Global aquaculture has come a long way since people first began fish farming. Over the years, improvements in management systems and aquaculture feed mean that we can now produce more food than ever before. However, with the demand for food fish rising alongside a growing global population, the future will see further changes in this industry. Here are some of the current main developments that will define the next steps in aquaculture’s legacy.

Increased application of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS)

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are not a new topic. This farming method has been around since the 1980s and used intensively in the Atlantic salmon industry for many years. However, it has taken the rest of the aquaculture industry almost 20 years to embrace it.

There are several reasons why RAS is the future, but the primary reasons are:

• Sustainability
• Efficiency

To operate a successful RAS, feed must be optimized to increase palatability, reduce water pollution and allow both the system and the fish perform at their best. As RAS facilities are land-based operations, there is reduced pressure on pond/sea stocks. Also, advancements have been made to recycle existing water in these facilities, preventing a further drain on resources.

Further developments in this area have seen the development of RAS systems for shrimp, revolutionizing shrimp farming by allowing more controlled environments and easing long-term environmental challenges. Furthermore, we are seeing a shift in governmental legislation and movement from cage farming for environmental reasons, such as maintaining freshwater quality and protecting wild fish populations, including aquatic plants and animals. This implies a very strong future for RAS.

Removing fishmeal and fish oil from aquaculture feed

Feed, essentially, provides energy and nutrients to support the development of each species, but the fish has no preference regarding how the energy and nutrients are sourced. The percentage of fishmeal in aquatic diets has significantly reduced since 2000, and the move from fishmeal and fish oil for many fish species is not very far away. Plant proteins and other ingredients can replace the fishmeal component in fish food. However, they are majorly constrained by issues of low digestibility. Formulations must be highly digestible, and each ingredient must add value and enrichment to the diet to impact performance. Utilizing enzymes in aquafeed can help fish and shrimp digest feed better to support a healthy digestive system and help increase cost-efficiency.

Choosing a feed that is right for your farm means you could potentially:

• Use less feed
• Improve production
• Improve output
• Reduce environmental impact

Unfortunately, there is a hidden risk when increasing the quantity of plant-based raw materials on aquaculture farms. Mycotoxin contamination is known as a silent enemy for producers as it is visibly difficult to detect. Long-term ingestion of feed with low/acute or high exposure levels can be a reason for poor growth and unexplained mortalities on fish farms. Correct management at all relevant production points is crucial in handling this threat. Feed supplements can also help negate the effects of mycotoxins in the digestive tract and prevent them from being absorbed by the body.

Additionally, logistics are increasing at an alarming rate. This provides an opportunity to improve sustainable practices and become less dependent on imports. The quality team at Alltech Coppens has focused on sourcing quality local ingredients and adapting the formulations to suit these conditions and provide the most benefit to the fish.

Advancements in feed formulation, a significant move to net energy formulations

Feed production must be efficient and cost-effective for the producer. To produce a feed that can provide the fish with optimal energy levels for production, understanding the digestibility parameters of each raw material is crucial.

The gross energy is the total energy is available in the feed to the animal. When the animal digests feed, it uses digestible energy. Further energy will be lost due to metabolic processes, and what remains becomes net energy.

The fish can use net energy to grow and maintain its health status. Micronutrients are key to maximizing this growth, but their efficiency can vary. Recent research in the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre has shown that metabolic energy losses can range from 30–40% if the feed is not correctly formulated, impacting the growth of the fish. Comparing the net energy of different types of feed, as well as considering palatability and sustainability, can help producers choose the best feed for performance.

A healthy gut is the key to success

Achieving optimal health status in fish is one of the main goals for aquaculturists. Disease and/or significant growth reduction will increase costs for the producer. Poor health status can account for some of the biggest losses in the fish farming industry.

At Alltech, we believe that a healthy gut is the key to success. A healthy gut can digest and absorb the maximum amount of nutrients. The intestinal microflora, gut morphology, immune system and nutrient uptake — plus how each of these elements interacts — all play a role in the health and performance of fish and shrimp. Animals in farmed environments also require essential nutrients to meet their basic nutritional needs. A fish’s skin, gut and gills are the primary points of interaction with external environmental factors that can impact its health. These organs must be protected, both internally and externally.

The more robust the animal, the less vulnerable it will be to stress throughout the production cycle, ensuring the highest levels of efficiency.

Potential stress factors to look out for include:

• The rigors of production
• Age
• Quality of the feed
• Temperature
• Salinity
• pH

Each of these can cause an imbalance in the gut, leading to increased disease susceptibility. The subsequent adverse effects on growth rates and immunity can then have negative financial impacts. Protecting their health will provide the most benefit to the farmer.

Sustainability

Providing food security for future generations requires careful management of our present environment. Sustainable aquaculture is the solution; the FAO announced that by 2030, 60% of food fish will come from aquaculture. The environment needs to be considered in every aspect of production. If we truly understand the needs of fish, quantify the different necessary micronutrients and analyze the composition of feces, we can better understand how to improve water quality.

Poor water quality leads to environmental impacts and economic losses that can be avoided by carefully selecting a balanced selection of supplements that support a healthy culture system and environments for the future. RAS environments and the move from marine-based ingredients, as discussed above, have made positive impacts, and all of these will provide access to sustainable marine protein sources for future generations.

I want to learn more about aquaculture nutrition.

With the changing global climate, many people are becoming more aware of how they impact the environment on a day-to-day basis. And the same goes for horse owners, as more and more equestrians explore sustainable horse farm management practices.

While achieving sustainability in the equine industry may seem daunting, the good news is that there are many avenues for us to explore, and each one makes a difference!

If your horse is boarded at a facility, you may not have control over some common environmental pitfalls, such as manure management or preventing overgrazing of horse pastures. However, almost every horse owner has some say in their horses’ nutrition, and luckily, with a few easy changes, your horses’ diet can become more environmentally friendly.

Trace mineral supplementation in horse feeds

Since they only make up around 2% of a horse’s diet, minerals are often underestimated — but they are actually responsible for hundreds of thousands of functions within the horse’s body, from the development of joint cartilage to maintaining healthy hair and hoof quality.

In the equine digestive system, the bulk of the vitamins and minerals included in the diet are absorbed in the small intestine and taken into the bloodstream to be distributed throughout the body for use.

Macrominerals or major minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur are required in larger amounts than the microminerals or trace minerals, which include copper, zinc, manganese, iron, selenium, cobalt and more. But while the requirements for trace minerals might be smaller, they are majorly important for horse health. 

While hay and pasture grass contain vitamins and minerals in varying levels, depending on the soil quality, processing, region, etc., horses often require additional supplementation for optimal health, which is why grains and other supplements are generally formulated with minerals.

Providing adequate amounts of minerals — but not too much — is best for the environment

Interestingly enough, horses are unable to store large amounts of excess minerals in their bodies, and research has shown that exceeding 100% of their mineral requirements results in higher mineral excretion (i.e., mineral-rich manure), which has important environmental implications.

In her presentation at the Alltech ONE Ideas Conference in June, Dr. Mieke Holder explained what happens when excess minerals are fed to horses. In a brief nutshell:

1. Horses produce about 50 pounds of manure per day.
2. That manure sits outside in pastures or is picked out of stalls but is then left to compost outside.
3. When fecal material gets wet from any type of precipitation, the minerals that have been excreted begin to solubilize.
4. Excess minerals can run off and join surface water or move through soil layers (which is known as “mineral leaching”) and end up joining the underground water supply.

The other piece of the mineral puzzle lies in fecal microbial organisms. Recent research from Dr. Holder’s lab has shown that the bacteria in the feces accumulate some of the minerals that are excreted. Providing minerals in a form that encourages accretion, or “feeding,” by fecal bacteria should continue to be explored, as that appears to decrease the amount of minerals leaching into soil and water.

To bring it all together, Dr. Holder’s research has shown that providing increased levels of trace minerals in horses’ diets also increases the levels of phosphorus that leach from those diets. Given that phosphorus is an element of great environmental concern, it is crucial that minerals are not only fed at the appropriate levels but in bioavailable forms as well.

Organic minerals for horses

Dr. Holder defines organic minerals as minerals that are bound to a ligand carrier, such as a protein or amino acid chelating agent. Several examples of organic trace minerals are those offered by Alltech as Bioplex® (copper, zinc, manganese, cobalt and iron) and Sel-Plex® (organic selenium). In contrast, inorganic minerals are complexed with a compound, such as a carbonate, chloride, sulfate or oxide.

While research over the years has shown varied results in terms of the differences between organic and inorganic minerals in horses’ diets, several compelling studies have shown that organic minerals are absorbed at higher levels and are more readily usable by the horse’s body than their inorganic counterparts. When organic minerals are absorbed at higher levels, that also means that fewer minerals are excreted, which can help protect the environment.

For example, glutathione peroxidase, a selenium-dependent antioxidant enzyme, showed increased activity after exercise in horses fed Sel-Plex® versus horses who received inorganic selenium (in the form of sodium selenite).

Other recent research has shown that supplementation with organic trace minerals can help improve joint cartilage indicators and antioxidant activity in growing horses.

Given that we want our horses to be around for many more years than the typical production animal, the fact that there is evidence indicating that organic trace mineral supplementation can help maintain horses’ health, development and performance is notable.

Minerals as an equine management tool

Thanks to Dr. Holder’s presentation, we know for sure that:

• Horses have mineral requirements that are often unmet by forage alone. Trace minerals, despite only being required in small amounts, have great value in preventing health problems.
• Feeding excess minerals to horses is not only financially wasteful but also has a negative impact on the environment.
• Prioritizing high-quality mineral nutrition for our animals may not be the most common or well-known route for minimizing our environmental impact, but it could make a huge difference.
• As a horse owner, you can read your horses’ feed and supplements labels to learn whether the trace minerals included are offered in an organic form, which can be identified by names that often include the words “proteinate,” “chelate,” “amino acid complex” or “methionine.”
• Seek to feed the best-quality nutrition, not only for your horses’ health and performance but to help mitigate any environmental hazards as well.

To learn more about the benefits of equine trace mineral nutrition, watch Dr. Holder’s entire presentation at the 2021 Alltech ONE Ideas Conference.

If you are interested in providing your horse with a superior nutrition program while still protecting the environment, Alltech’s Bioplex® trace minerals are a great place to start. Email equine@alltech.com with any questions.  

I want to learn more about nutrition for my horses.

No matter the segment of the beef system, stress is a natural and unavoidable hurdle that the beef industry must learn to manage. Ironically, it is often the segmentation of the beef system that results in periods of stress. These stressful times often fall around transition intervals, when cattle move from one phase of production to the next. Weaning and feedlot receiving are two transition periods during which calves will experience multiple stressors. Prolonged exposure to stress has negative impacts on calf performance, and these negative effects can result in long-term issues.

When you consider the long history of the beef sector, stress is a relatively new issue being examined and discussed by those in the industry. In recent years, scientists and producers have begun to realize the impact that stress can have on calf performance. Fortunately, however, there are solutions for mitigating stress for your cattle during transitions. First, it is important to understand what can cause stress, as well as the consequences of that stress.

Stressors that can occur during weaning and receiving include:

• Separation from the dam

The social stress of being removed from the mother can be significant. One management practice that gradually weans calves is fence-line weaning. This technique involves placing weaned calves and dams in adjacent pastures that allow calves to be able see their mothers while being physically separated. Make sure you have sturdy fences with no gaps to prevent calves from crawling through to the other side.

• Transportation

It’s inevitable: At some point, cattle will need to be moved. There are many ways that producers can work to reduce stress during transportation — but similarly to humans travelling to new locations or making a big move, this major transition will likely lead to schedule changes and disruptions, changes in eating patterns, etc.

• Commingling

When groups of cattle are mingled together, they can expose each other to new pathogens. Even if the animals are on the same ranch but are from different pastures, producers need to consider a commingling strategy.

• Unfamiliar diets

Going from their mothers’ milk to feed might feel like a stark transition to some calves. The tips later in this article explain how to get calves to the bunk and help them transition to a new, healthy, nutrient-dense diet.

Stress can have consequences on production, including:

• Impaired growth. Stress causes muscle breakdown and can slow the growth of your cattle.
• Suppression of immune functions, which can lead to a decreased ability to resist infection and an increased susceptibility to getting sick.
• Altered behavior, like reduced feed intake.

A wholistic view of beef production is necessary to identify where leverage points exist within the production system. Recognizing leverage points allows for a more effective application of management practices to minimize stress and improve performance. In beef production, the most effective approach to minimizing stress is a preventative one. Implement practices that will help you foster and maintain a resilient herd. Resilient calves are going to be able to handle the periods of stress that are inherent within the beef system. The key to building resilient calves is implementing proactive management practices.

Outlined below are five easy and practical management tips that will help you produce resilient cattle.

1. Vaccinate prior to shipping.

Work with your veterinarian to establish a vaccination program prior to your animals being commingled and shipped. A vaccination program is essential to building a healthy immune system prior to animals being exposed to novel pathogens in a new place and when surrounded by other animals.

2. Castrate animals as early as possible.

Castration is a stressful but generally necessary management practice. Research has shown that animals experience less stress when they are castrated at a younger age. Some producers will castrate at birth, when they tag or maybe when they take cattle out to grass. Whatever fits into your management schedule, getting your animals castrated early will allow them to recoup before other stressors manifest throughout the following transition stages.

3. Minimize commingling.

Just like with humans, anytime you bring animals from different sources together, you run the risk of exposing them to pathogens. You can reduce this risk of exposure for calves by being strategic about minimizing mixing between sources of cattle. There is also an element of social stress as the newly commingled animals work to establish a pecking order.

4. Expose calves to feed bunks and water troughs.

Familiarize your animals with feed bunks and water troughs prior to shipping. This can help reduce stress during feedlot arrival, as getting calves to feed bunks prior to shipping will help them get onto feed quicker. The sooner they get on feed and start consuming water, the better they will bounce back from transportation stress.

5. Proper nutrition is essential.

When transitioning cattle, it is important to make sure that their nutritional requirements are being met. Meeting the cattle’s protein, energy and trace mineral requirements is essential for their immune function and growth. During periods of stress, it is common for animals to reduce their feed intake. In these cases, providing diets that are more nutrient-dense to compensate for reduced intake is recommended.

It is unrealistic to think that we can eliminate all stress from the production system, but we can minimize the duration and severity of the stress that animals experience. When utilizing these management techniques, consider a schedule that exposes calves to stressors gradually, rather than all at once. When calves feel high levels of stress and no mitigation strategies are used, they can experience critical setbacks. The most important reason to help calves through periods of stress is to set them up for success for the rest of their life — ultimately leaving you with healthy animals, a healthy reputation and a healthy bottom line.  

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Today’s pets are part of the family and have longer lifespans, thanks to advancements in veterinary medicine, animal welfare and nutrition.

Nutrition is something that pet owners have the ability to influence every single day, so while we may be biased, we believe that nutrition is one of the most important ways to care for pets through every stage of life.

Some of the most important elements — literally! — of premium nutrition are trace minerals.

What are trace minerals?

Trace minerals are elements, such as zinc, copper, iron and manganese, that are required in very small amounts in a balanced diet but that have a wide range of health benefits, including supporting your cat’s or dog’s immune system, musculoskeletal health and skin and coat condition, to name a few.

In pet food diets, there are two important considerations when it comes to trace minerals:

1. The form of the mineral offered (inorganic vs. organic)
2. The amount of trace mineral provided (to ensure that there are no nutritional deficiencies)

Both of these factors will significantly influence the mineral’s bioavailability, or the impact that a particular trace mineral has on your pet.

Trace minerals for cats and dogs are not created equal

The nutrition marketplace has many different options when it comes to supplying trace mineral supplements for pets. These can be broadly classed as either inorganic (ITM) or organic trace minerals (OTM). The latter are so-called because the trace minerals are complexed — that is, they are associated with organic bonding groups. These bonding groups include amino acids, small peptides and organic acids, all of which influence the strength of the mineral binding.

Many factors need to be considered when trying to compare OTM products, but ultimately, the strength of the interaction between the mineral and the bonding group is the most important factor influencing bioavailability. Enhanced OTM bonding can ultimately increase the mineral’s bioavailability and effectiveness in the animal’s body.

The choice of bonding group is, therefore, critical to the effectiveness of OTMs, and research over the last number of years has highlighted the differences that exist between individual products. A poor choice of bonding group can result in the creation of products that offer no benefit over inorganic sources of minerals.

Inorganic trace minerals come from mined sources. Safety and traceability must be part of the quality assurance process to avoid the inclusion of heavy metals that, if present in a diet, can be deleterious to the long-term health of dogs and cats, especially as their lifespans increase.

In essence, not all trace minerals are created equal, but not all OTM products are created equal either.

How does the mineral form affect the nutrients that pets receive in their diets?

Keeping the nutritional balance of minerals in pet food can become rather complicated, because inorganic sources of trace minerals have variable absorption rates, and their bioavailability may be influenced by factors such as other dietary nutrients and the physiological condition of the animal, to name a few.

To counteract their poor bioavailability, it is common practice to add higher-than-recommended levels of inorganic trace minerals to commercial foods.

Bioplex® organic minerals, an alternative to the use of inorganic mined mineral sources, provide a number of benefits, from improved bioavailability to the support of the proper metabolic and physiological processes, which may not be carried out at full capacity when the trace mineral elements are not adequately supplied.

The amount of the mineral provided in diets will differ based on its form

As noted above, inorganic sources of trace minerals have variable absorption rates due to their structure. The absorption rate is a measurement of how the minerals are “taken up” by the digestive system and recruited into areas of need, such as the immune response and tissue repair.

When inorganic trace minerals are included in pet food diets, the amount that a pet consumes does not reflect the amount of trace minerals they actually absorb.

After a pet eats, the food is broken down by their digestive system to make nutrients available for absorption and use. The structure of the inorganic mineral causes it to interact with other components during this process. This results in the inorganic mineral forming an indigestible complex that ultimately ends up on the lawn or in the litterbox.

We describe this as poor bioavailability because, even though you are providing your pet with trace minerals in their food, those minerals are not able to be properly put to use and benefit your pet. To counteract this problem, it is common to add higher-than-recommended levels of trace minerals — but doing so is simply disguising one issue with another.

There are three ways that mineral form can influence nutrient absorption in the gut:

1. Food and feed antagonisms

Increasingly, the interactions between food components and trace minerals have come under scrutiny, with the possibility for negative interactions and antagonisms.

Credit: https://orthomolecular.webs.com/Elements/MineralWheel1.jpg
 

2. Impact on vitamin stability

The oxidation of vitamins, such as vitamin E, can lead to reduced vitamin function and can be caused by the oxidation of fats and, often, the actions of trace minerals. The type and, particularly, the form of the trace mineral will influence its effect on vitamin stability.

Studies examining vitamin E stability in the presence of inorganic or organic minerals demonstrate that, in the inorganic form, minerals can be detrimental to the stability of the vitamin molecule. Depending on the OTM source, however, the use of chelated minerals for dogs and cats may not cause such a dramatic decrease.

3. Compromised antioxidant function

Additional research assessing the effect of minerals on food components has established that commonly used antioxidants can be compromised by inorganic minerals. The data further indicates that, in cases where OTMs have shown weak mineral bonding, there is a significant negative impact on antioxidant activity. The choice of OTMs, therefore, plays a role in ensuring the quality and stability of food components.

Bioplex® organic trace minerals for pets are superior

Organic trace minerals are made differently. Organic minerals have a ring structure, which gives them protection and allows them to successfully pass through the digestive system. From there, the minerals can go through the gut wall and into the bloodstream to do their work. This is where inorganic trace minerals get left behind, as they stick to the gut instead of passing through it. Think of the gut as a gate; it either allows nutrients through or it doesn’t.

Inorganic forms of trace minerals are still used in pet food, but we are beginning to see more pet food manufacturers moving to better mineral nutrition, such as Bioplex® organic trace minerals.

Organic trace minerals make for healthy pets

While only required in small amounts in the diet, organic trace minerals play a large role in the body, and mineral deficiencies can be detrimental to an animal’s health.

For example, zinc is directly utilized for the hair and skin, favoring processes of cellular integrity. A zinc deficiency may manifest as a dysfunction of the epithelial tissue, dermatological conditions, coat problems and gastrointestinal tract injuries (due to damage to the microvilli).

Copper and manganese are directly deposited in the bones, joints, liver and muscle, and they are greatly important for the formation and homeostasis of the bone structure, making these especially important minerals for puppies and kittens. Copper is a cofactor of the enzyme lysyl oxidase, which is necessary for the cross-linking of collagen and elastin during cartilage synthesis. Manganese is a cofactor of glycosyltransferases, enzymes that are important in the formation and elongation of the glycosaminoglycan chain, which forms the basal substance of the cartilage model.

We could go on and on, but when it comes to mineral choice in pet food diets, organic trace minerals are far less likely to negatively affect other essential nutrients than inorganic sources. However, not all forms of organic minerals react in the same way. Therefore, we encourage diet formulators to pay greater attention to their choice of ingredients to maximize not only nutrition but the quality and stability of pet food.

Optimizing trace mineral nutrition will create healthier pets with more robust immune, musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal systems. Not only will your pet food be a superior option on the shelves, but pet parents will see the difference and will surely continue buying your products.  

I want to learn more about pet nutrition.

Let's face it: raising profitable pigs is hard work. Optimizing your bottom line while staying competitive is a challenge on its own. But add fluctuating feed costs, new regulations and an unpredictable market to the mix, and the task can feel daunting. In addition, supply chain disruptions have further exacerbated the need for producers to minimize losses, with many hoping just to break even to keep their farms afloat.

Whether we are in challenging or prosperous times, lowering the cost of production is essential because every pig producer is looking for ways to maintain their farm’s profitability and ensure its future for years to come.

Three strategies for reducing your pig cost of production

Feed costs represent the biggest input for producers, often accounting for up to 70% of production costs. Pig producers must adapt their feed strategy to maximize feed efficiency. Here are three ways to reduce production costs without impacting your herd’s performance.

1. Reducing feed costs for pigs

The biggest challenges the livestock industry currently faces are the pressure to reduce feed costs and the continuous effort to gain a better understanding of available feed ingredients. The animal cannot fully utilize around 25% of the available nutrients in feed ingredients due to anti-nutritional factors in feed. Keeping that in mind, producers worldwide are making a concerted effort to lower the cost of production and maximize feed efficiency based on nutritional and economic factors (which often vary) while maintaining animal welfare and using sustainable approaches to meet demands.

Pig producers look to increase feed digestibility to manage the short-term risks associated with reduced market prices.

Increasing feed digestibility helps:

• Make more nutrients available for the pig to absorb.
• Improve performance, allowing producers to send animals to market faster.
• Lower feed costs.

Enzyme technologies, such as Allzyme^® Spectrum Swine, help pigs optimize the nutritional values in feed, allowing for improved dietary efficiency while supporting sustainable swine production. The unique combination of enzymes in Allzyme Spectrum Swine increases cost-efficiency by maximizing the diet’s potential at every growth stage. Developed through solid state fermentation (SSF), Allzyme Spectrum Swine produces a multi-enzyme solution that works in synergy with the complete pig diet, optimizing nutrients — including amino acids, calcium and phosphorus — while enhancing the use of raw materials (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Solid state fermentation (SSF) process

As a result, a complete dual action matrix is produced. This matrix gives nutritionists flexibility in formulating diets and, in turn, the release of more nutrients for the pig, which leads to cost savings for the producer. Figure 2 shows an example of a finishing diet that utilized Alltech’s enzyme technologies to improve digestibility and lower the cost per ton of feed. This example is representative of a typical diet in the eastern corn belt of the United States.

Figure 2: Feed cost savings with Alltech’s enzyme technologies

2. Improving pig efficiency, starting with the sow

In recent years, genetics has played a major role in improving sow efficiency by increasing the number of pigs produced per sow per year. As litter size increases, piglet birth weight decreases and litter variability increases. Low birth weight is a major predisposing factor for pre-weaning mortality (Figure 3), and lower weaning weights often result in slower growth and fatter carcasses.

Figure 3: Effects of piglet birth weight on pre-weaning mortality

(Feldpausch, et al., 2019)

Increasing birth weight can:

• Improve piglet variability.
• Help reduce the number of pigs that require special attention.
• Decrease pre-weaning mortality rates.
• Improve piglet weaning weight.

Everything you want the piglet to receive comes through the sow until weaning, so it is crucial that the sow’s nutrition program is fully implemented as planned and that she can transfer vital trace elements, such as those found in Bioplex^® and Sel-Plex^®  trace minerals, to the piglet.

Some technologies on the market today are being utilized differently now than they have been at any time to improve sow reproductive performance. Alltech’s Mineral Management program has been shown to:

• Increase the number of piglets born alive.
• Increase the birth weight of smaller pigs in the litter without affecting larger pigs (Kalaw et al., 2009).
• Reduce variation within the litter at weaning and slaughter (Ma et al., 2020).

Figure 4: Litter birth weights from sows fed inorganic or organic trace mineral sources

(Bertechini et al., 2012)

Reducing weaning variation allows pig producers to market pigs in a much tighter window and reduce variation heading into slaughter. Reducing variation at slaughter can also reduce sort losses at the processing facility and lead to increased revenue per pig (Cheng, Claudy, Que and Schinckel, 2019).

Bioplex minerals have also demonstrated that there is less degradation of vitamins as well as enzymes. A reduction in enzyme effectiveness or vitamin activity can lead to an increase in cost or a less favorable production response. Research has shown that several enzymes are heavily reduced in the presence of inorganic minerals and less damaged when exposed to their organic counterparts in the form of Bioplex (Santos, Connolly and Murphy, 2014).

3. Improving water consumption

Does the water your pigs drink impact their performance and productivity, thereby reducing production costs? A pig’s water consumption is just as important as their feed intake because pigs that do not drink enough water will not consume enough feed. Pigs tend to drink around 10% of their body weight per day or roughly two times the amount of feed they eat.

Keeping the pH in a lower range for a longer period reduces the conditions that allow harmful bacteria to grow and flourish. Adding acidifiers, such as Acid-Pak 4-Way^®, to drinking water is an effective approach to acidification, especially when intake is low or variable, because it:

• Reduces water pH and keeps it in a more favorable range (<5 pH).
• Sweetens the taste of water, helping make young pigs more inclined to drink water.
• Improves water intake, which, in turn, improves the pig's ability to digest feed.
• Leads to better enzymatic activity.

Acid-Pak 4-Way is typically used following weaning or during stressful times in the pig's life.

The cost of pig production

While numerous variables can affect production costs, understanding the factors that affect feed quality and implementing a quality-assurance program will help ensure that the best possible nutrition is delivered to your pigs and help pig producers save more money in the long run. Use our pig profit calculator at Alltech.com/every-cent-matters to see how much you can save with Alltech nutritional technologies.

References:

Bertechini, A. G., Fassani, E. J., Brito, J. Á. G. D., & Barrios, P. R. (2012). Effects of dietary mineral Bioplex in pregnant and lactating sow diets on piglet performance and physiological characteristics. Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 41(3), 624–629. doi: 10.1590/s1516-35982012000300022

Cheng, J., Claudy, J., Que, Y., & Schinckel, A. P. (2019). PSII-21 Evaluation of the impact of the magnitude of errors in the sorting of pigs and market price for market on the optimal market weight. Journal of Animal Science, 97(Supplement_2), 231–232. doi: 10.1093/jas/skz122.407

Feldpausch, J. A., Jourquin, J., Bergstrom, J. R., Bargen, J. L., Bokenkroger, C. D., Davis, D. L., … Ritter, M. J. (2019). Birth weight threshold for identifying piglets at risk for preweaning mortality. Translational Animal Science, 3(2), 633–640. doi: 10.1093/tas/txz076

Johnson, R. J., & Campbell, R. G. (1991). Rhone-Poulenc Animal Nutrition and Bunge Meat Industries, Australia. In: Manipulating Pig Production III. Proceedings of the Third Biennial Conference of the Australasian Pig Science Association (pp. 138–138).

Kalaw, P.R., Yatco, J.T., Yatco, G.B., et al., The incidence of small piglets at birth and at weaning can be reduced by Bioplex Sow Pak (poster).  Alltech’s 25th Symposium.  

Ma, L., He, J., Lu, X., Qiu, J., Hou, C., Liu, B., … Yu, D. (2020). Effects of low-dose organic trace minerals on performance, mineral status, and fecal mineral excretion of sows. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 33(1), 132–138. doi: 10.5713/ajas.18.0861

Santos, T., Connolly, C., & Murphy, R. (2014). Trace Element Inhibition of Phytase Activity. Biological Trace Element Research, 163(1-2), 255–265. doi: 10.1007/s12011-014-0161-y

I want to learn more about nutrition for my pig herd.

The egg industry is currently going through its fair share of challenges. With production outstripping consumption and prices being squeezed, producers are looking for more ways to improve the efficiency of their businesses.

To try to achieve this, many are looking into how they can:

• Improve eggshell quality.
• Increase the number of eggs laid, with regular discussions around a target of 500 eggs per bird.
• Lengthen the laying cycle.

With these objectives in mind, the role of layer gut health in production has never been more pertinent.

Egg production, for the laying hen, is a taxing process, considering the energy they use and the stress they endure. It is a biologically complex procedure, and to achieve the highest-quality eggs, the bird’s performance needs to be optimal. By trying to push the boundaries of a bird’s laying capability, we run the risk of compromising the quality of the end result.

If gut health in layers is not at its best, you will see the effects in the eggs they produce. In fact, gastrointestinal challenges are known to be connected to:

• Fragile shells.
• Dirty eggs.
• Short and less abundant laying cycles.

These are issues that will not only hurt your birds but, in the long term, hurt your profits, too.

By making gut health a priority, we can ensure that layers have the resources they need to produce successfully. On top of this, when we talk about pushing the boundaries in terms of what our birds can do, optimal gut health is the key to safely achieving these goals.

Eggshell essentials

When aiming to “improve eggshell quality,” it is essential to distinguish precisely what that means. Generally, a good-quality shell is one that does not crack easily and, as a result, will reduce the number of seconds. However, increasing shell thickness does not necessarily improve quality; it is the structure of the shell that is crucial.

Many enzymes and minerals are involved in the creation of the shell structure. Layers receive the required minerals through their diet, but these minerals must be readily bioavailable for them to be useful in the egg-creation process. The small intestine cannot absorb non-bioavailable minerals.

We also need to be wary of how much of a mineral is included in the diet formulation, as well as the interactions of that mineral once it is consumed. Calcium carbonate, for example, is crucial for eggshell formation, and it is often presumed that increasing the amount of calcium in the diet will automatically lead to more durable shells. However, there is a negligible balance to be considered. Calcium, when dissolved in the gastrointestinal system, can interact with other minerals, reducing their absorption. This, in turn, can have a direct impact on other structural components of the egg, diminishing quality.

With these factors in mind, the best method for ensuring optimum bioavailability is to use chelated minerals in the diet. They will have fewer reactions with other minerals, allowing the bird to absorb more of the mineral. By ensuring that layers are getting the most out of their feed, we give them the best chance to maintain a healthy gut and, as a result, produce high-quality eggs.

Laying healthier and longer

The laying hen can naturally continue to produce eggs for many years, but her peak production will naturally decline with age. Genetic advances in recent years have allowed birds to produce nearly one egg per day, from week 18 to week 75. In some cases, however, the push for large eggs — which come at end-of-lay — has extended this period to 80+ weeks.

Lengthening the egg-laying period puts more stress on the bird, as she must create a metabolically rich egg while also maintaining her body weight and dealing with any additional challenges from the environment that may impact the immune system. It is worth noting that if the energy requirements of the bird are not being met, at a certain point, her body will shut down the reproductive system that was producing the eggs in favor of supporting her body weight and providing energy for vital bodily systems.

Healthy gut, healthy lay

Between 50–80% of the immune system functions in some way through the gut. Many factors can trigger the immune system, such as:

• Mycotoxins.
• New diets.
• High levels of potentially pathogenic bacteria, known as dysbacteriosis.

The immune response in the gut generally takes the form of inflammation, which produces additional mucous layers. Added mucous creates an extra barrier for the minerals to pass through before being absorbed. This means that if an inflammatory response is underway, it is unlikely that the bird will receive its full mineral requirement, impacting eggshell structure and, therefore, strength and quality.

Maintaining and promoting gut health in flocks:

• Increases villi height.
• Reduces villi-crypt ratio.
• Improves tight junctions between cells.

Villi with improved height will have an enhanced surface area and, therefore, can absorb more nutrients to sustain the hen for longer lay cycles. Improving tight junctions will prevent bacteria from becoming translocated into the bloodstream, which can lead to a multitude of problems — including, in the worst cases, diseases like colisepticemia.

The addition of Actigen®, a unique bioactive product derived from the Saccharomyces cervisiae yeast strain, in layer feed can help to optimize gut health. Actigen works to normalize and promote diverse gut bacteria. This helps with the maintenance of the bird’s gastrointestinal integrity and stability, which, in turn, supports its immune defense and gut health.

Getting the balance right

In a natural setting, the microbiome — the microbial population in the gut — is developed from the mother as the chick is raised in the nest. Our modern systems mean that this does not happen, so the creation and maintenance of the microbiome should be considered when determining management practices. Keeping the microbiome balanced will go a long way to improving layer gut health and egg production.

Many producers have been successful in improving gut health and the microbiome via the implementation of Alltech’s Seed, Feed, Weed program to manage the composition of the intestinal microbial community. This involves accelerating the evolution of the microbial community to a steady state and then maintaining the status quo. The Seed, Feed, Weed program achieves this by:

• Seeding the gut with favorable organisms.
• Feeding these favorable organisms.
• Weeding out the unfavorable organisms.

By helping to maintain the microbiome balance, this program works to improve shell quality and enable a healthier, longer lay.

Producers in the egg industry are desperately seeking out ways to help their birds continue to lay more in the safest way possible. Quality food will help layers produce quality eggs — but this is only effective if the bird is able to absorb the beneficial nutrients that come from it in the first place. Improving the gut health of birds in lay will enable them to absorb a higher proportion of their feed. This will not only aid the overall wellbeing of the layer but will also give them the foundations to successfully and safely produce better eggs for a longer period of time.

I want to learn more about poultry nutrition. 

Shrimp diseases are the shrimp farming industry’s biggest concern. In Asia, diseases cost the shrimp industry billions of dollars annually (Shinn, et al., 2018). There are numerous diseases that cause this economic loss. This article will provide guidance to help you prevent shrimp diseases by going back to basics with farm management practices, biosecurity and shrimp health management.

Common shrimp diseases in Asia

No single disease can be definitively named the most severe, as this depends on the area, the timing of the outbreak and the season. Some of the most common shrimp diseases found in Asia are acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), which is caused by bacteria; white-spot syndrome virus (WSSV), which is caused by virus; and Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP), the fungal microsporidian. The table below summarizes the symptoms of and prevention methods for each of these diseases.

Disease can be brought on-farm by water quality, wildlife, equipment, people, stock and feces. They can manifest as external parasites, viral infections, bacterial infections or fungal infections. Therefore, the most practical way to prevent disease and/or reduce the losses they lead to is to implement proper farm management practices and enhance the immune system of the shrimp.

Farm management and biosecurity

The production cycle of shrimp farming consists of four components: broodstock, hatchery, nursery and grow-out. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), each of these components would require clean water, clean rearing facilities, clean feed, hygienic protocols, and dry-out and break-cycle practice.

Shrimp disease treatment is not easy; often, it is more complex than disease prevention. There is not one single solution that fixes all problems, but there are preventive measures that keep pathogens from filtering through shrimp ponds and that keep shrimp healthy. FAO recommends the following best practices in shrimp culture:

• Choose the right shrimp genetics: i.e., specific pathogen-free (SPF) and high performers for high biosecurity systems. Better biosecurity in shrimp aquaculture begins with clean broodstock that supply eggs and nauplii for hatcheries. The broodstock, whether SPF or non-SPF, should be carefully sourced and certified. This is the first and most important step to take, as it could prevent the disease carriers from entering the culture system.
• Keep pathogens out: Dry out facilities regularly; disinfect fill and exchange water; control feed; and prevent air and droplet contamination.
• Biosecurity implementation: Limit the number of visitors (e.g., vehicles, humans, birds, other carriers) to a minimum.
• Hygiene: Install hand-wash stations, foot baths and wheel washes or tire baths; put up warning signs; disinfect footwear before entering the facilities; and wear boots.

Enhancing the immune system of shrimp

It is natural for pathogens and bacteria to be present in shrimp ponds. They might not even lead to any diseases for healthy shrimp with strong immune systems. Therefore, it is important to take good care of shrimp gut health and work to bolster their immune systems. This can be achieved by using the right feed additives.

One example is supplementation with zinc and selenium. Zinc plays a key role in modulating immune function, resulting in shrimp with increased immune capabilities. Zinc also helps maintain skin integrity and speeds up wound-healing. In addition to zinc, selenium supplementation has been proven to promote shrimp growth and immune health.

An Alltech solution that has been effective in field trials in Southeast Asia is Aquate™ Defender.

What is Aquate Defender? It is a blend of organic trace minerals (zinc and selenium) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast extract. This product has been shown to help improve performance and bolster the immune system, ultimately increasing the profitability of the farm.

Aquate Defender is the solution platform for aquaculture that provides a combination of technologies based on proprietary processes. Aquate Defender technologies help maintain a protective balance between your aquaculture species, their nutrition and the environment in which they live. This optimizes animal performance and helps maintain healthy populations.

Researchers at Alltech have developed the Aquate Defender range of nutritional solutions in partnership with our global customer base, using our three core technologies: peptide technologies, solid-state fermentation (SSF) and yeast fermentation. Aquate Defender is specifically designed to address producers’ concerns about the gastrointestinal stability of their animals. Aquate Defender solutions help producers as they work to achieve their animals' true potential and enhance their profitability.

About Aquate Defender:

• Promotes good bacteria and builds defenses
• Promotes gastrointestinal integrity and stability
• Enhances nutrient utilization
• Reinforces the function of the digestive system
• Optimizes performance and profitability

Aquate Defender can improve the gut microvilli length, thus improving overall nutrient absorption, which can translate to growth performance (see Figure 1 below).

Figure 1: Shrimp gut morphology after feeding Aquate Component for 56 days

Intestinal morphology of shrimp fed with Aquate over 56 days

Source: Zhang et al., 2012

The results of a commercial trial at a Malaysia shrimp farm studying the whole production cycle showed that Aquate Defender helped improve overall profitability. The average bodyweight of the harvested shrimp increased 0.77 g, and FCR was reduced by 0.24. Overall, the yield per hectare increased 1.96 tons per hectare, and the return on investment (ROI) for the application of Aquate Defender was 7 to 1, compared to the control.

Figure 2: Results of a commercial trial of white shrimp showing improved performance with Aquate Defender

By improving food absoption and gut health, Aquate Defender increased bodyweight and production.

Source: A large farm in Malaysia (Sept. 2012)

Research and local field trials conducted in Malaysia and Indonesia have proven that, when Aquate Defender is used, the shrimp gut is heathier, with a longer and better villi structure that leads to better absorption. Farmers using Aquate Defender in their nutrition programs are experiencing more successful rates of shrimp culture. In several Asian countries, customers who have previously used Aquate Defender continue to use this product in their feeding programs. 

Although shrimp disease is the main challenge in shrimp culture, it can be prevented and overcome with good farm management practices and a strong biosecurity system. As an animal health and feed additives company, Alltech and its solutions can support you by improving the immune health of your shrimp and increasing both your productivity per hectare and, ultimately, your profitability.

References

A.P. Shinn, J. Pratoomyot, D. Griffiths, T.Q. Trong, N.T. Vu, P. Jiravanichpaisal and M. Briggs (2018). Asian Shrimp Production and the Economic Costs of Disease. Asian Fisheries Science, 31S (2018): 29-58.

FAO (2012). Species Fact Sheets: Penaeus monodon (Fabricius, 1798). In: FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department. http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3405/en

FAO (2013). Report of the FAO/MARD Technical Workshop on Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) or Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Syndrome (AHPNS) of Cultured Shrimp (under TCP/VIE/3304), 2013. Hanoi, Vietnam, 25–27 June 2013. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Report No. 1053, Rome, Italy, 54 p.

HONG X.P., XU D., ZHUO Y., LIU H.Q. & LU L.Q. (2016). Identification and pathogenicity of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates and immune responses of Penaeus (Litopaneus) vannamei (Boone). J. Fish Dis., 39, 1085–1097.

NACA (2012). Report of the Asia-Pacific emergency regional consultation on the emerging shrimp disease: Early mortality syndrome (EMS)/acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome (AHPNS), 9–10 August 2012. Published by the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand.

Newman, S. (2015). Microsporidian impacts shrimp production. Global Aquaculture Advocate. https://www.aquaculturealliance.org/advocate/microsporidian-impacts-shrimp-production/

OIE (2019). Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals – 14/11/2019. https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/aahm/current/chapitre_ahpnd.pdf

Sánchez-Paz, A (2010). White spot syndrome virus: an overview on an emergent concern. Vet Res. 2010 Nov-Dec; 41(6): 43. Published online 2010 Feb 26. doi: 10.1051/vetres/2010015

Sritunyalucksanaa, K., l Intaraprasonga, A., Sa-nguanruta, P., Filerc, K., Fegand, D. (2011). Organic selenium supplementation promotes shrimp growth and disease resistance to Taura syndrome virus. Science Asia 37 (2011): 24-30. doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.2011.37.024

Zhang, J., Liu, Y., Tian, L., Yang, H., Liang, G., Xu, D. (2012), Effects of dietary mannan oligosaccharide on growth performance, gut morphology and stress tolerance of juvenile Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. Fish & Shellfish Immunology 33 (2012) 1027-1032. https://www.hinter.com.cn/Upload/pdf/en/4.pdf

I want to learn more about aquaculture nutrition.

Are you looking to improve the efficiency of your cattle? Studies have shown that organic trace minerals outperform inorganic minerals when it comes to cows and their calves. Dr. Anne Koontz, Alltech research scientist, discusses the benefits that organic trace mineral supplements can provide to the calf immune system and average daily gains, as well as how they affect cow fertility and reproductive efficiency in cattle.

The following is an edited transcript of Kara Keeton’s interview with Dr. Anne Koontz. Click below to hear the full audio.

Kara:              I'm joined today by Alltech research scientist Dr. Anne Koontz to discuss organic trace minerals in beef cattle. Thank you for joining me today.

Anne:             Thank you for having me.

Kara:              Anne, trace minerals: are they that secret weapon in our feed that everyone knows exist but we don’t fully understand what they do?

Anne:             I think we've always known the importance of trace minerals, but what we're really seeing, with new research that's coming out, is we're diving into things that we didn’t know they were doing for us, and we're seeing some benefits and really putting data to those benefits and understanding them a bit better.

Kara:              So, when you're talking about the benefits, what are the minerals specifically that we're talking about? And tell me about some of the benefits that they're providing to our animals.

Anne:             Right. When we're talking trace minerals, we're really talking about things like zinc, copper, cobalt, selenium — those minerals that are in very small amounts in our feeds. They get a little bit overlooked. We all toss them in, but really understanding the levels and the forms that are important is something new.

                        What we see with trace minerals is we've always known that you have to have them there at a certain level, and especially in beef cattle. We've gone, "Well, there are trace minerals in the grass, so I'm not going to worry about it too much," but there are a lot of surveys that are showing that trace minerals in the grass are actually at levels that aren't sufficient to really promote the benefits we know that trace minerals (provide that) are important for us — so immunity, health, metabolism and reproduction, which is really what I focused on recently.

                        When it comes to reproduction, we know that low amounts of trace minerals in the diets of our cattle can cause problems in both the bulls as well as the cows. When we're talking about cows, we're seeing issues like lower fertility. Pregnancy maintenance rates aren't as good; we get good conception rates, but it's that maintenance of pregnancy that we're finding, if we focus on the minerals, we actually get better pregnancy maintenance.

Kara:              So, you're saying that, when you're looking at different animals in the sense of calves versus mama cows versus your bulls, you really have to take that into consideration when you're looking at applying trace minerals to the feed.

Anne:             Absolutely. All of your animals are going to need trace minerals, but the levels and the amounts that they need are going to vary depending on their life stage — and especially when you're talking about your cows. They're going to need different levels of minerals when they're pregnant than when they're lactating and than when they're dry and waiting for that next calf to come to the ground. Their mineral needs fluctuate, and we need to take that into account, but always be aware that they do need minerals pretty much all the time.

Kara:              How do Alltech's organic trace minerals, Bioplex and Sel-Plex, hold up in the gut in regard to stability, and how are they used in the different animals like you're talking about — different stages of life or production?

Anne:             This is another one of those areas that's sort of cutting-edge, and we're really starting to see some new things coming out here, and the stability area is really interesting. What we're finding is that, both in premix situations as well as in the gut of the animals, organic minerals hold their form and shape far better than inorganic minerals. Inorganic minerals are bound to, generally, some sort of an ion, and once they hit the gut, they break apart from that ion, and then they have the ability to bind other things. They can bind up important parts of your diet or other minerals so they're no longer available to the animal, and so the nutrition ultimately becomes less in that diet.

                        With the organic minerals, they don’t break apart and rebind and that sort of thing, and so, they're more stable and they're more available. When we really look at the availability as far as the bioavailability, what we find is that organic minerals can be as much as 130–200% more available than a sulfate form, and even more than that, from an oxide form of a mineral. So, we're able to use organic minerals at lower levels in the diet but get the same benefits, or use them at the same level and get higher benefits when we might be addressing a subclinical deficiency where we didn’t realize we had a deficiency because we didn’t see any outward effects of it, but the animal has the ability to respond to that slightly more available or slightly higher level of mineral in the diet.

Kara:              So how is this used on the farm, and how are farmers embracing this transition, possibly, from using inorganic — which I know has been used for years — to the organic minerals and more natural solutions in their production?

Anne:             The feedback from farmers has been incredibly positive, and it mirrors what we've seen in research. We've had research on this from the early '90s in bits and pieces, where we did larger-scale research looking at other issues but we just happened to collect a little bit of reproductive data on the side.

                        Starting about a year and a half ago, I started pulling out those bits and pieces of reproductive data and putting them all together in a response to a question we had from our sales team. What we found is that we could do this consistently through all these bits and pieces of trials over the last 30 years. Then, when we took those bits and pieces and said, “This is what we've been able to do with reproduction as far as increasing calving rates, increasing pregnancy maintenance and, ultimately, affecting calf production from the cows that were fed those organic trace minerals with higher weaning rates and higher feed liveweight gains,” that was quite exciting to our sales team and to our customers.

                        When we took it out into the field to the customers, the customers were reporting back exactly the same things we saw in university research trials. They're reporting back higher pregnancy rates, higher conception rates to AI (artificial insemination). They're reporting back that their heifers are reaching puberty earlier, so they're ultimately calving earlier in their life span. So, we're shortening the non-productive time of these animals on the farm, and that's very exciting for us, and it's very exciting for the consumers, because anytime the animal is not productive — if they're slow to cycle back during the breeding season and slow to get pregnant again, or if your heifers aren't reaching maturity until later in their life — you're feeding an animal that's not ultimately bringing you back any money on the farm. So, if we can shorten that time period that we're feeding unproductive animals, we're saving farmers money. We're ultimately getting closer to that beef production gold standard of one calf per cow per year.

Kara:              So, saving money, healthier cattle — these are all things farmers are looking for when they're looking at feed, when they're looking at production. What are some other things that you believe, as you continue your research, (you) are going to find in using trace minerals? And not just using — we've always used trace minerals, but using the organic trace minerals, and as you learn more about them — are there other things on the horizon that you're excited about or you think you're going to see?

Anne:             There are some things I'm particularly excited (about) and am hoping to start looking at a bit more deeply. One of the things that keeps coming back to us is that, within the beef industry, as I said before, we don’t have an issue with conception rates. Our cattle are incredibly fertile. We get 95% or greater conception rates. What we do see as an issue is early pregnancy loss. There's some data out of Fort Keogh with Dr. Gary in Montana that says 25% of those cattle that conceive lose pregnancy before 28 days. So, it's that very first bit, where we didn’t maybe quite realize they were pregnant, so we thought maybe they didn’t conceive — but what he's saying is, it's not the conception; it's that early pregnancy loss in the first 28 days.

                        So, what some of the research we have at Alltech has shown is that we're getting better pregnancy rates from AI in beef cattle, and we're getting fewer services per conception in dairy cattle, which is the same way of looking at something, but looking at it from a different angle. So, what I firmly believe is that those two numbers are showing us that we're getting better maintenance of pregnancy during that first 28 days, so I'd really like to get a chance to dive deeper into that and really specifically look at that in some of our research.

                        The other thing that's particularly interesting to me going forward is taking this to some of our purebred and AI systems and looking at embryo, flushing an embryo quality on that side of the beef industry. We've got some very preliminary data there from the field, where people have used this, that shows we're getting better embryo quality, more transferable embryos and things like that out of these embryo-flushing situations, so I'd like to dive a bit deeper into that and see what we can do on that side as well.

Kara:              That's exciting. I know that your area of specialty is with beef cattle. Do you work with dairy cattle as well?

Anne:             I do. I actually work with pretty much any species.

Kara:              Okay. Well, that's what I was going to ask. What you're learning from beef cattle, and utilizing organic trace minerals in beef cattle — are you also doing research or are there researchers at Alltech looking at this in other livestock?

Anne:             There absolutely are. A lot of the research that I was able to find when I started looking into this, and seeing what we already had in our databases, came from the dairy industry, and so, we've seen this consistently in the dairy industry. We can see this consistently in the beef industry. There are some indications that we see something very similar in the swine industry. Poultry is a little bit funny because eggs are a bit different than a pregnancy, but on the pig industry, what we're really seeing is that we're getting heavier birth weights, we're getting more pigs per litter, and those pigs are thriving more after birth when the sows are fed Bioplex minerals.

Kara:              Trace minerals (are) maybe not a secret weapon, per se, since we've always used them, but maybe it's the organic and natural direction that is something that's going to make a difference to producers down the road.

Anne:             I think that's accurate.

Kara:              Okay. Well, thank you so much for joining me today, Anne.

Anne:             Thank you for having me. It's been a pleasure.

Kara:              This was Dr. Anne Koontz, Alltech research scientist.

Have a question or comment?

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and deadly disease that affects domestic and wild pigs regardless of age and sex. ASF cannot be spread to humans and other non-swine animals and livestock and is not a threat to human health. However, humans can carry the virus on their clothing, shoes and equipment and can spread the disease unknowingly.

Historically endemic to African countries, ASF has been spreading rapidly throughout Asia and parts of Europe through 2018 and 2019. What are the symptoms of ASF, what can we do to prevent the disease, and are there any treatment options?

Signs and symptoms of ASF

• High fever (40.5–42oC)
• Sudden loss of appetite
• Hemorrhages on skin and internal organs, particularly lymph nodes
• Diarrhea, vomiting (sometimes with bloody discharge)
• Abortion
• Depression
• Coughing
• Difficulty breathing
• Sudden death
• High death loss

While these symptoms are similar to classical swine fever (CSF), ASF is caused by a unique virus that is distinct from CSF. Unusually high mortality rates among pigs of all ages can be a strong indicator of ASF. However, the only way to know for sure which virus pigs might be infected with is through laboratory testing. If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above in your herd, contact a vet as soon as you can to ensure that the correct quarantine and treatment are completed. This could help limit the damage on your farm.

Tips to prevent ASF from entering your farm

It is possible to keep ASF out of the farm, even in countries where ASF is endemic. Here are nine prevention measures you can take to avoid ASF.

​

1. Implementation of strict importation measures for animal products:

Ensure that neither infected live pigs nor pork products are introduced into areas free of ASF. ASF-positive countries can have their animal exportations restricted or prohibited as a result of the detection of infected meat. Check infected regions before importing products that could potentially be contaminated.

2. Proper disposal of all food waste from aircrafts or ships coming from infected countries.

Furthermore, no human food waste should be fed to pigs.

3. Efficient sterilization and disposal of garbage: Avoid swill feeding (i.e., garbage feeding).

Feeding of catering waste is a high-risk practice; if the food waste is contaminated with ASF, it can infect a healthy herd. Do not expose food waste that wild swine species could access. Carcasses, discarded parts from slaughtered pigs and food waste should be disposed of appropriately. 

4. Rapid slaughtering of all pigs, infected or not (stamping out):

Recovered or surviving animals are virus carriers for life. Therefore, to avoid spreading the disease to other pigs and to prevent relapse, it is safer to slaughter both infected and potentially infected pigs. Stamping out tends to be a short-term method to eradicate the disease. Nevertheless, it is generally the most cost-effective method that allows farms to be free from ASF in the shortest time.

5. Strict on-farm biosecurity:

Keep viruses and bacteria out by complying with biosecurity rules, including proper disinfection of clothing and boots, as well as not bringing pork products that have not been properly heat-treated onto a farm. Farms should maintain dedicated footwear and clothing that stay on the farm.

6. Controlled animal and human movements:

Pigs should be sourced from trusted and certified suppliers. Vehicles, equipment and people are also fomites of ASF. Ensure that anyone who enters the farm has not been in contact with any other pigs over the past 48 hours. Farm visitors who have been in countries that are ASF-positive need at least five days of downtime before entering the farm. Vehicles and equipment should be properly cleaned and disinfected before entering the premises. As secretions and excretions from sick or dead animals are a source of ASF, carcass-hauling trucks are high-risk and should not enter the farm.

7. Disease surveillance and monitoring:

This is especially important when transporting live pigs and pork products. In addition, pig farms should maintain a strict health monitoring program. All sick or dead pigs should be inspected and examined for ASF. To detect ASF early, pigs slaughtered for own-home consumption should be inspected by an official veterinarian. Regarding staff training, holding regular prevention lectures and strengthening quality assessments as well as the daily records of feed ingredients is advised.

8. Efficient and early detection of the virus through laboratory tests:

Notify a vet immediately upon spotting signs of ASF, and get the pigs tested.

9. Strict quarantine protocol:

Strict quarantine measures should be applied in both ASF-free zones and infected zones to prevent the entry of the disease and/or to keep ASF from spreading further.

Treatments for ASF

• Currently, there are no treatments or vaccinations available for this animal disease.
• Preventative and cautionary measures can be taken to protect animal health.
• Contact between sick and healthy animals can transmit ASF. Therefore, infected animals must be isolated and culled immediately upon confirmation of ASF.

Did you know?

• North America and the Oceania region remain the only areas that have never had reported cases of ASF.
• ASF poses no risk to human health. Humans cannot get infected by ASF.
• ASF infects domestic and wild pigs, as well as a variety of soft-bodied ticks.
• Wild boars and warthogs can be carriers of ASF. Make sure they don’t come in contact with domestic pigs.
• Frozen meat from infected pigs can harbor the virus for up to six months.
• The ASF virus has been estimated to survive for up to 15 days in feces and five days in urine at 21°C.
• It takes 30 minutes of cooking at 70oC to deactivate ASF in meat products and 30 minutes at 60°C for serum and body fluids.
• Curing or smoking pork products does not destroy the virus.
• ASF can be transferred via feed (Niederwerder, et al., 2019). It is important to work with trusted suppliers and vendors to verify ingredient sources and determine what their biosecurity and quality programs entail.

The importance of feed safety and a favorable health status

Studies have shown that feed can be a carrier of certain harmful pathogens (Dee, et al., 2018). As an added layer of protection, put safeguards in place and utilize feed intervention technologies, such as acidifiers, to support the integrity and quality of your feed.

Acidifiers are known to have beneficial properties that “control bacterial growth in feed, […] inhibiting growth of pathogenic microbes” (Jacela, et al., 2009).

Products such as Guardicate™* have been shown to be effective for promoting feed safety and can be used as an important component of your farm’s greater biosecurity program. Over almost four years of research, Guardicate has shown its effectiveness as an acidifier, as it addresses feed quality concerns by helping maintain a favorable feed environment.

Together with other solutions, like Sel-Plex®, Bioplex® and Actigen®, Alltech’s nutritional technologies provide peace of mind that you are safe from the risks that could negatively impact your production while promoting a positive health status for your animals.

Improper mineral supply can have major consequences for the health and productivity of your herd. Improved mineral status has been shown to have a positive effect on immune function. The Alltech Mineral Management program focuses on feeding organic minerals such as Sel-Plex and Bioplex, which are better absorbed and utilized by the animal and, thus, can meet their nutrient needs for optimal health.

Gut health and the microbiome also play a key role in maintaining the overall health status of the pig. Actigen is able to support immune function, gut microbial health and gut function and development, promoting overall animal health and performance.

*Guardicate is only available in select countries.

References:

Dee, S. A., Bauermann, F. V., Niederwerder, M. C., Singrey, A., Clement, T., de Lima, M., & Petrovan, V. (2018). Survival of viral pathogens in animal feed ingredients under transboundary shipping models. PloS one, 13(3), e0194509. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0194509

Jacela, J.Y., DeRouchey, J.M., Tokach, M.D., et al. Feed additives for swine: Fact sheets – acidifiers and antibiotics. J Swine Health Prod. 2009;17(5):270–275. https://www.aasv.org/shap/issues/v17n5/v17n5p270.pdf

Niederwerder, M. C., Stoian, A., Rowland, R., Dritz, S. S., Petrovan, V., Constance, L. A....Hefley, T. J. (2019). Infectious Dose of African Swine Fever Virus When Consumed Naturally in Liquid or Feed. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 25(5), 891-897. https://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid2505.181495

I would like a FREE Feed Safety Guide.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the number-one cause of feedlot cattle death in North America and represents more than 70% of all feedlot death and sickness. BRD is the single-largest source of morbidity and mortality in feedlots, causing an estimated $2–3 billion in losses annually (Fulton 2009; Irsik 2006). So how do you treat BRD?

First, you need to know that the phrase “treating BRD profitably” is nearly an oxymoron. Once an animal gets BRD — or shipping fever, as it’s sometimes called — four separate economic factors are negatively impacted: treatment costs increase, productivity decreases, labor costs increase and the likelihood of a BRD re-treat, chronic re-treats and/or death increases as well. Especially in a tight beef cattle market, relying on being able to treat BRD while staying profitable is practically impossible.

What is BRD and how do you spot it?

BRD is the general term for any disease of the upper respiratory tracts (e.g., bronchitis, rhinitis, tracheitis) or lower respiratory tracts (e.g., pneumonia). It is known as a “disease complex,” stemming from three factors usually working in combination: stress, a viral infection and a bacterial infection. BRD normally impacts cattle in the first four weeks after weaning, and it can be fatal.

Symptoms of BRD:

• Droopy ears
• Fever
• Lethargic behavior 
• Lack of appetite (going “off-feed”)
• Rapid, shallow breathing
• Coughing
• Bloody or excessive nasal discharge

Four strategies for beating BRD in your feed yard

A common cliché in sports is that “the best defense is a good offense.” The same principle applies to BRD. The best way for you to defend against having to treat for BRD is to have a proactive, offensive-line strategy that prevents BRD in your receiving program. Here are four things you should do to prevent BRD:

1. Reduce stress at all costs

Investing a bit more to ensure the receiving health of your cattle will pay big dividends when it comes to BRD. Remember: cattle have just endured a long, strenuous trip to your yard, so doing everything you can to reduce their stress upon arrival is critical. This begins with providing a good, clean environment with as little overcrowding and dust as possible. Pay special attention if and when adverse weather occurs (e.g., excess heat, cold, rain, etc.) and adjust accordingly to accommodate them. Be sure to provide sufficient bedding as well so the animals can get some much-needed rest. The initial process of co-mingling can introduce countless diseases, even beyond BRD, so giving cattle to have a clean place to rest will allow them to both settle down and fight off any health challenges.

Additionally, having your team trained in low-stress handling practices will help keep cattle calm when they arrive. This means limiting the amount of yelling, excessive noise and the use of electric prods to keep stress to a minimum.

2. Provide good nutrition early and often

There are three keys to preventing BRD via nutrition. Though often overlooked, the first and most important key when cattle are arriving to the feedyard is getting them to drink water. Water is a critical first nutrient. After a long, stressful trip, getting cattle clean water as quickly as possible will help them acclimate and address any dehydration they could have experienced during transportation. The second key to preventing BRD is providing highly palatable, nutrient-dense feed. Especially during the first four to five days, getting cattle to eat much of anything may be a challenge. A good choice to include in your ration would be either a wet or dry distillers grain (depending on what is available in your region). Distillers grains are high in protein, very palatable and are generally cost-effective for a start-up ration.

Sometimes, the smallest ingredients can have the biggest impact on your cattle’s health. Providing the right micronutrients to maximize health and performance is the third and final nutritional key to preventing BRD. Establishing good gut health and mineral status proactively are paramount when attempting to stop BRD before it starts. Feed additive products from Alltech, such as Bio-Mos, can help drive gut health, and Alltech’s Bioplex and Sel-Plex support maximum trace mineral status. Both of these products are backed by peer-reviewed scientific research and have been used by producers as a part of their comprehensive BRD programs.

3. Establish a vaccination program with a vet you trust

Step one in this process may be developing a relationship built on trust with your vet. This goes beyond just “knowing” your vet to actually having full confidence that the vaccinations you are providing will set your animals up for success. A skilled local veterinarian is your best ally to make sure that the vaccines are working most effectively to fight BRD outbreaks. Furthermore, vaccination histories should play an important role in where you source your cattle. For example, finding animals who have been vaccinated as many as 45 days pre-weaning and again before shipping will help boost your ability to prevent BRD in the feed yard.

4. Use your tools wisely: Good pen riders and technology

Remember, cattle are animals of prey — meaning that they will do everything they can not to appear sick or wounded. A skilled pen rider with a keen eye is still your best preventative tool against BRD. Not every case of BRD can be prevented, but putting an end to it before it becomes critical can make all the difference. There can be as much as a three-to-five-day gap between when an animal begins to experience the symptoms of BRD and when those symptoms can be visibly detected. This makes early identification all the more important for a pen rider. The longer BRD goes undetected, the more “catching up” an animal will need to do once treated. That means lost money for your yard. As such, checking animals multiple times a day is good, profitable prevention against BRD.

New technologies continue to aid in the preventative fight against BRD. Many of these technologies still need further development before being profitably introduced, but progress is being made. Early detection swabs, drones, smart ear tags, facial recognition cameras, sensor-based hydronic shoots and much more will help reduce the labor needed to effectively manage cattle and improve overall animal welfare.

Again, your best defense against BRD is a good offense. By putting these preventative strategies in place, you are giving your cattle the best chance to be healthy and profitable. Your ability to combat the number-one feedlot disease can and will make a big difference for your operation today.

References

Fulton, R.W. 2009. Bovine respiratory disease research (1983–2009). Cambridge University Press 2009 Animal Health Research Reviews 10(2); 131–139.

Irsik, M., M. Langemeier, T. Schroeder, M. Spire, J. D. Roder. 2006. Estimating the Effects of Animal Health on the Performance of Feedlot Cattle. The Bovine Practitioner, 40(2); 65-74.

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