Traditionally, mineral supplementation has been achieved through the use of inorganic minerals. However, developing technologies have ushered in a new era in mineral nutrition.

The newest edition of the “Brazilian Tables for Poultry and Swine” verifies the efficiency of organic mineral supplementation in monogastric animals, with farmers starting to implement organic mineral nutrition and seeing improvements in efficiency and gains in performance. Today, we know that feeding the right form of mineral is key to optimizing herd performance, health and productivity.

Studies show that organic trace minerals (OTM):

• Offer higher bioavailability than inorganic minerals (Close 2006).
• Have high biological activity (Peters and Mahan 2004, 2014).
• Reduce concerns about negative mineral interactions (Peters et al. 2014)

Piglet quality starts with the sow

Switching mineral forms can have a significant impact on your sow productivity and your overall pig production. Sows transfer a significant amount of minerals to the fetus during pregnancy (Mahan et al. 2009), meaning that the gestation and lactation periods are crucial times in the sow’s productivity and in her piglets’ viability.

A study published in the Brazilian Journal of Animal Science found that sows given the organic form of trace minerals produced piglets with increased weight at birth and, after 21 days, higher iron content in the liver and blood.

“By supplying Bioplex® trace minerals, we are providing the sow with minerals that are better absorbed, which in turn makes the sow more productive, and more minerals are passed on to her offspring,” says Russell Gilliam, Alltech’s U.S. swine business manager. “The end result is that we are able to lower income cost in producing a weaned pig.”

A “more with less” approach

Alltech’s innovative Total Replacement Technology™ was developed in response to modern production and the mineral requirements that are now demanded by your herd. Alltech has proven that modern management of mineral nutrition can be carried out by the inclusion of organic trace minerals in the form of Bioplex® and Sel-Plex® at significantly lower levels than inorganic trace minerals while still improving performance.

Now more than ever, efficiency is a primary focus in the pig industry. Improper mineral supply can have major consequences for health and productivity and, as a result, come at a high cost.

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

[ARAUCÁRIA, BRAZIL] – The Federal University of Viçosa (UFV-MG) in Brazil has launched a new edition of the “Brazilian Tables for Poultry and Swine,” which is considered one of the most important references in the formulation of feed for the global agribusiness industry. This is the fourth edition of the material, which was presented during the IV International Symposium on Nutritional Requirements of Poultry and Swine on March 29 and 30 at the Federal University of Viçosa.

The new edition verifies, through several studies using Alltech products, the efficiency of organic minerals in the supplementation of monogastric animals. The research monitored the inclusion of organic minerals in the diets of pigs between 66.1 pounds and 110.2 pounds, and in chickens during the growth period. These analyses indicated that the levels of organic minerals required for animal performance are 33 percent to 50 percent lower than that of inorganic trace minerals.

These levels can change according to the species and animal purpose, whether for production or reproduction. This is due to the bioavailability of the microminerals, which facilitate the absorption of nutrients in the digestive tract and can therefore aid in weight gain and feed efficiency in animals.

Other advantages of organic mineral supplementation are reduced impact on the environment and a greater return to the consumer.

“Our recommendations for the level of organic microminerals in diets can be lower than or equal to 50 percent of the recommended levels of inorganic minerals, which results in the best use of the minerals by the animal,” said Horacio Rostagno, professor at the Department of Animal Science at the Federal University of Viçosa. “The first thing to consider is the reduction in the excretion of microminerals into the environment through the feces, which we can observe in poultry production. This reduces the risk of environmental contamination by the decreased deposition of waste. It may even benefit consumers, who will find higher quality poultry and pork products because of the increased performance they had on-farm.”

This is the first time the tables have presented recommendations for replacing inorganic minerals with organic trace minerals and vitamins for supplementation. The new edition also includes updates related to genetic development and advancement in animals.

“We saw genetic advances related to feeding efficiency and conversion,” said Melissa Hannas, professor at the Department of Animal Science at the Federal University of Viçosa. “Because of this, we had to make adjustments in the calculations for the consumption of feed and ingestion of nutrients. All the energy requirements were recalculated to consider maintenance and production, resulting in a new definition of the ideal protein for feed formulation. Another highlight is the ratio of essential and non-essential nitrogen, which allows working with formulations to best meet the animal’s needs.”

On-farm, some producers are already putting the use of organic minerals into practice, and the results have shown efficiency and a gain in performance.

“In addition to the studies having proven the effectiveness of organic microminerals, we have been watching the performance of some industries that are using these ingredients,” said Marlene Schimidt, technical manager for Alltech Brazil. “For example, in poultry, it is possible to achieve improvements in the chicken carcass, feather production and egg laying. The inclusion of organic trace minerals will be a trend in the years to come, because it is directly linked to sustainability due to the decreased release of excretion into the environment.”

On March 28, prior to the launch of the new tables, Helvio da Cruz Ferreira Junior, a doctorate student at the Federal University of Viçosa, presented a study about poultry mineral balance during Alltech’s Mineral Efficiency Symposium. The event also included a presentation about trends in monogastric nutrition. Dr. Fernando Rutz, professor at the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil, discussed his work on the impact of a sick or stressed animal on the production system. He also detailed a strategy to minimize this problem, including vaccination, nutrition, management, physiology, planning, and genetics.

The event also received a global perspective from Dr. Ramon Diniz Malheiros, research associate at North Carolina State University, who discussed nutrition news from the U.S., showing that Brazil meets all the necessary requirements to compete in worldwide production. According to Malheiros, the Brazilian industry and its producers need to be alert to changes dictated by consumers, antibiotic-free meats and preferences for cage-free production.

Bananas are a billion-dollar industry in Costa Rica. The much-loved fruit is the country’s fourth-ranked export at $1.38 billion in value, with approximately 115 million boxes of bananas sold annually to the U.S. and Europe.

But among the banana trees, there is a dark battle underway. Black sigatoka and other diseases threaten to annihilate the banana industry and the very livelihood of an estimated 10 percent of Costa Rica’s workforce.

Small farm plantations have been forced to cease their operations as black sigatoka has wreaked its havoc, decreasing yields by 50 percent and driving production costs up by 25 percent.

Much like a real war, local residents have become used to the drone of planes flying overhead. In this case, the weapon of war is fungicide applications, which, according to Kyle McKinney, crop science development manager for Alltech in Costa Rica, took place 60–70 times in 2015 in a valiant attempt to keep black sigatoka at bay. To put this in perspective, there were approximately only five to seven fungicide applications in 2010.

Enlisting nature’s help in bananas' battle against black sigatoka

In 2015, Alltech constructed a lab in Costa Rica dedicated to the battle for bananas. Calling upon their expertise in microbiology, Alltech scientists “enlisted the help of friends called microbes,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech.

This natural deployment of microbial technology appears to be having an effect on inhibiting the growth of Mycosphaerella fijiensis, otherwise known as black sigatoka.

Field trials in Costa Rica have been underway, alternating weekly microbial treatments with conventional fungicides. After two years, the project has expanded to 12 growers representing over 5,000 acres and over 1.5 million boxes of bananas destined for both the foreign and domestic market.

McKinney expects the program to expand its reach to other growers.

“The Alltech Crop Science program has decreased chemical pesticide treatments by 20% while maintaining equivalent disease control, at similar costs, making it a viable and sustainable option for the grower,” said McKinney.

McKinney noted that Alltech plans to stay the course in Costa Rica. In addition to its recently constructed lab and installation of fermentation equipment, Alltech is supporting an employee’s Ph.D. studies in Costa Rica to begin a project focused on disease control through microbial technologies.