Application of organic trace elements in piglets

Trace elements are substances necessary for animals to maintain health and normal physiological functions. It directly participates in almost all physiological and biochemical processes of the body and plays an extremely important role in life activities.

As the third-generation trace element additives, organic trace elements are mainly complexes or chelates formed by covalent bonds or ionic bonds between metal elements and ligands such as proteins, small peptides, amino acids, organic acids, and polysaccharide derivatives. A large number of tests have shown that organic trace elements have higher bioavailability than inorganic trace elements, which can improve the production performance and immune function of animals. In view of this, this paper reviews the application of organic trace elements in piglet production, and provides a basis for scientific and rational use of organic trace element additives in actual production. 

Reads as follows:

1. Characteristics of organic trace elements

2. Application of Organic Trace Elements in Piglet Production

3. Application of Organic Trace Element Chelate in Piglet Production

1. Characteristics of organic trace elements

Due to the uneven quality of inorganic trace elements, heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, and toxic and harmful substances such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls are serious residues, which are easily deposited in meat and internal organs, causing food safety hazards. Moreover, it is easy to oxidize and discolor during the storage process of the premix, which is easy to cause damage and degradation of vitamins. The organic trace elements (take ferrous glycinate as an example) firstly have a heavy metal removal process in the raw material selection process, which reduces the heavy metal content and the generation of some impurities, thus reducing the heavy metal content of organic trace elements. Make it safer and more environmentally friendly during use. In addition, in the production process, the temperature, pH value and reaction time are strictly controlled, and the products generated through a series of reactions must undergo two-step purification and purification before they can truly become finished products. This process greatly reduces the content of heavy metals and harmful substances, and provides a guarantee for the use in livestock and poultry production.

2. Application of Organic Trace Elements in Piglet Production

The organic trace elements commonly used in piglets are copper (Cu), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and selenium (Se), and their distribution in pigs is different. Although pigs require a small amount of them, their role is very important. They are involved in nutritional metabolism processes such as protein, amino acids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and vitamins, and are also necessary for physiological functions such as reproduction, immunity, growth and development. The application of organic trace elements in piglet production is particularly effective.

2.1 Application of Organic Copper in Piglet Production

Copper has a greater impact on piglets. Feeding a certain amount of copper can increase the body weight, average daily gain and daily feed intake of weaned piglets, as well as reduce feed-to-weight ratio and diarrhea rate of weaned piglets. Organic copper has good stability and can reduce the antagonism between copper and other mineral elements (such as iron, zinc), and reduce the damage to other nutrients (such as vitamins, fats). It has good solubility in the pH environment of the body and is easily absorbed into the blood by the mucosa of the small intestine, thereby improving the absorption rate. At the same time, organic copper has obvious growth-promoting effect and high bioavailability.

2.2 Application of Organic Iron in Piglet Production

The iron stored in newborn piglets is only 30-50 mg/head, while each suckling piglet needs about 7-8 mg of iron per day for normal growth and development, and suckling piglets get less than 1 mg of iron per day from breast milk. Adding 90 mg/kg ferrous glycinate to the piglet diet (based on 100 mg/kg copper sulfate) increased piglet feed intake by 6.85%, daily gain by 28.13%, and decreased feed to meat ratio by 16.67%, diarrhea rate dropped by 61.84%.

2.3 Application of organic zinc in piglet production

Zinc is one of the essential trace elements for animals, which is widely involved in various biochemical metabolic reactions in animals and plays an important role in animal growth and development. Zinc is mainly absorbed, transported, stored and utilized in an organically bound state in the body. Inorganic zinc can only be used by the body when it is converted into an organic state. Thus, the bioavailability of inorganic zinc depends on its ability to convert to bioactive organozinc. Organic zinc exists stably in the digestive tract, has a high absorption rate, has good palatability, and has little environmental pollution. This shows that the biological activity of organic zinc is higher than that of inorganic zinc sulfate. There are many studies on the nutritional and physiological effects of zinc on pigs at home and abroad. The results showed that the addition of 80 mg/kg zinc glycinate to the piglet diet could significantly increase the average daily feed intake and daily weight gain of weaned piglets, reduce the feed-to-meat ratio, and significantly improve the sensory indicators of fur.

2.4 Application of organic selenium in the production of weaned piglets

The basic forms of organic selenium are selenomethionine, selenocystine, etc. Organic selenium can be synthesized artificially, and can also be produced in different ways through biotransformation and bioconcentration. In piglet feeding, organic selenium can significantly enhance its immunity and improve its production performance, and it is an ideal selenium supplement. Many studies have shown that the antioxidant capacity of organic selenium is superior to that of inorganic selenium, and it is necessary to use organic selenium instead of inorganic selenium as a selenium supplement for piglets.

3. Application of Organic Trace Element Chelate in Piglet Production

Trace element amino acid chelate metal ions combine with amino acids to form a relatively stable chemical structure, so that metal ions are protected from the adverse effects of other ingredients in the diet and gastric acid in the gastrointestinal tract, and reduce the antagonism between metal elements. It promotes the absorption of metal elements and improves the bioavailability. The research results show that adding an appropriate amount of organic trace element amino acid chelate to the diet can improve the growth performance, skin color and fur condition of 10-25 kg piglets.

In summary, organic trace elements can significantly improve the growth performance of piglets and enhance the immune function and anti-stress ability of piglets. The development of trace element additives from inorganic salts to amino acid chelates has broad application prospects. Strengthening the popularization and application will definitely play an important role in the aquaculture industry.