Effects of Replacing Medical Zinc Oxide with Different Ratios of Inorganic: Organic Zinc or Reducing Crude Protein Diet with Mixed Feed Additives in Weaned Piglet Diets

Abstract

One hundred twenty weaned piglets (9.34 ± 0.74 kg) were used in a four-week experiment to investigate the effects of replacing medical ZnO with a different ratio of inorganic and organic zinc (IZ:OZ) or a low-crude-protein diet (LP) with mixed feed additives (MFAs) in the weaned piglets’ diet. The dietary treatments included a control (CON), T1 (T1; ZnO 1000 mg/kg), T2 (IZ:OZ 850:150), T3 (IZ:OZ 700:300), T4 (IZ:OZ, 500:500), and T5 (LP with MFAs (0.1% essential oils + 0.08% protease + 0.02% xylanase)). The growth performance was decreased (p < 0.05) in the CON treatment compared with the T4 treatment. The diarrhea incidence was decreased (p < 0.05) in the T4 and the T5 treatment compared with the CON and the T1 treatments. The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients were increased (p < 0.05) in the T4 and T5 treatments compared with the CON, T1, and T2 treatments. The T4 treatment had a higher (p < 0.05) ATTD of zinc than the T1, T2, and T3 treatments. The fecal microflora was improved (p < 0.05) in the T5 treatment compared with the CON and T3 treatments. In conclusion, IZ:OZ 500:500 could improve growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and zinc utilization while reducing diarrhea incidence in weaned piglets. Moreover, LP with MFA could replace medical ZnO.

Efficacy of zinc glycinate reducing zinc oxide on intestinal health and growth of nursery pigs challenged with F18+ Escherichia coli

“…It could also indicate that the lower level of ZnO, compared with the pharmaceutical level, exacerbated the negative impacts of F18 + E. coli challenge on growth of nursery pigs. However, there is limited information about the negative impacts of the low level of ZnO in nursery feeds, and previous studies have shown inconsistency in the dose response of ZnO to growth performance and other variables of interest in nursery pigs ( Pieper et al, 2012 ; Upadhaya et al, 2018 ; Oh et al, 2021 ; Hansen et al, 2022 ). The pharmaceutical use of ZnO has been known as having a strong effect on preventing post weaning diarrhea and promoting the growth of nursery pigs ( Kim et al, 2019 ), but the underlying properties or the mode of action of ZnO are still not well-determined by dose response.…”

Effects of Protein-Chelated Zinc Combined with Mannan-Rich Fraction to Replace High-Dose Zinc Oxide on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Intestinal Health in Weaned Piglets

“…Castillo et al reported that the combined addition of MOS and organic zinc could improve the feed conversion efficiency of piglets in the first two weeks after weaning [ 25 ]. Studies found that adding MOS-rich yeast products (yeast or yeast enzymolysate) and ZnO to the diet improved the growth performance and immune function of weaned piglets [ 10 , 26 ]. Similar to the results of this study, low doses of ZnO (1000–1500 mg Zn/kg) [ 10 , 21 ], and even lower doses of coated ZnO (500 mg Zn/kg) also improved the growth performance of piglets [ 27 ].…”

“…Studies found that adding MOS-rich yeast products (yeast or yeast enzymolysate) and ZnO to the diet improved the growth performance and immune function of weaned piglets [ 10 , 26 ]. Similar to the results of this study, low doses of ZnO (1000–1500 mg Zn/kg) [ 10 , 21 ], and even lower doses of coated ZnO (500 mg Zn/kg) also improved the growth performance of piglets [ 27 ]. However, some studies reported that 1600 mg Zn/kg ZnO failed to promote growth performance in piglets [ 12 , 28 ].…”

“…Due to environmental considerations, China currently allows 1600 mg/kg of additional Zn in weaned piglet diet in only the first two weeks, and the European Union will ban the use of pharmacological doses of Zn that are greater than 150 mg/kg zinc in piglet feed starting in June 2022 [ 8 , 9 ]. Therefore, it is important to develop ZnO replacement products to aid the weaning transition to help with enhanced growth in weaned piglets under low zinc conditions, and to ensure the sustainable and healthy development of the pig industry [ 10 ].…”

Effects of stimbiotic supplementation on gut health, immune response, and intestinal microbiota in weaned piglets challenged with E. coli

“…In the weaning period, piglets face new environments and experience intestinal morphological changes because of solid diet feeding ( 13 ). Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) caused by these stress factors can lead to changes in gastrointestinal microbiology and immunology ( 14 ).…”