Ruminants Archives - Page 8 of 8

Benchmarking trace mineral levels in pig feed

24 August 2021/dans Blog, Pigs /par Global Admin

Did you ever wonder about the trace mineral levels in pig feed your neighbour is using compared to you? Well researchers surveyed animal feed companies in the Brazilian pork sector to find out the actual levels of trace minerals used in commercial pig diets in different regions of Brazil compared to recommendations and what is used in North American commercial diets. Here is a summary of some of the findings that might give you a few pointers if you are looking for benchmarks amongst your peers.

By Gwendolyn Jones

Are reference tables for trace mineral levels in pig feed outdated?

Nutritional requirements for most trace minerals in pigs were determined with a focus on avoiding nutritional deficiencies and go as far back as the 1990s. They are based on minimum requirement levels of supplementation (NRC 2012, US) or values to optimize cost/benefit in feed formulations (Rostagno 2017, Brazil). However, there is evidence that commercial pig diets quite often contain nutrient levels that are greater than the recommended levels. This practice seems to partly originate from the belief that productivity can be improved by increased supplementation or the fear of not meeting requirements otherwise. However, between pig farms there is a great deal of variation when it comes to the supplementation of trace mineral levels in pig feed, which can also be due to differences in pig genetics used, feed composition, management objectives or differing opinions on requirements.

What level of trace minerals is my neighbour feeding in pig diets?

In a 2020 survey (Dalto and da Silva 2020) involving 30 feed companies and co-operatives of the Brazilian pork industry the levels of trace minerals in commercial pig diets were identified and compared against the Brazilian reference tables as well as those from the North American industry. The results showed that Brazilian companies added significant safety margins for trace minerals to commercial pig diets and the supplementation levels were higher compared to those reported in a 2016 survey carried out in the North American pig industry. More details are summarized below.

Trace mineral levels in pig feed reported on farms in Brazil

Nursery diets (21-70 days):
Trace minerals levels were 0.9- to 15.3-fold the respective levels from Brazilian recommendations and 0.5- to 2.2-fold those from those found in a survey of US commercial nursery diets.
Means reported in Brazilian nursery diets (21-35 days):
– Copper (mg/kg): 141.4
– Zinc (mg/kg): 1876.1

Grow-finishing diets (71 days to slaughter):
The highest variation seen in trace mineral levels was for Cu, Mn and Co between companies and Manganese and Iodine levels were markedly higher compared to US commercial finisher diets.
Means reported in Brazilian commercial finisher diets for Cu, Co and Mn (120 days to slaughter):
– Copper (mg/kg): 85.8
– Cobalt (mg/kg): 0.44
– Manganese (mg/kg): 35.8

Lactation diets:

The trace mineral levels in sow lactation diets were 1.0 to 12.4 times higher compared to Brazil reference tables and higher compared to what was reported in US commercial sow lactation diets. Trace minerals that were found to be markedly higher were, Cu, I, Mn. The trace minerals with the highest variation between companies were Cu and Co.
Means reported in Brazilian commercial sow lactation diets for Cu, I and Mn:
– Copper (mg/kg): 54.1
– Iodine (mg/kg): 0.98
– Manganese (mg/kg): 49.6

More details on the levels of trace element levels in Brazilian pig diets are reported in:
Dalto and da Silva (2020). A survey of current levels of trace minerals and vitamins used in commercial diets by the Brazilian pork industry—a comparative study. Translational Animal Science, Vol 4.

Trace mineral levels in feed reported on pig farms in the US

A 2016 survey (Flohr et al 2016) involving 18 swine nutritionists from US pig producers representing 40% of the US sow herd revealed that adding a margin of safety in trace minerals supplementation above the estimations for requirements by NRC (2012) is standard practice in many US pig diet formulations. The variation seen between pig producers was quite high and was thought to reflect the differences in opinions regarding requirements and productivity goals.

Chelated trace mineral supplementation was mainly practiced in early nursery and breeding herd diets, whereby chelated selenium was the most frequently used of all the chelated trace minerals (up to 69% of producers used chelated selenium in early nursery diets and up to 77% in breeding herd diets).

Trace mineral levels found in commercial US nursery diets:
Weaning to 7kg: Whereby Iron and selenium were supplemented according to recommendations (NRC 2012), copper and zinc were supplemented well above the requirement estimate at 18.6 and 30.3 times higher, respectively.
Mean levels found for zinc and copper
– Copper (mg/kg): 111.1
– Zinc (mg/kg): 3032

7 to 11kg: Trace minerals were supplemented at rates of 1.0 (selenium) to 9.1 times their NRC requirement estimates, except for zinc (20.8) and copper (19.7).
Mean levels found for zinc and copper
– Copper (mg/kg): 118.2
– Zinc (mg/kg): 2081

Trace mineral levels found in commercial US finishing diets (55-100kg):
There was a high variability seen in copper levels and copper as well as manganese supplementation was particularly high compared to NRC recommendations.
Average levels found for copper and manganese:
– Copper (mg/kg): 82.3
– Manganese (mg/kg): 21.4

Trace mineral levels found in commercial US sow lactation diets:
Trace-mineral supplementation in sow lactation diets was 0.8 to 3.8 times higher compared to NRC recommendations.
Average levels found for copper, iodine and manganese:
– Copper (mg/kg): 16.1
– Iodine (mg/kg): 0.53
– Manganese (mg/kg): 37.6

More details on the levels of trace element levels in commercial US pig diets are reported in:
Flohr et al (2016). A survey of current feeding regimens for vitamins and trace minerals in the US swine industry. J Swine Health Prod. Vol. 24(6).

Need for precision in trace mineral feeding for pig production

In modern pig production trace mineral levels in pig feed are not just important in terms of meeting requirements for productivity and animal welfare, but also in terms of meeting environmental concerns.

When trace elements are supplemented in doses above the gross requirement, they accumulate in urine and faeces and consequently in manure. This is why a low precision in trace element feeding in livestock production can represent a potential threat to the environment.

The need to reduce heavy metal emissions from animal production to minimize the impact on the environment, calls for increased precision of trace element feeding. This requires accurate feed table information on trace element digestibility under varying feeding conditions.
Furthermore, feedstuffs contain innate levels of trace minerals, which are often ignored in feed formulations. However, since the use of feed enzymes and modern feed processing methods can increase the availability of innate trace minerals, their contribution to overall trace element levels in pig feed should be considered.

Supplementation with more bioavailable organic trace minerals such as B-TRAXIM allow a reduction of up to 50% of dietary trace element supplementation versus supplementation of trace minerals in their inorganic form while maintaining performance. Therefore. organic trace elements can be a cost-effective tool when it comes to precision livestock feeding and reducing the environmental footprint of pig farms.

Find out more about the Pancosma organic trace mineral portfolio B-TRAXIM here.

References and related articles

Dalto and da Silva (2020). A survey of current levels of trace minerals and vitamins used in commercial diets by the Brazilian pork industry—a comparative study. Translational Animal Science, Vol 4.

Flohr et al (2016). A survey of current feeding regimens for vitamins and trace minerals in the US swine industry. J Swine Health Prod. Vol. 24 (6).

Zoon and Robin (2021). How to improve animal production sustainability with organic trace – minerals.

Video: Interview with Christian Bogues about B-TRAXIM minerals

Why feed palatability matters in animal husbandry

21 July 2021/dans Blog, Pigs, Ruminants /par Global Admin

Feed palatability connects with the brain, which drives choices and feed intake. However, it can also have an impact on the emotions the animal producer associates with a certain feed and resulting choice in feed he makes for his production system.

How flavor becomes a memory trigger

The flavor of food has the power to bring back emotional memories. Many of us have had experiences where a certain smell triggers memories of a distinct event or location that we associate clearly with certain emotions. So why is this?

The olfactory receptors located throughout the nose and nasal cavity can really tell the difference between flavor nuances. They collect volatile molecules and send electrical signals to a small structure in the brain called the olfactory bulb.

The olfactory bulb is closely connected to the amygdala, an area in the brain involved in emotional learning, and the hippocampus, one of the most important brain structures for memory. Neuroscientists have suggested that these close connections explain the reason why flavor of food has the power to trigger emotional memories.

Of course, from an evolutionary perspective there is a survival advantage to this. The storage of emotional memories can help to mitigate the risk of consuming poisonous or rancid food. For example, if we become sick after consuming a particular type of food, that flavor can cause disgust or nausea every time we try to eat it again.

On the other hand, it also helps us to recall positive emotional memories associated with food, that can change our behaviour and the perception we have of a food.

The role of palatants in feed palatability

In animals feed palatability influences the preference an animal has for a feed when given the choice and is a factor that regulates feed intake. Animal preferences for feed result primarily from the senses of smell and taste. Taste buds can differentiate between the five basic tastes: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and umami.

Palatants can improve the taste and smell of a feed to make it more appealing to livestock and increase feed intake, which again can help to increase weight gains and milk yield in animals. Palatants can also be used to mask unpleasant flavors to increase feed palatability. Many feedstuffs of low feed palatability but otherwise wholesome for animal consumption are relished when sprayed with molasses or artificial sweeteners, indicating a high dependence on taste in dietary selection.

Using an animal feed with palatants can improve feeding behaviour, leading to less waste and increased efficiency for the producer. Smell, and taste are especially important to young animals just starting to consume solid feed. That is why the application of suitable palatants in a starter feed to enhance feed palatability can help young animals to accept solid feed more readily, making a smoother transition from weaning.

Palatants can also have a considerable impact on the attractiveness of a feed to animal producers. An appealing smell to the animal producer can create positive emotions and a positive perception of the feed. Whereas a product with an unpleasant smell results in an unfavourable experience for the person feeding the product to livestock.

4 reasons to use palatants in the formulation of animal feed

Increased attractiveness of feed to animals – improved feed palatability
Animal welfare – stimulation of senses and positive emotions in the animal
Increased flexibility in feed formulation
Marketing purposes – give feed a unique flavor note to create positive emotions and brand recognition in the user of animal feed and differentiate between other products.

Pancosma palatant portfolio

A multitude of research and data has led Pancosma to create a robust offering of flavors and sweeteners. These are designed to ensure good mixability and dispersal in the animal feed, to produce an optimal effect.

The Pancosma palatants include:

Flavors under the PAN-Tek brand – Discover Pancosma animal feed flavors
Sweeteners under the SUCRAM brand – Discover Pancosma sweeteners for animal feed
Multifunctional palatants under the MAGNASWEET brand – Discover Pancosma palatants

Quality and research behind Pancosma palatants

Pancosma has a long-standing history of contributing research-based, innovative solutions to the animal nutrition industry. In the 1980s, Pancosma was a pioneer in the high-intensity sweetener space and has continued to bring professionally researched, and thoroughly tested, products to market that are rigorously reviewed for product safety and quality.

Pancosma evaluates its palatant creations with well designed animal trials, which are complex to perform but essential to ensure success.

For more information on the quality standards of Pancosma please visit the Pancosma database for quality certificates here.

Pancosma events round up

22 June 2021/dans Blog, Other /par Global Admin

Many events and gatherings have been cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. This crisis, where billions of people were physically separated from each other clearly highlighted the need for events in our feed industry. It is the events that bring us together. They are the bond that unites us and reduce the distance that separates us.

For Pancosma events are an opportunity to connect even better with our customers and partners to understand how we can help address their challenges with dedicated feed additive solutions. While the situation starts to improve, we plan on participating at the following trade fairs (if the situation will allow it):

ADSA® 2021 – USA: we are pleased to support this 2021 Annual Meeting of the American Dairy Science Association® (ADSA®) by being donor sponsor of this virtual event. The American Dairy Science Association (ADSA®) is an international organization of educators, scientists and industry representatives who are committed to advancing the dairy industry and keenly aware of the vital role the dairy sciences play in fulfilling the economic, nutritive, and health requirements of the world’s population.

IPPE 2022 – USA: the PANCOSMA Team looks forward to being with you in-person at the IPPE Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta from January 25th to 27th The International Production & Processing Expo is the world’s largest annual poultry, meat and feed industry event of its kind.

EUROTIER 2022 – GERMANY: from November 15th – 18th 2022 in Hanover our teams plan on joining you at the EuroTier! EuroTier is the world’s leading trade fair for animal production. We are really excited and will not want to miss this event!

On top of the above tradeshows, our entity celebrates its 75^th Birthday in 2022 and this new year will give us new hope for the future.

We are now much closer to see all of you again very soon: we will be thrilled to be back in exhibitions as we experienced it as a powerful bridge to connect business with people. We hope the list of events will grow as time goes by. Back on track soon and stronger than before !

All information on our participation at tradeshows is available on our website under the events section here.

Organic acids – new arrivals in Pancosma portfolio

31 May 2021/dans Aquaculture, Blog, Other, Pigs, Poultry /par Global Admin

Organic acids came to Pancosma through acquisitions and are now firmly grounded in our product* portfolio. They include solutions to optimize the acidification of young animals, animal production and in addition they play an essential role in controlling feed hygiene, preservation of feed materials, water quality and optimizing TMR as well as silage quality.

Why adding organic acids to animal feed makes sense

Acidification enables lowering of pH in feed and the digestive tract of animals. This helps to maintain the optimum pH in the stomach for enzymatic actions and to ensure proper protein digestion in the intestine. The acidic environment also creates a barrier to the entry of harmful bacteria and their colonization in the intestine. E.coli and Salmonella are pH sensitive and their proliferation is minimized below pH 5.

Even under hygienic conditions, factors like high moisture and warm environment can facilitate the growth of certain fungi, yeast or bacteria, minimizing the feed nutritive value by metabolizing its starch and protein. Preservation can help to ensure a continuous supply of high-quality feedstuffs and reduce the risk of pathogen uptake by the animal.

Why choose Pancosma organic acids?

The organic acids which are in our portfolio contain short- and medium chain fatty acids. We provide a wide range of solutions and applications. It comes in liquid and dry form, which gives the flexibility to be utilized both in feed and drinking water. Besides our standard portfolio we also offer custom-made solutions based on our knowhow on product technology and performance.

Go to our organic acids portfolio

Frequently asked questions

Do you only produce dry solutions, or do you also offer liquid acidifiers?

Both options are available, depending on the application requirements and conditions.

What is the main source for your medium chain fatty acids products?

They are mainly derived from coconut and palm-kernel oil.

What is the most popular product in the Pancosma organic acids product range?

Since the preservation and hygiene control of animal feed and raw materials is fundamental to feed quality, products designed for preservation and hygiene control are used most frequently

Nevertheless, the use of special organic acids, such as medium chain fatty acids and esterified organic acids, is receiving growing attention. This is in response to an increasing body of scientific research showing the benefits these type of components can bring to animals. Our products from the DaaFit range contain medium chain fatty acids, as well as a combination of short- and medium-chain fatty acids, which have been the subject of these scientific studies.

Can I apply Pancosma organic acids to the water systems for farm animals?

Our products DaaquaSafe and DaaquaForce have been specifically developed for the application to the water system on farms.

Can you offer tailormade organic acids solutions to match my specific challenges?

Yes, we have the capability to adapt acidifiers to the specific needs of our customers. Find out more about our tailormade service here.

Do you have organic acids suitable for aquaculture?

Yes, our preservation and feed hygiene products are all applicable to aquaculture. Together with our Aqua colleagues we have also carried out several trials investigating the impact of DaaFit products on the wellbeing of fish and shrimp, which showed a positive response.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to CONTACT OUR EXPERTS

*Not all products are available in all regions. Pancosma, a brand of ADM, makes no representation or warranty, whether expressed or implied, as to the reliability, or completeness of the information. The uses and claims should be adapted to comply to the current local/ regional regulatory environment. This information does not imply any express recommendations for the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease.

Launch of 2 new cheesecake flavors

31 May 2021/dans Blog, Pigs, Ruminants, Non classifié(e) /par Global Admin

We are delighted to announce the creation of 2 new products under the Pancosma Cheesecake flavor offer with the following tonalities: Red fruits and Lemon. These two flavors are based on known flavor notes namely red fruits and citrus with a cheesecake twist.

Pan cheesecake Lemon, code A60-3230

The recommended dose in feed is: 100-800g/t

Pan cheesecake Red fruits code A60-3231

The recommended dose in feed is: 100-800g/t

For which production stage are Pan cheesecake flavors recommended?

Pan cheesecake flavors have been specifically designed for use in young animal diets, especially piglets and calves. However, they can also be used in feed for all other production stages and species. The exception is lemon cheesecake flavor, which cannot be used in diets for aquaculture.

Why, when should you use Pan cheesecake flavors?

Pan cheesecake flavors can be used to increase the attractiveness of feed, for flexibility in feed formulation or for marketing purposes.

To find out more contact our flavor experts

CONTACT OUR EXPERTS

About Pancosma flavors

Pancosma has a history since 1947 of producing flavors. Today the company is one of the leaders in the creation, development, production and commercialization of sensory feed additives. The products are distributed in more than 75 countries.

Pancosma has a portfolio of over 100 flavors with all types of profiles, such as vanilla, fruity (red fruits, citrus, apple), fenugreek, molasses and savory. Pancosma flavors are obtained combining carefully selected raw materials in precise proportions. They target the olfactory receptors located in the nose providing sophisticated olfactory properties.

Whether you are looking for flavors to increase the attractiveness of feed, flexibility in feed formulation or for marketing purposes, our in-house team of flavorists has the capabilities to create solutions specifically adapted to your needs. They can formulate according to your technical requirements (product form, target dose and required profile) and/or specific demands (by country and species).

Relevant articles

Why feed palatability matters in animal husbandry

Pancosma blog – Welcome to our brand new blog section

30 May 2021/dans Blog, Other /par Global Admin

We are excited to introduce you to the Pancosma blog, our latest addition to the Pancosma website. We want to delight you with fresh content on a regular basis and hope you will enjoy sharing it with your contacts.

If you are reading this, it means you landed on the Pancosma blog. So, first of all we want to extend a big and warm WELCOME to you. We hope you will come back and visit this section of our website on a regular basis.

What to expect from the Pancosma blog:

New insights into the world of feed additives
Technical updates to increase your understanding of what makes sense when it comes to applying feed additives to achieve your goals
Company news
Event updates – where to be to engage with our team
Interviews with movers and shakers for animal feed additives
Opportunities to learn something you did not know before
Answers to your questions on feed additives
Fresh content on a regular basis
A nice surprise – when you find something exciting you did not expect from our blog

If there is something missing on the list, please let us know and we make sure it gets covered. This is a blog from us for you, so we count on your feedback to improve as we go along.

Our first blog articles

Our first blog articles have been written to make sure that you are kept in the loop of our latest developments in the first quarter of this year. There will be more blog articles to come very soon. Follow us on LinkedIn to get a heads up when they are out.

Organic acids – new arrivals in the Pancosma categories