New feed supplement makes pigs’ stomachs sturdy


Over many years, SEGES (Danish Swine Production) has done a lot of work in determining the extent of stomach years in pigs. In 2020, SEGES published a report showing that the problem of ulcers has decreased. But it is a fact that it is still a very extensive problem. The problem with ulcers is that it is only seen in death, slaughter or if


the pig has bleeding ulcers, and blood is seen in the stool. Ulcers typically disappear after about 14 days, but the pig is in pain all the time. There is little doubt that ulcers are one of the main welfare


challenges in the production of slaughter pigs in Denmark. The same will apply in other countries where there is no systematic monitoring of the problem. In Denmark, it is easy and relatively cheap for a pig producer to


obtain data on the extent of ulcers, which in comparison with other countries is a strong argument for awareness of animal welfare. The company AJ Energi og Stroe, Denmark has been developing


and selling bedding to Danish pig producers for more than ten years. As a natural development of the product range, it has chosen to develop a product in conjunction with Dr Carsten Pedersen, Pedersen Nutrition Ltd in the UK, that could potentially reduce the incidence of stomach ulcers in pigs. The product is called AJ X30 and is currently being used on approximately 20 pig farms in Denmark. Gastrointestinal ulcers in pigs are not believed to be due to one


certain factor. Therefore, the decision was made to work with several components that can support each other. AJ X30 consists of SPF- approved and heat-treated rapeseed straw, which are produced by AJ Energy og Stroe. In addition, the product includes carefully selected minerals, acid, and oregano. The heat-treated bedding has a unique ability to bind water and


Case Study Niels Martin and Morten Aggesen have noticed significantly better well- being and health in their slaughter pig herd after they have started using the feed supplement AJ X30. According to Niels Martin, who has been using the product since


October 2020: “In January, our mortality rate was as low as 0.6 pe rcent, where we have usually been at 3-3.5 percent. We think that is a really significant improvement in such a short space of time. Since we started using the product, our approval rate on OUA pigs has increased by more than four per cent. “The effect has also been on feed consumption, which has


decreased by 0.15 kg per kilo of growth, and at the same time growth has increased by up to 50 grams per day on average. “At the same time, it should be stressed that it is also an advantage


in terms of climate because of the lower feed consumption, which is important to highlight in these times,” he points out. “Nor should we forget that when AJ X30 is used, a lot of nitrogen is bound, which ends up in the slurry. The slurry contains between 20 and 30 percent more nitrogen than in the past.” Niels Martin, 49, runs pig production at Aggesensgård in


Sommersted near Vojens, and his son, Morten, 29, is employed on the farm. They have slaughter pigs and produce about 8,000 pigs on an annual basis with high health status. Niels Martin is the 13th generation


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ammonia, and at the same time it will create a flotation layer. Having a floating layer in the stomach of the pig is one of the ways to avoid stomach ulcers in pigs, since stomach acid will not come into contact, with the most sensitive part of the stomach. The purpose of using minerals is to achieve a binding of ammonia and potential toxins in the stomach. Acid and spice combined can reduce any harmful bacteria that will destroy the mucous membrane of the stomach. The mucous membrane protects the stomach from its own acid. Data from herds which have tested AJ X30 show, among other


things, that the pigs remain very much the same in size, which is since no pigs lag behind the others in growth rate. This can be explained by the fact that pigs that have challenges from e.g., ulcers can be expected to need a feed that has a different amino acid profile than other pigs. This is because the need for specific amino acids for repairing an


ulcer is different from the amino acid profile that is needed for muscle tissue. It has the consequence that pigs with ulcers will grow more slowly, since healing of ulcers has priority over growth, and the amount of amino acids available for growth is reduced. Even if only one single amino acid is missing, growth is reduced, as muscles have a specific amino acid composition. Data on the nitrogen content of slurry before and after a week’s


use of AJ X30 show that the amount of total nitrogen increased by more than 30 per cent and the increase was equivalent to the increase of ammonia in the slurry. This gives an indication that the ammonia content in the barn air is likely to be significant lower. AJ X30 can thus contribute to reducing the environmental impact of pig production - an area that requires more data.


Further information from carsten@pedersennutrition.co.uk


on the farm, and his son is on the payroll as the 14th generation. Areal land is 360 hectares. The pigs are purchased at 30 kilos, and they are delivered to Danish


Crown under the concept OUA, Upbringing Without Antibiotics. “We’ve been producing OUA pigs for two or three years. About


80 percent of the pigs we buy have this status, and the rest are sold as ordinary slaughter pigs. In the last batch we managed to sell more than 96% as OUA pigs. It is exciting to try something new, and we have always had a great focus on the health of the herd. And if you can get an additional yield at the same time, that’s something we find interesting. We were at a reasonably high level in advance, but are always interested in measures that can improve health, well-being and ultimately the economy of operations. That is why we agreed to try the new product, and we have no regrets about that.” Morten is responsible for the day-to-day care and operation of


slaughter pig production. He says: “The effect came very quickly and we have got more consistency in the batches. We are seeing far fewer deaths and we do not have many pigs with ulcers or anything resembling the prelude to this. At the same time, the pigs have also become calmer, and we have fewer tail bites and not so many that will fight. It is my feeling that the pigs have less stress and in general feel better. There is clearly more peace in the pens.”


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