Zinc oxide (ZnO) supplied at pharmacological dosage in diets of weaned piglets improves growth performance. However, it causes environmental contamination and induces bacterial antibiotic resistance, yet this practice is debated. The effects on gut microbiota and integrity in weaned piglets of conventional ZnO at nutritional and pharmacological dosage (110 and 2,400 mg/kg Zn, respectively) were compared to an alternative ZnO source at 110 and 220 mg/kg Zn. Each of the four treatments was applied to four pens (two piglets/pen; weaning age, 20 days) for 15 days, and piglets were sampled on day 15 to determine indices of gut integrity. Feeding conventional ZnO at 2,400 mg/kg Zn reduced coliforms and Escherichia coli in distal small intestine as compared to conventional ZnO at 110 mg/kg (−1.7 and −1.4 log10 cfu/g, respectively), whereas the alternative ZnO reduced only coliforms, irrespective of dosage (−1.6 to −1.7 log10 cfu/g). Transepithelial electrical resistance of distal small intestinal mucosa was higher for pigs fed the alternative ZnO source as compared with groups fed 110 mg/kg Zn of conventional ZnO, in line with a trend for higher gene expression of claudin‐1 and zona occludens‐1. Interestingly, the alternative ZnO source at 110 and 220 mg/kg Zn increased intestinal alkaline phosphatase gene transcript as compared to conventional ZnO at 110 mg/kg Zn, whereas the alternative ZnO source at 110 mg/kg Zn exhibited higher Zn concentrations in mucosa (2,520 μg/g) as compared to conventional ZnO at 110 mg/kg Zn (1,211 μg/g). However, assessing alkaline phosphatase activity, no significant effects were found. In conclusion, the alternative ZnO reduced digesta Enterobacteriaceae numbers and improved gut integrity, albeit similar or better, depending on the dosage, to the effects of pharmacological dosage of conventional ZnO.

Zinc (Zn) is considered in animal production systems as both an essential nutrient and a possible pollutant. While it is generally supplemented at low levels in animal diets, with less than 200 mg kg(-1) in complete feeds, it is under scrutiny due to potential accumulation in the environment. This explains why international regulations limit maximum supplementation levels in animal feeds in a stricter way. This article gives an overview of the current knowledge on the fate of zinc in animal production systems, from animal diets to animal wastes. Some analytical methods can be used for the quantification and qualification of Zn chemical forms: X-ray crystallography, electrospray tandem mass spectrometry, separation techniques, hyphenated techniques… Analysis of chelated forms issued from complex matrices, like hydrolysed proteins, remains difficult, and the speciation of Zn in diluted carriers (premix and feed) is a challenge. Our understanding of Zn absorption has made progress with recent research on ZnT/Zip families and metallothioneins. However, fine-tuned approaches towards the nutritional and metabolic interactions for Zn supplementation in farm conditions still require further studies. The speciation of zinc in pig manure and poultry litter has been a priority as monogastric animals are usually raised under intensive conditions and fed with high quantities of trace minerals, leading to high animal density and elevated quantities of zinc from animal wastes.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary porous ZnO supplementation on the growth performance, inflammatory cytokines and tight junction's gene expression in weaned piglets. A total of 192 weaned piglets were randomly allocated to 4 experimental groups (n548/group) and fed, during 14 d, with one of the following dietary treatments: 1) basal diet (NC); 2) basal diet with 3,000 mg/kg of conventional ZnO (PC); 3) basal diet with 750 mg/kg of porous ZnO (low inclusion porous ZnO, LP-ZnO); 4) basal diet with 1,500 mg/kg porous ZnO (high inclusion porous ZnO, HP-ZnO). Results showed that dietary supplementation with regular ZnO or porous ZnO (750 and 1,500 mg/ kg) improved average daily gain (ADG), feed to gain ratio (F/G) and jejunum morphology, while decreasing diarrhea incidence. Compared with the NC group, porous ZnO at both doses (750 or 1,500 mg/kg) increased serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), immunoglobulin G (IgG) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) concentrations, but decreased serum glucose (GLU). Moreover, the mRNA expression of anti-inflammation cytokine (TGF-b), tight junction (Occludin, ZO-1) in the jejunum by different ZnO administration were significantly increased compared with the NC group, while mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory (IL-8), membrane channels that transport water (AQP3) and miR-122a were significantly decreased. It can be concluded that porous ZnO even at low dose (750 mg/kg) can be an effective alternative to pharmacological (3,000 mg/kg) conventional ZnO in reducing diarrhea, promoting the growth performance, increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines and tight junctions, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines of weaned piglets.

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The bioavailability of a trace mineral source is related to its intestinal solubility (bioavailability), which in turn is determined by its physicochemical properties. It is still not clear which characteristics are more relevant in affecting solubility and bioavailability of mineral sources. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a common feed additive used to supplement zinc in the diet of monogastric animals. However, different sources have shown different responses on animal bioavailability. This study hypothesized that different sources of feed grade ZnO have various physicochemical features that lead to distinct bioavailability values. Feed grade ZnO samples collected from the feed industry worldwide and characterized for their physicochemical features were tested in broilers and their zinc bioavailability determined. A total of 135 male Cobb broiler chickens were fed a standard starter diet from day 1 after hatching up to day 7. At day 8, animals were allocated in individual cages and fed one of the following dietary treatments during 15 days: a basal diet with 23.5 ppm of zinc and 7 diets with supplemented ZnO or zinc sulphate (ZnSO4) at 6 or 12 ppm. Different sources of ZnO showed an effect of Zn solubility in the stomach and Zn supplementation influenced total Zn in the ileum. The bioavailability of the different sources varied from 49 to 160% compared to the ZnSO4 reference. Aggregate size of particles seems to explain a large variability in the bioavailability of the different sources tested in broilers. In conclusion, physicochemical properties of Zn oxide can partly explain the variability observed in terms of Zn biological value.

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