ARTICLE FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE November 2022 79 that initiate early feed intake, to improve the level of consumption and develop more robust piglets. New concepts have recently emerged to secure feed intake, reduce health problems, and improve animal welfare. Recently, an innovative company has developed a new technology (NUQO©), based on micro-granulation and the combination of different active ingredients: • Ingredients work synergistically to create a unique taste through a multi-sensory approach, which stimulates curiosity in piglets and arouses interest in feed during the weaning period • Sweet taste enhancers improve feed intake and support gut development and maturation (Moran, 2010), which in turn improves nutrient absorption and feed efficiency • Finally, molecules such as phytogenic (from cinnamon or anise) act directly on intestinal health and reduce inflammation (Conforti, 2010; Liu, 2012) and indirectly promote feed consumption. • The exclusive micro-granulation technology implemented and the multi-layer structure guarantee the stability of the active ingredients and allow targeted release for greater efficiency STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY THAT BOOSTS PERFORMANCE! Several field trials have been conducted to validate the effect of this technology during the post-weaning period. These tests have repeatedly shown the added value of this "all-in-one" technology, including when faced with solutions frequently used in these cases (sweet or umami enhancer, aroma, probiotic, phytogenics, etc.). This technology is now used across the globe, in Europe but also in Asia and America. In particular, a study was conducted at the University of Berlin in Germany in the spring of 2022 under the supervision of Professor K. Männer. A total of 200 healthy piglets (Danbred F1 x Duroc) of both sexes were selected and evenly distributed according to body weight, litter origin and sex in 20 pens (10 pen per treatment) from d 25 to d 66 of age (feeding period of 42 d). The piglets were weaned at 25 days (± 2 days, approximately 7 kg), and fed with 2 treatments, on the one hand a negative control (NC) and on the other hand a treatment containing the new technology presented previously (NQ). Weaned piglets were fed a starter diet for two weeks (d 25 to d 38) and a subsequent grower diet for four weeks (d 39 to d 66). The diets were based on barley, corn, soybean meal and wheat. Skimmed milk powder was used in the starter diet (10%). All diets were supplemented with a nutritional level of zinc oxide (80g/t). The study made it possible to monitor several types of measurements: Zootechnical performance (body weight gain, feed intake and feed/gain ratio) was recorded each week at the pen level. On the other hand, the incidence of diarrhea was assessed weekly by a faecal consistency score (on a pen basis) using a scale from 0 (normal consistency) to 3 (severe diarrhea). A BETTER START AND MORE HOMOGENEOUS AND HEALTHIER GROUPS! During the onset period (1-14 days post-weaning), performance differences were not significant (p>0.05) but NQ Technology supplementation numerically improved weight gain by 10% and food consumption by 4% compared to NC. The conversion index was also improved by NQ (-6%) compared to NC. During the total period (1 to 42 days post-weaning), the positive trends in weight gain observed in the onset phase became significant: NQ improved
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