Kaolin, bentonite, and zeolites as feed supplements for animals: health advantages and risks

Abstract

Feeding kaolin as a supplement to pigs for prevention of diarrheal diseases has been introduced into some farms in the CzechRepublic. Peat was used in the 1990s for a similar purpose; however, most farmers ceased feeding peat as a supplement because of its frequent contamination with conditionally pathogenic mycobacteria, esp. with Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis. The aim of the present paper is to review available literature from the standpoint of the advantages and disadvantages related to feeding kaolin as a supplement to animals. Its positive effects exerted through the diet primarily consist in its adsorbent capability which may be useful for detoxification of the organism and for prevention of diarrheal diseases in pigs. Because the mechanism of action of kaolin fed as a supplement is unknown, a risk related to its potential interactions with other nutrient compounds of the diet exists. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the effectiveness and safety of feeding kaolin in detail with regard to the health status and performance of each farm animal species. The disadvantage of kaolin use is its potential toxicity, provided it has been mined from the environment with natural or anthropogenic occurrence of toxic compounds. Another risk factor is a potential contamination of originally sterile kaolin with conditionally pathogenic mycobacteria from surface water, dust, soil, and other constituents of the environment in the mines during kaolin extraction, processing and storage.

Mycobacterial and Rhodococcus equi infections in pigs in the Czech Republic between the years 1996 and 2004: the causal factors and distribution of infections in the tissues

“…The frequent detection of MAC members and atypical mycobacteria from pigs implies that mycobacterial infection was contracted from contaminated external and stable environments and different contaminated feed supplements (Windsor et al, 1984;Gardner and Hird, 1989;Horvathova et al, 1997;Durrling et al, 1998;Pavlik et al, 1999Pavlik et al, , 2000Matlova et al, 2003Matlova et al, , 2004aMatlova et al, , 2005Trckova et al, 2004).…”

Stalboekje Konijnen 2017 : handboek voor natuurlijke konijngezondheidzorg met kruiden en andere natuurproducten : Kennis voor Beleid uitgave

“…Deze onderzoeken zijn onder andere uitgevoerd op geiten, melkkoeien, kalveren en varkens. (Carretero, 2002;Trckova, 2004;Thacker, 2013). Kleimineralen binden verschillende toxines.…”

“…Kleimineralen zijn van invloed op de vertering doordat ze een katalysatorfunctie hebben bij het afbreken van koolhydraten (Shapiro 1986;Trckova 2004).…”

Mycobacterial infections in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) in the Czech Republic during the years 2002 to 2005

“…However, the source of CPM in wild animals may be from the various constituents of external environment such as water (Horvathova et al, 1997;Matlova et al, 2003), kaolin Trckova et al, 2004), peat Trckova et al, 2005), invertebrates (Fischer et al, 2001(Fischer et al, , 2003a(Fischer et al, ,b, 2004a(Fischer et al, ,b, 2005Machackova et al, 2004), various constituents of wood , dust and other contaminated components found in the environment (Horvathova et al, 1997;Matlova et al, 1998;Kazda, 2000;Matlova et al, 2003).…”