TRENDING FILE 46 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE May 2022 Weaning piglets without therapeutic zinc oxide: IT’S POSSIBLE AND EFFICIENT! "Using high level of zinc oxide in piglet feeds is no longer a solution in the European Union and antibiotic reduction is more pressing than ever. To meet these challenges, pig producers must consider a full approach to pull through and maintain high level of performances." In France, the use high level of zinc oxide in piglets’ feeds was not authorized for a major part of the two last decades, until 2016. As a result, it was estimated that less than 15% of weaned piglets received a diet with 2500 ppm of zinc oxide. This situation in its domestic market has led the CCPA Group to gain expertise on how to manage weaning without medication. This field-savvy experience has taught that a total approach is needed to succeed with three pillars. The first one is the feed formulation and the nutritional expertise to provide a secured and high-quality complete feed. Then, as feed formulation cannot do it all, the use of phytogenic solutions helps to finalize reaching the complete digestive security. The last pillar involves farm management practices, including biosecurity or sanitary status. These criteria should be checked and improved if needed to move confidently towards the withdrawal of therapeutic zinc oxide and any type of medication added into the feed. CCPA strategy covers the process from the feed up to the farm in the demedication context. HIGH-END FORMULATION: THE FIRST STEP TOWARD SAFE WEANING Weaning is a highly critical period in pig management, often associated with diarrhoea, digestive problems, and growth delays. Medications as antibiotics or therapeutical zinc oxide, represent efficient solutions to manage this gut health issue. Without them, feed formulation needs to be revised to offer a highly digestible and concentrated feed with high-quality raw materials. The first key is to lowered crude protein content without compromising growth with finely selected protein sources. The CCPA Group approach goes further. The piglet digestive tract is immature. Thus, to not challenged it even more, formulators need to work with proper raw materials qualification and selection. To achieve this, CCPA continuously run analysis on its laboratory. Today, this expertise gathers knowledge on raw materials quality, among others on protein, energy, and dairy-based sources and about the different processes applied on raw materials. New analyses are developed to keep enhancing raw materials characterization and be used as feed formulation Anne-Sophie Valable Monogastric Product Manager CCPA Group
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNjkxNQ==