Transition to ZnO-free piglet production in a reliable and cost-effective way
A zinc oxide (ZnO) ban prohibiting the use of therapeutic doses of ZnO in piglet diets to control post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) in young piglets came into effect in the European Union (EU) in June 2022. This ban echoes a further global trend of ZnO-usage restrictions.
At weaning, piglets are subject to multiple stress factors over a very short period that contribute to gastrointestinal tract and immune system disturbances. So, the early post-weaning period is typically characterized by poor growth performance (e.g., reduced feed intake) and increased susceptibility to PWD.
To prevent PWD in the absence of ZnO and antibiotics, establishing a diverse and stable piglet gut microbiome is vital.
Aux Text
Ramon runs a wean-to-finish operation with 300 sows and 1,200 piglets, selling more than 30 pigs per sow per year.
Due to the upcoming ban on the use of ZnO in piglet feed, Ramon began trialing alternative feed suppliers to find a successful solution for his pig unit, but to no avail. Based on the previous performance improvements that he achieved with Alltech technologies in the sow diets, Roman presented this issue to his local Alltech representative.
By applying the Alltech Seed, Feed, Weed program, Ramon saw many positive results, such as:
- No increase in diarrhea incidence
- Piglets began eating solid feed faster
- Increased growth rate, with 1kg extra growth achieved at day 64 of age
- Less ‘fall back’ pigs removed from pens
- Lower pig mortality (1% reduction)
- Better feed efficiency rate in the nursery stage (improving from 1.5 to 1.42)
"The SFW program seemed very logical and based on common sense. Our efforts to decrease the antibiotic consumption on-farm were already going in the direction of creating a healthy and stable environment, which is what we understood the program was trying to achieve in the piglet’s gut. Other competitors were talking about replacing antibiotics with natural molecules, but the idea of promoting the good bacteria and a good environment was what really caught our attention and convinced us to go forward."
“The credibility Alltech has gained in our company throughout the years was a key factor in deciding to run trials with them. Their products are effective and reliable, and the technical support they provide is also very helpful when implementing the ZnO-free program.”
- Ramon Armadans
Ramon runs a wean-to-finish operation with 300 sows and 1,200 piglets, selling more than 30 pigs per sow per year.
Due to the upcoming ban on the use of ZnO in piglet feed, Ramon began trialing alternative feed suppliers to find a successful solution for his pig unit, but to no avail. Based on the previous performance improvements that he achieved with Alltech technologies in the sow diets, Roman presented this issue to his local Alltech representative.
By applying the Alltech Seed, Feed, Weed program, Ramon saw many positive results, such as:
- No increase in diarrhea incidence
- Piglets began eating solid feed faster
- Increased growth rate, with 1kg extra growth achieved at day 64 of age
- Less ‘fall back’ pigs removed from pens
- Lower pig mortality (1% reduction)
- Better feed efficiency rate in the nursery stage (improving from 1.5 to 1.42)
"The SFW program seemed very logical and based on common sense. Our efforts to decrease the antibiotic consumption on-farm were already going in the direction of creating a healthy and stable environment, which is what we understood the program was trying to achieve in the piglet’s gut. Other competitors were talking about replacing antibiotics with natural molecules, but the idea of promoting the good bacteria and a good environment was what really caught our attention and convinced us to go forward."
“The credibility Alltech has gained in our company throughout the years was a key factor in deciding to run trials with them. Their products are effective and reliable, and the technical support they provide is also very helpful when implementing the ZnO-free program.”
- Ramon Armadans