Feed & Additive Magazine Issue 3 April 2021

ISSUE FOCUS 44 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE April 2021 USE OF PROTECTED BENZOIC ACID ONWEANED PIGLETS’ DIETS “The European Commission has decided to ban the use of high dose of ZnO in feed from June 2022. In this regard, new dietary strategies in weaning transition are needed. Among feeding strategies (decreasing crude protein level, fiber types and percentage of inclusion, high quality ingredients), organic acids (OA) are a valuable tool.” C ommercial piglets weaning implies sharp changes of the intestinal morphology and commensal gut microbiota. These changes can pre- dispose piglets to post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD). It is well known PWD is a complex and multifacto- rial process in which the intestinal ecosystem plays a key role. In fact, the disruption of the microbiota is referred as dysbiosis and can be accompanied by colonization by pathogenic bacteria: this imbalance is normally identified by a decrease in bacteria of the Lactobacillus group, loss of microbial diversity and an increase of the relative abundance of entero- bacteria. Dietary zinc oxide (ZnO) used at pharmacolog- ical dose (2.5-3 g/kg) is largely being used as an efficient tool in the post-weaning phase to reduce the incidence of PWD in most European countries. However, it has been demonstrated there is a strong correlation between the use of ZnO in pig diets and accumulation of Zn in the environment and there is evidence that high levels of ZnO may co-select anti- biotic-resistant microorganism too. With this scenario and based on advice from the European Medicines Agency, the European Com- mission has decided to ban the use of high dose of ZnO in feed from June 2022. In this regard, new dietary strategies in weaning transition are needed. Among feeding strategies (decreasing crude protein level, fiber types and percentage of inclusion, high quality ingredients), organic acids (OA) are a valu- able tool. Indeed, the use of benzoic acid, formic acid and its salts are associated to several beneficial effects on growth performance of pigs. In their free form OA act as acidifiers, by dissociating and lowering the pH, reducing, or eliminating the pathogenic bacte- ria usually sensitive to low pH in upper gastrointes- tinal tract. When coating or embedding technology is used, the stability and bioavailability of OA are increased, and it is ensured their release throughout all the gastrointestinal tract. OUR FIELD TRIAL: DESCRIPTION To explain some of the above-mentioned points, a trial was designed. The objective of the trial was to study the effect of a combination of embedded ar- omatic compounds, including among other benzoic Marisol Castillo, DVM, PhD, Sr. Tech. Manager. Novus Europe S.A./N.V.