meat and bone meal. However, due to feed and food safety regulations these are often prohibited in sow diets. Although reproducing sows do not require much zinc, its interactions with other minerals and nutrients and its low availability from raw material sources and from natural resources can result in the sow not receiving an adequate amount. Consequently, zinc supplementation in a sow diet is essential, especially in subgroups such as gilts that are still developing and have high requirements.


2


Copper Copper is involved in many processes in the body and, like zinc, is required for the function of several enzymes. The most known effect of copper is in the


development of bone, connective tissue and collagen and the formation of haemoglobin. Besides these benefits, cop- per also supports immunity and has an antioxidant effect, acting against free radicals in the body. Its interaction with iron is very important as it enhances iron absorption from the gastrointestinal tract and mobilisation to the liver. With copper deficiency, the animal will show reduced growth, nervous disorders, incoordination, bone abnormalities, heart issues and deficiencies in red blood cells. When too much copper is fed over an extended period, there can be impaired growth, anaemia, jaundice and eventually death. Copper toxicity can be prevented by giving extra iron and zinc. Raw materials normally supply a fair amount of copper in sow diets, but with limited knowledge of copper requirements, particularly for hyperprolific sows and their gilts, research suggests that extra supplementation is needed. Moreover, as structural development is influenced by copper, developing foetuses and late gestation growth of the piglets in the sow require a maternal supply of copper to have adequate re- serves in the liver at birth.


3


Manganese Like zinc and copper, manganese is also essential for the proper function of several enzymes that are involved in important metabolic processes like en-


ergy metabolism, bone development and reproduction. In cooperation with zinc, manganese is essential for proper support in bone and claw development.


Signs of deficiency are characterised by impaired growth, lameness, enlarged hocks, crooked and shortened legs, ir- regular reproduction cycle, poor mammary development and lower lactational performance. As manganese is likely not available from natural grain sources, it must be supplemented in all sow diets. However, manganese is also characterised as having good storage in bone and liver tissue, which lowers the daily required intake. Nevertheless, any piglet born needs its supply of manganese through its mother; therefore, it is essential to arm hyper- prolific sows with a good reserve supply so as to avoid deficiencies at birth.


Organic trace minerals Novus offers bis-chelates, marketed under the Mintrex brand. Through the binding of the trace minerals with two ligands of a methionine hydroxy analogue, or HMTBa, the result in stud- ies on and off the farm is a highly bio-available source. Be- cause of the bis-chelate binding to the mineral, all atoms are bonded making the molecule neutral. In comparison, a posi- tively charged molecule can react in the feed or animal with other molecules and make it less available to the animal. Because of its stronger bond and neutral charge, these miner- al molecules are shown to be stable in feed production, throughout the gastrointestinal tract and remain stable due to the multiple dissociation steps. In the lumen of the intestine the molecules easily attach to the receptors on the intestinal cells and can then be utilised by the animals. The remaining HMTBa will be used as methionine supply for the animal. Through extended research, repeatable results have been seen in experimental conditions and through the application of research on commercial farms. Up to 200,000 sows have been screened in the United States, Canada and Spain. Re- sults show consistent improvements in farrowing rate, num- ber of live-born piglets, reduced pre-weaning mortality and up to one piglet more weaned per sow, per year. Moreover, structural integrity also improved over time.


References available upon request ▶ PIG PROGRESS | Volume 37, No. 4, 2021 27


ILLUSTRATIONS: FAMBROS | DREAMSTIME


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