From June 2022, a zinc oxide ban, prohibiting the use of therapeutic doses of zinc oxide (ZnO) in animal feeds to control post-weaning diarrhea in piglets will come into effect in the European Union (EU). Although ZnO can still be used as a feed additive after this date, it will only be allowed at the maximum permitted dose rate of 150 ppm total dietary zinc. Before we discuss why all EU pig producers need to be ready to rear their pigs without pharmacological levels of ZnO by 2022, it is important to understand why the use of high levels of ZnO in swine nutritional diets has increased dramatically across the globe in recent years.  

Where it all began

At weaning, piglets are subject to a multitude of stress factors over a very short period that contribute to gastrointestinal tract and immune system disturbances. These factors can be:

1. Nutritional: Abrupt dietary change from sow milk to a dry, pelleted, predominantly vegetable-based diet formulation.

2. Environmental: Moving to new nursery accommodation with different housing conditions.

3. Health-based: Loss of passive immunity from the sow.

4. Physiological: Abrupt maternal separation, being handled and transported and mixing with unfamiliar pigs from other litters.

Because the pigs are under such stress, the early post-weaning period is typically characterized by poor growth performance (e.g., reduced feed intake) and increased susceptibility to post-weaning diarrhea.

Traditionally, pig producers relied heavily on antibiotic growth promoters in pre-starter and starter feeds to control pathogenic infections (mainly caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli) and improve pig growth performance in the first few weeks after weaning. This was common practice until various governmental bodies banned the use of antibiotics as growth promoters, such as the European Parliament in 2003, due to growing concerns over increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The continual spread of AMR has dangerous consequences for not only animal but also human health.

Following this ban, pig producers had to seek alternatives to maintain optimal gut health and to reduce this post-weaning performance drop. As a result, the use of high levels of ZnO in piglet feeds (2,000 ppm or higher) became more widespread and was seen as common practice in the swine industry. It was shown to be an effective and relatively inexpensive tool for preventing and controlling post-weaning diarrhea, with subsequent improvements in piglet growth performance, feed intake and digestion. Although the precise mode of action of ZnO against post-weaning diarrhea in weaned piglets is not yet fully understood, it is believed to be related to a significant improvement in both intestinal morphology (i.e., improved structure and function) and nutrient digestion and absorption. 

Why ban pharmacological levels of ZnO?

Though there are several benefits of using ZnO in piglet feeds (preventing post-weaning diarrhea, maintaining health and performance, etc.), recent reports have highlighted its environmental impact, and we became aware of its contribution to the spread of AMR. It is, therefore, not surprising that regulations around its use are changing and why the EU decided to ban the use of pharmacological levels of ZnO in June 2022. However, it is not all bad news for the European pig industry, as there are several potential benefits to the upcoming ban on ZnO. Some of these benefits are:  

1. Reduced environmental pollution

As previously mentioned, there are environmental concerns over the continued use of high levels of ZnO. This is primarily because zinc accumulates in soil after zinc-rich pig manure is applied to the land as an organic fertilizer. These high levels of zinc in the soil and surface water are deemed an environmental pollutant and health risk and may also impact the absorption of other trace elements, such as iron.

2. Preventing antimicrobial resistance

Recent studies and reports have demonstrated ZnO’s contribution to the increase of AMR, as high levels of ZnO may increase the proportion of multi-drug-resistant E. coli in the intestines of piglets.

3. Avoiding zinc toxicity

Zinc remains a heavy metal and is, therefore, toxic to many living organisms, including pigs. Studies show that prolonged use of pharmacological levels of ZnO may negatively affect piglet health and performance, as demonstrated by a marked decrease in feed intake. 

4. Preventing nutritional interactions

High levels of ZnO can have a negative effect on phytase activity (an enzyme that is included in piglet feeds to enhance digestion), whereby the phosphorous cannot be released from phytase due to the formation of a complex of zinc with P-phytate. When ZnO is removed from piglet feeds, it should have a positive effect on phytase efficiency.

5. Avoiding changes to gut microbial composition

The use of pharmacological doses of ZnO may also cause changes to the gut microbial composition of piglets during the early post-weaning period by suppressing the growth of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacilli. Such changes may negatively affect intestinal development and health in young piglets.

What is in store for pig-producing countries outside the EU?

Canada: Until recently, ZnO was typically included in piglet feeds at 2,500–5,000 ppm in Canada. However, Canada is now in the midst of imposing similar restrictions to that of the EU, which will see the level of ZnO allowed in piglet feeds reduced down to nutritional levels of 350 ppm.

China: The use of high levels of ZnO also came under scrutiny in China, and, as a result, China has drastically reduced its level of authorized dietary zinc supplementation, going from 2,250 ppm to 1,600 ppm in 2018.

United States and some Asian countries: It is very likely that the United States and some Asian countries will also implement similar restrictions on the use of pharmacological levels of ZnO in piglet diets in the near future. Although there are no restrictions currently in place in these regions, it is vital that swine producers avoid over use and start the process of working towards ZnO alternatives so that they are prepared when a ban inevitably comes into effect.

Until recently, ZnO represented one of the vital nutritional strategies for preventing and controlling diarrhea in young piglets and the associated detrimental post-weaning ‘growth check.’ However, increasing concerns over environmental pollution and contributions to the spread of AMR have led to an EU ban on the use of high levels of ZnO in piglet diets. Adopting a holistic strategy that encompasses optimal nutrition, management, biosecurity, health and welfare practices will be key to ensuring that pigs can thrive and survive in a post-ZnO era.     

Learn how the Alltech Seed, Feed, Weed solution can help you remove ZnO from your piglet diets, and start the conversation about how you can begin transitioning to ZnO-free piglet production by contacting the Alltech Gut Health Management team today.

This is part 1 of a 3-part series

*References available upon request

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

If your pet food company produces balanced diets for puppies and kittens, you know that it is not always easy to differentiate yourselves from the competition.

With numerous options at the neighborhood pet food store and on the increasingly popular e-commerce sites, new pet parents are often bombarded with decisions. Should they go with raw diets for puppies? Dry or wet food for kittens? High-protein diets? Vitamin and mineral supplements?

Ultimately, you want pet consumers to choose your nutrition programs. Let’s look at three ways to make sure that your puppy and kitten diets stand out on the shelf.

1. Beware of the “high-protein” hype.

Yes, puppies and kittens have nutritional requirements that include high protein and calorie levels, but be wary of oversimplifying this message.

Protein sources are not created equal, and claiming that a food is “high protein” is not as important as the levels of essential amino acids that are present in the diets of young kittens and puppies.

Protein requirements for puppies and kittens are really requirements for higher levels of high-quality protein. Do your best to convey to consumers that your pet food brand contains excellent-quality protein from a traceable source that specifically meets the needs of a puppy or kitten.

Furthermore, taking a step backwards, a growing animal’s body also requires nutrients that support its cells’ ability to produce proteins.

Nutrients such as nucleotides, which are the molecules that make up an animal’s genetic material (DNA and RNA), are in high demand throughout the animal’s life, but never more so than during the growth phase, when the gastrointestinal and immune systems are developing quickly.

Nucleotides are found in high levels in the mother’s milk, but young companion animals still have an increased need for nucleotides, even after weaning. Research has shown that nucleotide supplementation in puppies increases their immune systems’ capacity to respond to dangerous diseases, such as parvovirus.

Arming your pet food with the organic molecules and amino acids that really matter for growth and development in puppies and kittens, such as those found in Alltech’s NUCLEO-SACC™, will deliver real results for your consumers and, ultimately, the pets they love.

2. Make it palatable.

This may seem fairly obvious, but reduced food consumption in growing kittens and puppies can lead to major growth and developmental problems.

It is important to communicate to pet owners that while the desired growth rate for both puppies and kittens is “slow and steady” so as to prevent the over-development of their musculoskeletal systems, young animals will grow the quickest in their first 6 months of life and need to be fed in line with those needs.

Building your puppy and kitten diets with highly palatable ingredients, such as glutamic acid, can help promote feed intake in a controlled manner. Additionally, using a body condition scoring system can help to guide nutrition for kittens and puppies. Teaching pet owners how to use body conditioning can help prevent under- or over-development.

For both dogs and cats, body condition is typically assessed on a scale of 1 to 9, with 1 being severely underweight and 9 being obese. An ideal body condition for cats and dogs is between 4 and 5, where their ribs can be easily felt but not seen and a waistline can clearly be identified.

In growing companion animals, body condition is likely to change more rapidly, and there could very well be some “awkward” growing phases. All is well. The important thing is to keep their body condition in mind so that you can adjust their diet as needed before anything gets too out of whack.

Overall, helping consumers understand that growing pets require a balanced diet that meets their increased nutritional demands without overloading their body systems is key. Designing pet food diets that are palatable and therefore encourage consumption means that consumers are less likely to overfeed an imbalanced ration to compensate for what is missing, and that could have a hugely positive downstream effect on their pets’ long-term health.  

3. Focus on functional nutrients.

Functional nutrients are those that may provide health benefits beyond the basic nutritional requirements. Regardless of what type of pet food your company produces, be sure to include functional nutrients that can assist with young companion animals’ proper growth and development.

One functional nutrient that often goes unmentioned is inositol. Inositol is a sugar that is found naturally in the body. Inositol supports proper nerve and muscle function, in addition to optimal cell membrane development. Because of its role in cell structure, it is important for growing animals to have quality sources of inositol in their diets.

Additionally, ensuring that your young companion animal pet food contains 100% organic trace minerals (including copper, zinc, manganese, iron and selenium) will provide a huge boost to your nutrition program. Trace minerals are especially critical during growth to ensure the proper development of all of the animal’s body tissues. Organic trace minerals have been shown to be absorbed and utilized at higher rates in the body than their inorganic counterparts, which means that development and performance can be improved just by feeding your brand’s diet!

Summary

Ultimately, you care about your pet food diets because you care about the puppies and kittens who will be eating them.

Adding sufficient levels of functional nutrients — such as essential amino acids, nucleotides, inositol and glutamic acid — in addition to high-quality essential trace minerals will make your pet food brand the best it can be while also ensuring incredible results for your customers’ new family members.

I want to learn more about pet nutrition.

Newborn piglet care is a challenge on every farm. In the early stages of their lives, these young animals are more susceptible to health issues that would never affect older, more developed pigs. These challenges can come from all angles, as disease-causing organisms (such as bacteria, protozoa and viruses) are present in every part of the farm environment. From the sow to farm personnel, equipment, bedding and feed materials, there is no escape from these threats.

Even with the appropriate biosecurity measures in place, as piglets grow, they encounter other health-impacting sources. Changes in the diet, for example, can cause digestive disorders, manifested as diarrhea and failure to thrive and grow.

Due to the exposure to and consumption of external, potentially disease-bearing entities, such as water, feed and bedding, maintaining proper immunity is essential. Optimizing gut structures and microbial populations is vital for young animals, as it establishes the basis for their ongoing health and development. Piglets have very specific needs to establish good gut health and functions and to limit disease development. Providing the best gut health in young piglets can be achieved through various feeding interventions. Here are three crucial stages of developing good gut health in piglets to help put you on the right path.

1. Optimize colostrum from the sow

While in the womb, pigs benefit from the fully developed immune system of the sow. However, once born, piglets do not take any of these immunities along with them, essentially starting from scratch. To help encourage good gut health, the producer's task is to ensure that the newborn piglets have a good supply of immunoglobulins (Igs). These act as the first line of defense for young piglets, helping them to build their immune system to fight off the challenges they face in their environment. The best source of Igs is the colostrum supplied by the piglet’s mother, making it a crucial first step in optimizing gut health in piglets.

After the initial colostrum intake, piglet immunity status tends to diminish, making them more vulnerable to disease, which commonly manifests as:

• Diarrhea
• Dehydration
• Poor milk consumption

In addition, the switch from a milk-based diet to a grain-based diet at weaning means that their gut structures and microbial populations need to adapt quickly. This difficult period is referred to as the “weaning gap” in terms of health and immunity and occurs somewhere between 14–21 days of age.

To ensure that piglets continue to get the support they need and have a strong base to help them through the diet transition, the expression of Igs in the sow’s colostrum must be optimized. This can be achieved by including prebiotics and mannan-rich fractions (MRF) in sow gestation diets. Feeding trials (Spring et al., 2006) have shown that doing so increases the levels of all Igs in the colostrum and in the blood of the subsequent piglets that receive it.

2. Promote good gut health directly

As well as using them to optimize the mother’s colostrum, pre- and probiotics can be administered orally to piglets, promoting the development of the correct bacterial balances within the gut, establishing the best basis for future disease prevention, and maximizing health and growth.

Long-established research studying MRF has shown that it binds to the projections on the surface of disease-causing microbes, preventing them from attaching to the gut wall, which they need to do to reproduce, leading to harmless removal in feces. In addition, this binding activity interacts with the immune system in the gut, promoting faster responses to any disease threat. Multiple trials have shown that this activity of promoting better gut health increases feed intake, digestion and growth and improves feed conversion.

3. Use high-quality creep feeds

When piglets reach the age to begin weaning, creep feeding is introduced to prepare their digestive systems for the change in diet. This is another opportunity for the producer to bolster the young animal’s gut health by formulating creep feed with the best-quality raw materials, processed to maximize digestion and supplemented with proven feed ingredients. These can include:

• Nucleotides to facilitate gut tissue development
• Enzymes for maximum digestion
• Chelated minerals to ensure the best uptake and establish tissue mineral reserves during times of stress

These types of diets will ease the difficult period during weaning and will not compromise the gut environment, keeping disease at bay. Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA and are essential for young animal development. They have been shown to significantly increase the growth of gut tissues and are important for repairing and preventing damage to the gut wall. A more robust gut structure is necessary to withstand the change from milk to grain-based feeds at weaning, when the erosion of essential structures (villi) for nutrient absorption can occur.

Seed, Feed, Weed

Over the last 40 years, Alltech has conducted extensive research studying gut health and has designed several gut health management programs that focus on supporting animal performance from birth by promoting favorable bacteria communities, building natural defenses and maximizing growth. The Seed, Feed, Weed (SFW) concept is one such program that is designed to modify the gut microbial population to establish favorable and more diverse microbial populations after birth. This program utilizes the advice above to help establish and maintain a beneficial and diverse gut microbiome in piglets. The SWF program supports gut health in piglets by:

• Seeding the gut with favorable organisms: It is vital to “seed” the intestine with the correct bacteria as soon as possible after birth. The first organisms to colonize the gut will determine the composition of the flora by creating the micro-environment necessary to establish a complex microbial community and optimal architectural development. With the right intestinal microflora now in place, piglets show improved early growth, feed conversion, uniformity and livability.  
• Feeding the favorable organisms: In addition to “seeding” the gut with the correct pioneer species, it is crucial to enhance the capacity of favorable organisms to colonize and rapidly dominate the microbial community in the small intestine. Once a beneficial microbial community and intestinal ecology is established, the villi will flourish. This step is critical for piglet health and feed efficiency because the healthier a piglet’s villi, the more efficiently nutrients will be absorbed.
• Weeding out the unfavorable microorganisms: The gut can also contain harmful pathogenic microbes (e.g., enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli), which can damage the intestinal villi. It is, therefore, important to “weed them out” before they can attach to the gut lining and replicate enough to cause disease. By blocking the attachment mechanisms of unfavorable organisms with a type-1 fimbria blocker, their capacity to compete with the favorable organisms (e.g., Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus) in the gut is reduced. Minimizing the gut’s exposure to these harmful microbes will help to improve the animal’s natural defenses and shorten its recovery time from disease.

Figure 1. The Seed, Feed, Weed concept is designed to modify the microbial population in the gut to establish favorable and more diverse microbial communities after birth.

Providing solutions for each step of the Seed, Feed, Weed process, Alltech offers a range of products for both the sow and their young that help to optimize piglet nutrition and support gut health and development. These include:

• Actigen^®
• NuPro^®
• Allsyme SSF^®
• Bioplex^®
• Sel-Plex^®
• Viligen™

As they start life, baby pigs are extremely vulnerable. Any change in their environment potentially exposes them to a whole new group of pathogens, which can limit their performance. Furthermore, as they mature over the weaning period, they are typically moved into new environments and exposed to other equipment, animals and people. Ensuring that the best gut health is established as early as possible is key to limiting disease, increasing health and welfare and maximizing growth. This is essential for the young piglet and helps to ensure optimal lifetime performance and profitability for producers in a sustainable manner. The use of gut health management programs will also play a pivotal role in helping producers work toward antibiotic- and ZnO-free production.

I'd like to learn more about pig nutrition.

The brooding period is a critical time of development for many systems within a bird, and it occurs from the time of placement — even beforehand as the farm prepares for the new flock — to around two weeks of life for the young chicken (chick) or turkey (poult).

Getting the flock off to the right start during brooding can help to positively impact health and performance throughout the flock’s life. There are five areas that must be monitored carefully during the brooding period:

1. Regulation of body temperature

Chicks and poults are unable to regulate their internal body temperature during the first four to six days post-hatch (poults: 39.4–40°C or 103–104°F; chicks: 40–41°C or 104–106°F).

While environmental temperature control is important for the entire flock, it is particularly critical during brooding, as it is important to not overheat nor overcool birds, which can greatly impact performance. Management guidelines for the breed will include the appropriate temperatures for the flock, and these temperatures may differ depending on whether the flock is from younger or older breeder hens. The producer must also consider the temperature of the floor and litter so that the entire environment, and not just the air, is at the correct temperature. 

2. Skeletal and muscle system

During their first week of life, poults and chicks gain around four times their original body weight. This significant increase in weight suggests rapid growth of the bird. A large part of this growth is aided by the first feeding phases given to the bird, which focus on nutrients to help with growth, as opposed to the end of the flock, when nutrients are focused on body maintenance. Nutrients such as protein, calcium, phosphorus and various minerals are required to help with this growth. Using minerals that are more bioavailable to the bird (e.g., Bioplex^® and Sel-Plex^®) and highly digestible proteins (e.g., NuPro^®) can optimize growth during this time and the life of the flock.  

3. Immune system

Some breeder hen antibodies are passed on to the offspring through the yolk. These maternal antibodies help to protect the chick/poult during their first two to three weeks of age. However, these maternal antibodies do not complete the immune system of the young bird. Immune organs and immune tissue start developing in the embryo and the hatched bird. Additionally, active immunity is developing in the young bird from in ovo to the field through vaccinations and exposure to pathogens. If there is any stress on the bird, the immune system can be suppressed, negatively impacting health and performance. Depending on the situation, supporting the immune system during this period with various feed additives, such as Actigen^®, Natustat^®, Bioplex and Sel-Plex, can be beneficial to encourage the building of natural defenses.

4. Gastrointestinal system

The gastrointestinal tract has many purposes, including barrier and immune function for disease protection, as well as the breakdown, digestion and absorption of feed and water that can be translated into production parameters. The small intestine is the main area where most of the feed is digested and absorbed. To efficiently absorb feed, there must be a large surface area in the intestinal tract. Increased villi numbers and villi height help to increase the surface area for absorption. The small intestine has rapid development from 17 days of incubation to about 10 days post-placement. During this critical time, the bird’s ability to efficiently digest and absorb nutrients, in addition to mounting strong disease defenses, is developed.

5. Microbiome

Different areas of the bird have different microbiomes, such as the skin and intestinal tract. The intestinal tract microbiome is a part of the barrier function of the intestine. The stability of the microbiome involves a balancing act between the beneficial and opportunistic microbes, the latter of which are disease-causing under stress. Within a few hours of hatching, the small intestine is colonized by different bacterial groups. As the bird ages, the intestinal microflora population changes from immature to mature, reaching a stable balance within two to three weeks in the small intestine and up to six weeks in the ceca. Supporting the early establishment of a beneficial microflora community will allow villi to flourish, absorption to be maximized and the presence of pathogenic bacteria to be minimized. The diet of the bird, including nutrients and feed additives (such as Actigen, All-Lac^® XCL and Acid-Pak 4-Way^® 2X), as well as the water the bird drinks, can have an impact on the intestinal microflora. The poultry barn, especially the litter, has its own microflora that is highly influenced by the gut microflora, and vice versa. It may take several flock cycles to positively change the populations and profile of the poultry barn microflora.

When the birds are first placed in the barn, it is critical that they gain immediate access to feed and water. Supplemental feed and water are generally used to allow for easy transition to the permanent feeding and water system.

Many factors must be taken into consideration to help the birds get off to the right start during brooding, including best management practices, with particular attention to biosecurity, nutrition and health status.  

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