All Trace Minerals Are Not Created Equal By Dr Peter Stark, Zinpro Corporation
Although the amount needed is measured in milligrams, essential trace minerals are a key component in many biochemical processes in the animal and are necessary to sustain life, fight disease, and promote growth, development, and healthy reproduction in livestock. However, not all trace minerals are created equal in terms of their structure, absorption and performance. A key component of an organic trace mineral is stability, meaning it
can withstand the low pH of the stomach and not dissociate. Antagonists can bond to the mineral, causing it to not be absorbed and instead be excreted by the animal. The antagonist can also block the trace mineral transporters located in the gastrointestinal tract, preventing the trace mineral from being taken up into the enterocytes in the small intestine — meaning the trace mineral will not be absorbed into the bloodstream and utilized by the tissues and cells.
TRANSPORTERS ARE THE KEY For a trace mineral to be effectively absorbed into an enterocyte, it must pass through transporters in the gastrointestinal tract. Among the transporters are metal ion transporters and amino acid transporters. Inorganic trace minerals are metal ions and must, therefore, use
the metal ion transporter. Organic trace minerals, while bonded to a carbon-containing molecule such as methionine hydroxy analog, often dissociate in the low pH of the stomach to become an inorganic trace mineral, meaning the mineral must also use the metal ion transporter. This causes the transporter to regulate the amount of trace minerals absorbed by the enterocyte (see image below). The metal in trace minerals can be structurally bonded to certain
amino acids, such as methionine, that allow the metal to be efficiently absorbed. This complex is water-soluble, stable, not affected by antagonists, and is uniquely absorbed through the amino acid transporters. Then, once in circulation, these performance minerals are metabolised differently than other metal sources.
IN CIRCULATION FOR LONGER A different metabolism demonstrates a unique form of metal in circulation, resulting in increased performance. The trace minerals are
excreted in the urine at a much slower rate than inorganic and low- quality organic trace minerals. This means that trace minerals uniquely bonded to certain amino acids are in circulation longer — allowing time for the tissues and cells to utilise the trace minerals more effectively.
PROVEN RESEARCH All trace minerals are not created equal. Performance minerals help maximise animal well-being, reproduction, feed efficiency, growth, production, birth, and hoof-health quality by relying on proven research. The correct trace minerals can maximise the genetic potential of your animals.
R = Side chain of a 1:1 amino acid metal complex
FEED COMPOUNDER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 PAGE 43
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