strong immunity.

Improving sow productivity and health will help to improve overall sow reproductive health and performance.

Les gens interprètent la durabilité de différentes manières. D'où l'incertitude et la discorde que ce sujet peut susciter dans les discussions. Contrairement à d'autres industries, le secteur agroalimentaire a la particularité d'être un fournisseur de solutions lorsqu'il s'agit d'atténuer les émissions et de soutenir la biodiversité dans nos environnements locaux. L'alimentation animale fait partie intégrante d'un élevage laitier et bovin rentable et efficace. Par conséquent, la production d'aliments pour animaux joue un rôle crucial dans la manière dont nous réduisons l'impact environnemental associé au système alimentaire.

Renforcer les maillons de notre chaîne

La COVID-19 a souligné la nécessité de systèmes alimentaires résilients. La capacité de production d'aliments pour animaux est directement liée à la quantité de nourriture disponible pour la consommation humaine et, en fait, à la sécurité alimentaire générale. L'expérience d'Alltech dans 128 pays montre que des chaînes d'approvisionnement en aliments pour animaux durables et efficaces sont pertinentes pour la production de bétail à petite échelle jusqu'à certains des plus grands intégrateurs du monde. Un défi croissant pour l'industrie de l'alimentation animale est la concurrence avec les humains pour des sources d'alimentation similaires. Cela remet en question l'inclusion d'additifs alimentaires pour améliorer l'efficacité du rumen et l'exploration d'ingrédients alimentaires sur mesure que seuls les ruminants peuvent utiliser. L'alimentation animale durable a été et est pratiquée. Grâce au réseau unique d'Alltech composé de huit laboratoires IFM™ (modèle de fermentation in vitro) répartis dans le monde entier, nous pouvons vérifier plus en détail l'efficacité de l'alimentation et déterminer s'il est possible de réduire les émissions et d'améliorer la rentabilité des producteurs.

Pouvez-vous le vérifier ?

Il ne suffit plus de revendiquer une faible empreinte carbone pour votre système de production animale ou votre alimentation animale. Cela doit être soutenu par des preuves répétables, mesurables et vérifiables. Alltech E-CO2 a développé le modèle Feeds EA™ pour aider les fabricants et producteurs d'aliments pour animaux à l'échelle mondiale à mesurer et à réduire l'empreinte carbone de leurs aliments. Feeds EA mesure l'impact environnemental de la production d'aliments pour animaux au niveau de la fabrique d'aliments en évaluant les effets des composés ou des mélanges existants. Pour ce faire, on calcule les émissions de gaz à effet de serre liées à la production, à la culture, à la transformation, à l'utilisation de l'énergie et au transport dans la fabrication des aliments pour animaux. Feeds EA™ peut calculer les émissions à partir d'une base de données de plus de 300 ingrédients, notamment des matières premières, des produits à base de soja, des sous-produits et des additifs. 

En réduisant le gaspillage alimentaire grâce à des initiatives de type agriculture circulaire, nous pouvons être confiants quant à la résilience de nos systèmes de production alimentaire pour adopter une utilisation plus efficace des ressources. Cela est illustré par des initiatives telles que l'apport de sous-produits aux ruminants et la fermeture des boucles de nutriments. En réduisant de manière vérifiable les pertes et les déchets alimentaires dans nos systèmes de production animale, nous pouvons continuer à défendre avec force les solutions durables que notre secteur offre pour ralentir le rythme du changement climatique.

Réduire les déchets

L'agriculture de précision et son application à la nutrition animale ont été prouvées dans de récentes méta-analyses Alltech sur la recherche en matière de produits laitiers (Salami et al., 2021) et de viande bovine (Salami et al., 2020) pour réduire l'impact environnemental grâce à une meilleure utilisation de l'azote dans les systèmes de ruminants. Il a été démontré que la supplémentation en Optigen® à travers les régimes laitiers permettait de :

• Améliorer l'efficacité de l'utilisation de l'azote chez les bovins laitiers de 4%, grâce à une meilleure capture de l'azote dans le rumen.
• Réduire l'excrétion d'azote dans le fumier de 12-13 g d'azote/vache/jour.

Ces données suggèrent, par exemple, que l'utilisation d'Optigen pourrait réduire l'excrétion annuelle d'azote dans le fumier du secteur laitier américain d'une moyenne de 51 509 tonnes métriques d'azote par rapport à la production annuelle de lait.

En d'autres termes, cette approche vise à fournir "la bonne quantité d'azote, au bon moment et au bon endroit" afin de contribuer à la réduction des déchets dans les exploitations. Les résultats de la méta-analyse ont également montré que l'utilisation d'Optigen dans les régimes alimentaires des vaches laitières permettait de réduire les émissions de carbone d'environ 54 g de CO2e par kg de lait. Extrapolé à la production annuelle de lait du secteur laitier allemand, par exemple, cela équivaudrait à une réduction des émissions de carbone de 1,8 million de tonnes métriques de CO2e. Une telle économie de carbone représente 16 % de l'objectif de réduction totale pour l'agriculture allemande d'ici à 2030.

Une analyse de simulation basée sur les résultats de la méta-analyse a indiqué que l'alimentation de 1 000 vaches laitières avec Optigen permettrait de

• Augmenter le revenu par rapport aux coûts d'alimentation de 18 000 $.
• Réduire l'empreinte carbone du troupeau de 647 tonnes métriques de CO2e. Cette réduction de carbone équivaut à retirer 424 voitures de la circulation ou à réduire la consommation d'électricité de 436 maisons.

La méta-analyse sur la recherche en matière de viande bovine a mis en évidence la façon dont le remplacement partiel des protéines végétales par Optigen a permis une amélioration constante du gain de poids vif et de l'efficacité alimentaire des bovins. Les nombreux effets positifs comprenaient une augmentation moyenne du gain de poids vif (de 8%) et une meilleure efficacité alimentaire (de 8%), l'inclusion d'ensilage de maïs renforçant les effets d'Optigen.

Une analyse de simulation basée sur ces avantages a indiqué que l'utilisation d'Optigen pour faire gagner 440 livres à 1 000 bovins permettrait de

• Réduire le temps jusqu'à l'abattage de 9 jours.
• Réduire les coûts d'alimentation de 18 000 $.
• Une réduction de l'empreinte carbone de l'unité de production de viande bovine de 111 tonnes de CO2e. Cette économie de carbone équivaut à retirer 73 voitures de la circulation ou à réduire la consommation d'électricité de 75 maisons.

La durabilité n'a pas à avoir un coût

Réduire l'impact environnemental de l'alimentation animale n'implique pas de diminuer les revenus des acteurs du système alimentaire. Des grandes exploitations laitières des États-Unis aux 300 millions de vaches laitières réparties dans de petites exploitations en Inde, Alltech a une expérience de première main de la façon dont les solutions durables sont devenues non négociables dans l'alimentation animale. L'agriculture rentable est naturellement en tête de ce programme. L'alimentation animale représentant généralement le coût variable le plus important dans la production de produits animaux, il est de la responsabilité de l'entreprise de s'assurer que nous minimisons les pertes et les gaspillages de nourriture.

La production d'aliments pour animaux a humblement sous-tendu le système alimentaire qui a permis la croissance de la population mondiale au cours des 150 dernières années. Il est maintenant temps de reconnaître cette contribution unique et la façon dont elle sert également à découvrir et à mettre en œuvre des technologies qui réduisent l'impact environnemental des produits animaux et soutiennent l'économie circulaire.

Compte tenu du fait que les efforts de durabilité doivent avoir un sens tant sur le plan environnemental qu'économique, ne manquez pas notre blog 6 conseils pour optimiser les réserves de protéines et réduire vos coûts d'alimentation.

Besin takviyesi yoluyla bağışıklık fonksiyonunu etkileme potansiyeli, özellikle antibiyotik kullanımını azaltma, tıbbi ve hayvan sağlığında kullanılan anti mikrobiyallere karşı direnç gelişimini en aza indirme isteği nedeniyle ilgi kazanmıştır.

Bir ineğin mineral gereksinimleri, yaş, gebelik evresi ve laktasyon evresi gibi çeşitli faktörlerden etkilenir. Şekil 1., optimum bağışıklık tepkisi için bazı besinler bakımından, gereksinimin, büyüme ve üreme gereksiniminden daha büyük olduğunu göstermektedir. Sığırlar, yeterli büyüme ve üreme performansı için yeterli mineral alımına sahip olabilir ancak optimal bağışıklık performansına sahip olmayabilir. Klinik eksiklik belirtileri belirgin hale geldiğinde, bağışıklık, büyüme ve doğurganlık zaten tehlikeye girmiştir.

Şekil 1. Vitamin ve iz mineral fonksiyonu (Wiske, 1992, Texas A&M University, Veterinerlik Besi Sığırı Kursu).

Mastitis, süt endüstrisinde maliyetli bir hastalıktır ve ortaya çıkması, ineklerin hastalığa karşı direncini veya bağışıklık durumunu belirtmek için kullanılabilir. Besin takviyesi, mastitis insidans oranlarında azalmaya yardımcı olabilecek bir araçtır, ancak iyi yönetim uygulamaları da izlenmelidir. Bu tür uygulamalara örnek olarak sağım öncesi ve sonrası meme ucu daldırma, kuru dönem tedavisi ve ineklere temiz, kuru bir ortam sağlanması dahildir.

200.000 hücre/ml somatik hücre sayısı (SHS) ile bile, sürüdeki ineklerin memelerinin %6'sının enfekte olması muhtemeldir.

Bu SHS seviyesi, tipik bir sürüde ikinci ve daha ileri laktasyondaki inekler için üretim periyodu boyunca yaklaşık 181 kg süt kaybına neden olur. Düşük SHS'na sahip çiftlikler genellikle uygun yönetim uygulamalarını takip eder ve ek besinler bu uygulamaları tamamlar. Süt endüstrisindeki mevcut ekonomik eğilimler ile üreticinin süt üretiminin her alanında verimliliği sağlaması gerekmektedir. Mastitisin kontrolü, genel kârlılığa katkıda bulunan alanlardan yalnızca biridir.

Üreme performansı, günlük süt üretimini, mevcut ikame sayısını ve sürü içindeki seçici sürüden çıkarma fırsatlarını belirler. Süt ineklerinin infertilitesini etkileyen birçok faktör vardır ve iz mineral takviyesinin yeterliliği bunlardan biridir.

İz minerallerin rolü

Selenyum ve E vitamini vücudun enfeksiyondan korunmasında kritik bir role sahiptir. E vitamini, hücre zarının serbest radikallerin oksidatif hasarından korunmasında önemlidir ve selenyum, glutatyon peroksidazın bir bileşenidir.

Glutatyon peroksidaz, hücre içindeki serbest radikallerin iç oksidatif hasarını sınırlayan bir enzimdir. Bu besinlerin eksiklikleri, yutulan bakterileri yok etmek ve mastitis insidansını ve şiddetini azaltmak için gerekli olan meme bezindeki hücrenin fagositik kabiliyetini azaltabilir.

Bakır ve bileşikleri, enfeksiyonları ve hastalıkları azaltmada rol oynadığı bağışıklık sisteminde önemli bir role sahiptir. Bakır eksiklikleri ayrıca plasentanın atılamaması, embriyonik ölüm ve düşük gebelik oranları ile ilişkilendirilmiştir. Yetersiz bakır (Cu) durumu, buzağılamada enfeksiyon insidansının artması, enfeksiyonların ciddiyetinin artması ve Cu açısından yeterli sığırlarda görülenden daha yüksek SHS ile ilişkili olabilir.

Bakır, ayrıca aerobik solunum sırasında elektron taşınması için gerekli olan sitokrom oksidaz; güçlü kemik ve bağ dokuları için lisil oksidaz; hemoglobin sentezi için gerekli olan seruloplazmin ve hücreleri oksijen metabolitlerinin toksik etkilerinden koruyan süperoksit dismutaz gibi enzimlerin bir bileşenidir.

Mangan, karbonhidratların, yağların, proteinlerin ve nükleik asitlerin metabolizmasındaki enzimler için bir kofaktördür. Normal beyin fonksiyonu için gereklidir ve uygun bağışıklık fonksiyonu ve yara iyileşmesi için önemlidir. Mangan kollajen oluşumunda, kemik büyümesinde, üre oluşumunda, yağ asidi sentezinde, kolesterol sentezinde ve protein sindiriminde rol oynar.

Çinko, süperoksit dismutazın temel bir unsuru olarak bağışıklığın ayrılmaz bir parçasıdır. Karbonhidratların, proteinlerin, lipidlerin ve nükleik asitlerin metabolizmasını etkileyen diğer enzim sistemlerinde de önemlidir. Çinko, yara iyileşmesinde, epitel doku onarımında ve hücresel bütünlüğün korunmasında esastır.

Meme kanalının içini kaplayan ve patojenlere karşı fiziksel ve kimyasal bir bariyer görevi görerek memeye giren patojenlere karşı korunmaya yardımcı olan madde olan keratin, oluşumu için çinkoya ihtiyaç duyar. Çinko eksiklikleri cinsel olgunluğu geciktirir, fetal anormalliklere neden olabilir ve prostaglandin sentezini değiştirebilir.

Mineral kaynakları

Son on yılda, yemde sağlanan minerallerin şekli pek çok araştırmanın odak noktası olmuştur. Kirlilik ve hayvansal üretimle ilgili endişeler, organik bir ligandla şelatlı minerallerin gelişmesine yol açmıştır. Bu, onları hayvan ve bitki materyalinde bulunan minerallerin formuna benzer kılar ve inorganik mineral kaynaklarına (sülfatlar, oksitler ve selenit) kıyasla yemle verildiğinde daha iyi emilim ve kullanım sağlar.

Mineral proteinatlar (B-Plex iz mineralleri gibi) organik çinko, bakır, mangan ve kobalt kaynağı olarak geliştirilmiştir. Proteinli mineraller, tek amino asit şelatları ve kısa zincirli peptit şelatlarının bir karışımıdır. Bazı mineraller, elektrokimyasal özelliklerinden dolayı doğal olarak şelatlanamazlar. Böyle bir örnek selenyumdur. Selenyumun organik bir formunu üretmek için, onu maya fermantasyonu için bir substrat olarak tedarik etmek gerekir. Mineral, maya (Sel-Plex) içinde seleno-amino asitlere metabolize edilir.

Neden daha fazla inorganik mineral kaynağı ile takviye yapmıyorsunuz?

Düşük biyoyararlanımları nedeniyle, inorganik mineraller kullanılırken ilgili çevresel kaygılar da dahil olmak üzere çeşitli sorunlar ortaya çıkabilir. Çalışmalar, salmonella gibi bakteriler yüksek bakır ve çinko seviyelerine tolerans geliştirdiğinden, eser minerallerin aşırı takviyesinin domuz işletmelerinde antibiyotik direncini artırabileceğini göstermiştir. İnorganik mineraller çeşitli mineral ve vitamin etkileşimlerine sahip olabilir ve normal biyolojik süreçlere müdahale ederek antagonistler olarak hizmet edebilirler.

Organik mineral formları beslemenin faydaları

Hakemli bilimsel araştırmalar, yalnızca organik eser minerallerle takviye edildiğinde süt ineklerinde avantajlar göstermiştir. Kinal ve ark., inorganik kaynaklara (sülfat) kıyasla sadece proteinli mineral formları kullanıldığında laktasyonun ilk iki ayında daha fazla süt üretimi göstermiştir. Ek olarak, inorganik minerallerle desteklenmiş ineklere kıyasla organik minerallerle desteklenmiş ineklerde somatik hücre sayısı daha düşüktür.

Scaletti ve Harmon tarafından yürütülen araştırma, ineklere bakır sülfattan gelen bakır ile aynı miktarda bakır proteinat takviyesi yapıldığında, meme içi bir E. coli enfeksiyonuna yanıt olarak sütteki bakteri sayısının azaldığını ve süt üretiminin arttığını göstermiştir. Boland ve ark., süt ineği rasyonlarına organik minerallerin eklendiği üç deneme gerçekleştirdi. Kontrol rasyonları, organik mineral muameleleri ile benzer mineral konsantrasyonlarına sahipti, ancak mineral proteinatlar veya selenyumlu maya içermiyordu. Üç denemede organik minerallerle desteklenmiş inekler, kontrol grubuna kıyasla SHS’da sırasıyla %52, %45 ve %35 azalma gösterdi.

Mantık, en iyi sonuçların, tüm iz mineraller ineğe uygun seviyelerde verildiğinde elde edileceğini belirtir. Yerel koşullar genellikle hangi minerallerin daha sınırlayıcı olduğunu belirler ve bu nedenle özel bir vurgu gerektirir. Mastitisin azaltılması ve somatik hücre sayısının düşürülmesi, süt sığırlarının ekonomik faydalarına ve sağlık ve refahının artmasına neden olacaktır. Süt kalitesini iyileştirmeye yönelik bu beslenme yaklaşımları, sığırların patojenlere maruz kalmasını azaltan uygun mastitis yönetimi uygulamalarıyla birlikte uygulanmalıdır.

Özet

Süt ineği rasyonlarındaki iz mineraller, sağlığı ve performansı optimize etmek için önemlidir. Süt ineklerini mineral proteinatlar ve organik selenyum (B-Plex ve Sel-Plex) ile desteklemek meme sağlığını iyileştirmiştir.

Mastitisin azaltılması ve SHS’nın düşürülmesi, süt sığırlarının ekonomik faydaları ve iyileştirilmiş sağlık ve refahı ile sonuçlanacaktır.

Sığırların patojenlere maruz kalmasını azaltan uygun mastitis yönetimi uygulamalarıyla birlikte bağışıklık fonksiyonunu desteklemek ve mastiti azaltmak için beslenme yaklaşımları uygulanmalıdır.

How does heat stress impact pigs?

Pigs are more sensitive to hot weather than other livestock animals and can easily be negatively impacted by heat. Heat stress can begin in sows, boars and finishing pigs in temperatures as low as 70°F. Pigs do not have functional sweat glands and, therefore, do not have a way of efficiently cooling themselves. Pigs also have relatively small lungs for their body size, making it difficult for them to remove excess internal heat through respiration.

Heat stress can take a serious toll on pig performance, especially in breeding herds and finishing pigs. Wide fluctuations in temperature are often immensely stressful, resulting in reduced performance, health problems and economic loss. Pigs exhibit heat stress in many ways, and the impact can be seen in both the short and long term.

Preventing heat stress in pigs

• Control the temperature. This is especially important during early and late summer, as wide variations between temperatures in the day and the night can compound the stress that the animals are experiencing. Avoid temperature shifts of more than a few degrees. Monitoring controllers and using sensors and temperature probes is essential to ensure that all systems are operating as expected, especially during periods of high heat.
• Increase ventilation and ensure adequate space. Since pigs can generate an enormous amount of heat, focus on practices that produce less heat. Ensure that each pig has enough space and ventilation. Keep pigs’ movements minimal, and do not disturb the animals during peak temperatures. Check all fans, inlets and soffits to ensure that they are clean and running properly. Worn-out fans, bearings or wiring can have dramatic consequences.
• Use sprinklers, cool cells and fans. Even if you have cooling equipment, ensure that it is set up correctly and is functioning properly.
• Feed during cooler hours. Time feedings to coincide with the cooler parts of the day, such as early mornings and later evenings.
• Focus on water quality and access. It is very important to make sure that pigs have unlimited access to fresh and cool drinking water, as drinking levels can also have a major effect on feed intake. Evaluating pressure and taking water samples at the beginning and end of the water lines can help confirm that the water is of the best quality possible.
• Monitor your pigs. Even if you think it might not feel overly warm, pigs can still be affected by the additional heat they create. Watch for signs that your pigs are overheating, such as faster breathing, fluctuations in feed and water intake levels, reduced activity and lying stretched on the floor (often separated from others).
• Move and transport work pigs early. Keep them in groups and let them set the pace. Spend time with them prior to the move to ease their stress. Keep movements minimal, and do not disturb the animals during the times of day when peak temperatures occur.
• Tailor diets to include technologies that will support them during stressful periods. Data has shown that offering pigs a combination product that includes organic acids, electrolytes, enzymes and probiotics can support young animals during times of stress. Organic acids support probiotic growth in the gut, and enzymes can help to enhance intake and digestibility.

What are mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins are harmful, naturally occurring substances produced by molds and fungi. These fungi commonly grow on feedstuffs and tend to multiply during adverse weather conditions. More than 500 mycotoxins have been identified to date, and this number is steadily increasing. Mycotoxins are invisible, stable and toxic chemical compounds. They are common in the farm environment, surviving in multiple places and on many different types of feed sources.

Mycotoxin risk to pigs

Pigs are extremely sensitive to mycotoxins. Both the type and concentration of mycotoxin(s) the in feed, as well as the age and phase of production of the pig, will determine the degree to which the animal is affected. Young pigs and breeding sows/boars are generally the most adversely affected by mycotoxins, but it is important to note that grow-finish pigs can also be adversely affected by these harmful substances.

Even at low levels in feed, mycotoxin contamination reduces pig performance, affects health status and can contribute to increased mortality rates. In addition, irreversible tissue damage can occur, which can compromise performance long after mycotoxins have been removed from the feed.

Signs of mycotoxin contamination in pigs

The signs may vary depending on the specific type of mycotoxin, the dose ingested and the period of exposure, but they can include:

• Immunosuppression
• Diarrhea
• Reduced pig performance
• Decreased or poor feed intake
• Weight loss
• Damaged gut integrity
• Liver damage
• Abortions
• Stillborn piglets/mummies
• Increased mortality

The range of mycotoxins commonly impacting pigs

Many mycotoxins cause significant health and performance challenges in pigs. These include aflatoxin, ochratoxin, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisins, ergot and T-2 toxins. Some of the most severe symptoms develop following exposure to Aspergillus (and Penicillium), Fusarium spp. and Claviceps toxins.

Mycotoxins rarely occur in isolation. It is not uncommon to find multiple mycotoxins in finished feed, which can lead to synergistic activity and, ultimately, to an additive negative effect on the health and productivity of the animal.

For more information on specific types of mycotoxins and related complications, visit knowmycotoxins.com.

Preventing and managing mycotoxins in pigs

Reducing exposure to these harmful substances is key. Detection, prevention and mitigation are critical for an effective mycotoxin management strategy.

Regular analysis of feedstuffs can help uncover potential hidden threats from mycotoxins. It is worth noting that a highly contaminated sample does not mean that the entire crop is bad. Similarly, a “clean” sample does not guarantee that all of your feed is mycotoxin-free. Proper mycotoxin management is essential in order to avoid unpredictable losses and maintain herd performance.

The Alltech 37+® mycotoxin analysis test can help to provide a realistic picture of feed contaminants, which can speed up diagnosis, determine effective remediation and help producers form a more effective mycotoxin control plan.

Is the rising cost of pig production having an impact on your bottom line?

As margins grow ever-tighter, producers are focused on lowering the cost of pig production. Feed costs play a significant role, but some on-farm factors can increase expenses in a less obvious way.

Causes of the increasing cost of pig production

If you find that your production costs are higher than what would be optimal for you, consider evaluating the following potential causes:

• Pig water consumption and quality: Could the water that your pigs are drinking have a detrimental effect on their performance and productivity, thereby increasing your production costs? Water quality and consumption are directly correlated with feed intake because pigs that don’t drink enough water won’t consume enough feed. Pigs tend to drink around 10% of their body weight per day, or roughly two times the amount of feed consumed.
   
• Feed quality and feed efficiency: Are the ingredients in your pig feed compromising growth and performance on your operation? Feed quality is vital, as it plays a significant role in intake and digestibility. With feed costs representing up to 70% of total production costs, ensuring optimum feed quality and maximum feed efficiency should be a top priority for all producers.
   
• Sow mortality: Are your sows getting the nutrition they need for optimum health and performance? There has been an industry-wide increase in sow production, but despite this increase, many nutrient levels have stayed the same. Genetics are progressing at such a fast pace that nutrition can’t keep up, and sow feed intake patterns have changed.
   
• Piglet quality: Are your sows producing poor-quality litters (pigs)? Modern hyper-prolific sows produce larger litters, but as litter size increases, piglet birth weight often decreases and litter variability increases.
   
• Pre-wean mortality: Low birth weight is a major predisposing factor for increased pre-weaning mortality, and lower weaning weights often result in slower growth and lower yielding carcasses.

5 tips to help reduce pig production costs

1. Increase pig water consumption and quality:

• Remember to check your water lines for biofilm buildup and implement a program that monitors and maintains proper levels of these five water quality indicators:
  • Total bacterial count
  • pH
  • Hardness
  • Total dissolved solids
  • Nitrates and nitrites

2. Support feed quality and feed efficiency

• Evaluate average daily feed intake and weight gains, as these can reveal poor performance in a group of pigs.
• Re-evaluate the nutritional needs of your pigs if their average daily feed intake and weight gains are not up to par.
• Poor performance can also indicate other problems, such as mycotoxin contamination — especially for feed refusals — or poor digestibility characteristics of the feed ingredients used.
• Understand the factors that affect feed quality and implement a quality assurance program that will help to ensure that the best-possible nutrition is delivered to your pigs.

3. Reduce sow mortality

• Focus on matching a sow’s feed intake with the level of nutrients needed for her genetic profile.
• Deliver those essential nutrients in the most available form, so they are better absorbed and easily digestible.

4. Increase piglet quality

• Remember that improving piglet quality starts with the sow.
• Ensure that your sows are getting proper nutrition during gestation, farrowing and lactation.

5. Reduce pre-weaning mortality

• Keep in mind that the piglet is entirely reliant on the sow until weaning.
• Make sure that the sow’s nutrition program is allowing her to produce high-quality colostrum and milk so that she may transfer vital nutrients to her litter.

Antibiotic-free poultry production has been a hot topic in recent years. Many countries have banned the use of antibiotics in animal feed as growth promoters due to concerns about antimicrobial resistance. In other countries, antibiotics that are medically important for humans have been voluntarily or regulated to be removed or significantly reduced in poultry production. There are also places where veterinarians prescribe antibiotics, and sick poultry can still be treated if a veterinarian deems it necessary.

With the reduced use of antibiotics in poultry production, many countries have decided to allow the use of chemical and ionophore anticoccidials to help offset some of the common challenges that arise in poultry production. Chemical and ionophore anticoccidials help manage a common and costly parasitic disease in poultry, coccidiosis.

Some restaurants and retailers have chosen to only use antibiotic-free poultry (e.g., “raised without antibiotics,” “no antibiotics ever,” etc.), in which no antibiotics can be used during poultry production.

Whether antibiotics are reduced or eliminated in poultry production, producers who manage poultry in these systems share the major goals of:

1. Ensuring good intestinal health in poultry to optimize growth performance as well as prevent poultry diseases, such as necrotic enteritis and coccidia.

2. Producing safe, healthy food for the growing global population.

How are antibiotics used in global poultry production?

The three main programs regarding antibiotic use in global poultry production are:

1. “No antibiotics ever” or “raised without antibiotics”: Poultry that has never been fed any antibiotics (including ionophore anticoccidials). Products from these systems are clearly labeled to differentiate them from other production systems.

2. Reduced antibiotic use: Allows antibiotics not used in human medicine (e.g., chemical and ionophore anticoccidials), excluding medically important antibiotics. This type of production may label the meat in some countries, while it may be the standard production system in others. 

3. Antibiotics used as growth promoters (AGP): Some countries still use antibiotics at lower levels with the intent to support poultry growth. However, if producers from these countries are exporting to markets with reduced antibiotic use/“no antibiotics ever” production policies, then they must meet those specific criteria.

Why is antibiotic-free poultry production becoming increasingly popular?

Consumer concerns about antibiotic resistance:

Decades after the invention of penicillin by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928, antimicrobials came into wide use in the global poultry industry in the 1940s to treat parasitic diseases and specific bacterial infections, as well as to improve growth and efficiency.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, but misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals accelerates the process.

Antimicrobial resistance can impact both animals as well as humans. Antimicrobial resistance (to anticoccidials and antibiotics) can be found in the poultry flock and create issues when managing or treating an illness within the flock. There is still a debate as to whether antibiotic resistance in agriculture or companion animals strongly influences antibiotic resistance in humans. 

There is an acknowledgment that human medicine is the primary driver of antibiotic-resistant infections in humans. However, “no antibiotics ever” poultry production in many developed countries has become increasingly popular due to a consumer perception that antibiotic-free produced poultry is superior to conventionally raised poultry, even if that poultry is raised with reduced antibiotic use.

Recent regulations to ensure human safety:

From a regulatory standpoint, many countries across the globe have introduced policies regarding AGP due to antimicrobial resistance concerns.

Some countries brought in overall regulatory change for all poultry production practices; several have made some regulatory changes, while in other countries, the industry voluntarily made changes. Some retailers and restaurant chains around the globe have chosen to produce or purchase poultry meat raised with reduced or no use of antibiotics. Overall, these examples show that the poultry industry continues to do what is needed to meet consumer demands. 

What are common challenges of antibiotic-reduced or antibiotic-free poultry production?

Common challenges that poultry producers face when switching to antibiotic-free are poor gut health, reduced bird immunity and a decrease in growth performance.

1. Gut health

One of the producers’ top concerns about not using AGP is leaving the birds more susceptible to gut health issues. A healthy gut is more than just the absence of clinical diseases; it is about sustainably producing birds to reach their full genetic potential.

Below is an infographic of a healthy gut that efficiently absorbs nutrients (top image) compared to an unhealthy gut (bottom two images).

2. Poultry immunity and growth performance

Another challenge when considering switching from traditional to antibiotic-free poultry production is poultry diseases, especially enteric diseases such as coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis (NE), caused by species of Eimeria and Clostridium perfringens, respectively. Consideration must also go to viral challenges, which may lead to secondary bacterial issues that take advantage of the weakened immune system. 

In addition to disease, overall poultry health, growth and immune function can be negatively impacted by other stressors, such as feed, water, environmental and behavioral. These stressors, if significant, can themselves create issues. But problems can also develop if there are many small stressors, especially if these are combined with a low, moderate, or high disease challenge.

Depending on the challenge levels, the bird’s natural immunity will not be enough to manage the threat. Because of this, it is always better to work on a preventative rather than reactive basis. Prevention must be a holistic approach that considers feed, water, environment and bird management, as well as an implementable feed additive program. Typically, in antibiotic-reduced or antibiotic-free poultry production programs, a combination of non-antibiotic additives are included in the feed or water as alternatives to antibiotics.

Examples of alternatives to antibiotics: non-antibiotic feed additives

• Probiotics (“direct-fed microbials,” “viable microbial products”): Live microbial supplements with defined microorganisms that beneficially affect the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance.  
• Enzymes: Substances produced by a living organism that help convert a less digestible component of feed (e.g., sugar, fiber, protein) into a more easily absorbed form for animals to utilize.
• Prebiotics: “A selectively fermented ingredient that results in specific changes in the composition and/or activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, thus conferring benefit(s) upon host health” (ISAPP, 2008). 
• Yeasts: There are 1,500 different yeast species, with a few being used as agriculture feed additives. Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be used in many different forms, including a whole live yeast, the outer yeast cell wall, the inner yeast cell wall and the yeast extract.
• Mannan Rich Fraction (MRF): A second-generation form derived from nutrigenomics analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannan oligosaccharides. Research has demonstrated that MRF can support immune defense, gut microbial health, gut function and development.
• Organic acids: Acids with weak acidic properties that do not separate completely in the presence of water. Some examples of organic acids are citric acid, short-chain fatty acids (e.g., acetic, butyric acid) and medium-chain fatty acids (e.g., lauric, caproic acid). Each type of organic acid has unique properties and can be used for different purposes in poultry production.
• Inorganic acids: Mineral acids that contain no carbon atoms and break down completely in the presence of water (e.g., phosphoric acid). Often used to make the pH of water or feed more acidic quickly.
• Phytobiotics: Plant compounds and extracts from herbs and spices with multiple benefits, including antimicrobial, anticoccidial and immune support.
• Postbiotics: Soluble, non-viable metabolites produced by a bacterial or probiotic metabolic process that can reduce the gut pH, prohibit opportunistic pathogen proliferation and enhance host health (Aguilar-Toalá et al., 2018).

How can producers address the challenges of antibiotic-reduced or antibiotic-free poultry production?

Reducing antibiotic use with the Seed, Feed, Weed concept

Imagine sowing seeds of crops you want to grow, fertilizing the crops for optimal growth and weeding out other plants that may prevent your crop from growing optimally.

Applying this concept to poultry, the Alltech Seed, Feed, Weed (SFW) program aids in reducing antibiotic usage by:

• Seeding the gut with favorable organisms for improved performance in young poultry. It is crucial to first seed the intestine with the correct bacteria as soon as possible after hatch.
• Feeding a favorable environment to provide a competitive advantage to favorable bacteria, which are tolerant to acidic environments, unlike most pathogens. Once a beneficial microflora community and intestinal ecology are established, the villi will flourish. The healthier the villi a bird has, the more efficiently nutrients are absorbed, which leads to a better feed conversion rate.
• Weeding out unfavorable bacteria by selective exclusion. The gut can also contain harmful pathogenic microbes, which can damage the villi. It is necessary to weed them out before they can attach to the gut lining and replicate enough to cause disease. 

While antibiotics still have a crucial role in disease outbreak incidences, effective gut health management using the SFW program has been shown to reduce the need for antibiotic use in many commercial flocks, as well as enhance performance across several measures. Ultimately, the SFW program helps ensure poultry producers achieve more efficient, profitable and sustainable production.

As some producers have demonstrated, focusing on gut health is the foundation for performance and profitability in poultry production.

Paired with effective biosecurity, bird, water and farm management, the Alltech SFW solution helps producers get one step further on the path of improved performance and reduced antibiotic use.

References are available upon request.

I want to learn more about poultry nutrition. 

Pevne veríme, že poľnohospodárstvo má najväčší potenciál na formovanie budúcnosti našej planéty.

Inšpiruje nás veľká výzva, ktorú nám svet postavil - vyrábať dostatok bezpečných a výživných potravín pre všetkých, starať sa o svoje zvieratá a udržiavať svoju pôdu, vzduch a vodu pre ďalšie generácie. Naše prírodné zdroje môžu byť obmedzené, ale ľudská vynaliezavosť je nekonečná.

Planet of Plenty je poslaním:

1. pozdvihnúť agropotravinársky sektor. Je veľmi dôležité, aby sme si uvedomili schopnosť poľnohospodárstva riešiť niekoľko najdôležitejších problémov, ktorým naša planéta čelí - výživa, blaho ľudí a zvierat a ochrana prírodných zdrojov. Robíme to tak, že rozprávame pravdivé, ale málo rozprávané príbehy o vášnivých ľuďoch, ktorí pracujú v agropotravinárskom sektore na vytvorení Planéty hojnosti.

2. Inšpirovať poľnohospodárov, farmárov a výrobcov, aby prijali nové technológie, obchodné modely a vylepšené postupy riadenia poľnohospodárskych podnikov.

3. Vytvorte nové obchodné modely, ktoré pomôžu našim zákazníkom a rozšíria naše podnikanie.

To, čo sa začalo ako vízia jednej spoločnosti, sa stalo výzvou na spoluprácu.

Planéta hojnosti je víziou sľubu, možnosti a pozitivity pre budúcnosť. Sme presvedčení, že svet hojnosti je dosiahnuteľný, ale bude potrebné, aby sme všetci spolupracovali.

Je to vízia, ktorú musí viesť veda, technológia a spoločná vôľa dosiahnuť zmenu - zasadiť stromy, ktoré nikdy neuvidíme rásť.

Udržateľnosť znamená podniknúť pozitívne kroky dnes pre úspech zajtrajška. Je to snaha, kde je vždy čo zlepšovať ... a nová myšlienka.

Navštívte webovú stránku Planet of Plenty a pridajte sa k nám po tejto ceste.

In the dairy industry, successfully implementing solutions that “kill two birds with one stone” requires innovation and usable data. Finding ways to reduce the carbon footprint on dairy cattle operations while also maintaining high milk production is just that kind of situation.

It is important to understand that dairy production is on a continuous path of growth. Some insightful data provided by the IFCN shows that global milk production is projected to increase by 35% between 2017 and 2030. This level of growth is promising for the industry but will also present many challenges and raise questions about our ability to provide more with fewer resources while adopting practices that are environmentally sound. To top everything off, all of this must be achieved while also continuing to increase transparency for consumers about how their milk is produced.

The main question is: Can we reduce the carbon footprint of milk while also improving our production and profitability?

Greenhouse gases have been a trending topic among consumers for several years, and this topic is now resonating more with dairy farmers across the world, as new regulations and initiatives are being presented. To achieve reduced emissions, we must look at ways to optimize production — including via nutritional solutions, which will play a very big role as we go forward.

Dairy producers can utilize nutritional solutions as tools for reducing methane emissions from dairy cows, but technologies that offer environmental benefits cannot compromise on animal performance, as doing so would mean requiring more animals to meet the growing demand for food. However, before looking to implement any of these solutions, dairy producers will need to measure their carbon footprint.

TOOL ONE: Alltech E-CO₂

To successfully reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, we must first know where these emissions come from. Analytical services, such as Alltech E-CO₂, identify and quantify these hotspots through accredited environmental assessments. Over the past 10 years and more than 10,000 assessments, Alltech E-CO₂ has found that the two largest sources of emissions on dairy farms are enteric emissions (i.e., methane from the rumen) and feed use. Together, these two sources contribute more than 60% of all emissions on dairy operations. These sources relate to rumen health and an animal’s ability to best maximize the feed it is being fed. By ensuring the production of a healthy and productive cow, we are helping operations improve their production efficiency while also enabling energy to be utilized for milk production and regular body maintenance, rather than being wasted by fighting health challenges. This type of information is critical for identifying targeted solutions that will enhance our methane mitigation strategies.

To successfully reduce a farm’s carbon footprint, we must look beyond one gas in one area and consider the balance of emissions across the entire farm. A lifecycle observation is one way of doing that, and it’s all about identifying opportunities to reduce waste and improve farm efficiency, which will translate to more money for the producer.

Learn more about Alltech E-CO₂ here.

Read on to learn more about two nutritional solutions that work to target the areas where there is room for improvement, as identified by Alltech E-CO₂.

TOOL TWO: Optigen^®

Optigen is a feed ingredient backed by years of robust research data that works to support production efficiency and sustainability. Optigen, a concentrated source of non-protein nitrogen, releases nitrogen into the rumen in a slow-release form. This provides a sustained release of ammonia in the rumen in sync with fermented carbohydrate digestion, thus allowing for efficient microbial protein synthesis in the rumen.  

In order to gather clear evidence that shows how we can use feed strategies to reduce our carbon footprint, the FAO developed a standard guideline for the environmental performance of feed additives in the livestock supply chain. These standards recommend the use of data from meta-analyses and life cycle analyses. Meta-analyses make it possible to combine data from years of multiple studies to arrive at an evidence-based conclusion by using comprehensive statistical procedures. Life-cycle analyses allow us to quantify the greenhouse gas emissions along the entire supply chain or in the production cycle of a particular product. Combining these two approaches demonstrates how feeding technologies can contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and/or better sustainability credentials.

Included here is an example of a meta-analysis of Optigen. The data from this meta-analysis indicate that, over the course of around two decades, research has shown that using Optigen is associated with a 23% reduction, on average, of plant protein sources in the diet. Soybean meal, specifically, can be reduced by about 21%, and an increase in feed efficiency of around 3% has also been documented. Additionally, diets that include Optigen and use reduced amounts of plant protein sources have been shown to improve nitrogen utilization efficiency by 4%, leading to a 14% reduction in the total carbon footprint of the diets of animals used in milk production.

 Read the full meta-analysis here.

TOOL 3: Yea-Sacc^®

There are some products on the market — like yeast cultures — that can help improve production efficiency while also reducing the carbon footprint of an operation. Yea-Sacc is a yeast culture based on the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain of yeast. Yea-Sacc modifies rumen activity by supporting a consistent improvement in the growth and activity of lactic acid-utilizing bacteria, which helps stabilize the rumen pH. At the same time, it also works to improve the digestion and utilization of nutrients. Thanks to these types of improvements, cows can absorb more nutrients for higher milk production.

Utilizing a meta-analysis approach once again, a collection of 31 studies has shown that feeding Yea-Sacc to dairy cows can lead to an increased milk yield of 1 kg/head/day, on average, and can reduce the carbon footprint and nitrogen emission intensity by around 3% and 5.4%, respectively. These numbers demonstrate that it is possible for milk production efficiency to increase and for the carbon footprint and nitrogen excretion intensity to decrease simultaneously.

Explore the additional benefits of Yea-Sacc here.

At the beginning of this blog, we posed a question: Can we reduce the carbon footprint of milk while also improving our production and profitability? With proven tools like the ones outlined here, the answer to that question is yes: It is possible to reduce the carbon footprint of dairy production and to improve our economic returns and performance at the same time. Based on the data compiled in various meta-analyses, it is clear that there are feeding solutions on the market that farmers can use to reduce their emissions and increase their productivity and profitability in conjunction with nutritional strategies that will help improve production efficiency in dairy systems.

Alltech Canada’s journey began in 1988 with the opening of our first office in Guelph, Ontario. Over the years, we have expanded our footprint to better serve farmers and agribusinesses across the country. Today, our team operates from four key locations: Guelph, Ontario; Winnipeg, Manitoba, Calgary, Alberta, and St-Hyacinthe, Quebec.

We are proud to partner with the Canadian agriculture industry from coast to coast, delivering local expertise, world-class technical support, and cutting-edge nutritional innovations. Our dedicated team members, located across Canada, work tirelessly to help you maximize efficiency, enhance sustainability, and drive profitability in your operations.

At Alltech Canada, our commitment to advancing agriculture remains at the heart of everything we do, empowering producers to succeed today and build a stronger tomorrow.

At the heart of Alltech is an entrepreneurial journey.

In the 1970s, our founder, Dr. Pearse Lyons, immigrated to the United States with a dream: to sustain our planet and all things living on it. As an Irish scientist, he saw an opportunity to apply his yeast fermentation expertise to animal nutrition challenges, and his dream became a reality when he founded Alltech in 1980 with just $10,000.

Today, a global team of more than 6,000 people around the world shares this vision of sustaining and nourishing the world’s plants, animals and people.

We deliver on this vision by improving plant, feed and food quality through nutrition and scientific innovation, particularly yeast-based technology. Our team is fully committed to helping plants and animals achieve their full potential while supporting producers in greater efficiency, profitability and sustainability.

Starting with the soil

We provide natural-based products and solutions to agronomic and horticultural challenges facing producers across the globe, addressing the production of citrus, silage and everything in between.At Alltech Crop Science, growth is natural with us.

Our goal is to seamlessly bridge the gap between science and sustainability. By sharing our expertise, providing constant technical support and exploring the intricacies of each region we serve, we are not only pursuing greater productivity, profitability and sustainability for every crop — we are working alongside producers and agronomists to build the future of agriculture.

Focusing on the feed…

Through our innovative study of nutrigenomics, our nutritional technologies help animals maximize the nutrients in their feed for optimal well-being and performance.

We work with producers across the globe to address the animal nutrition issues most important to them, including:

• Feed efficiency
• Antibiotic-free production
• Food enrichment
• Management of mycotoxins
• Gut health
• Protein
• Enzymes
• Minerals

...and the farm

Alltech’s support goes beyond nutrition. We partner with producers to increase their efficiency, productivity and profitability through analytical services, including:

• Alltech IFM to analyze the feed ration
• Alltech 37+ to quantify mycotoxin risk
• Alltech E-CO₂ to assess on-farm efficiency and sustainability

Food

We bring traceability, quality and improved nutrition to the table.

As a family company, we understand the consumer’s desire to ensure that their family’s meals are as safe and nutritious as possible. From our innovative use of organic minerals to our work in crop science, we focus on improving nutrient value throughout the food chain.

Our guiding principle

In all of these endeavors, we are guided by our ACE principle, our promise that in doing business we have a positive impact on the Animal, Consumer and Environment.