ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE November 2025 47 increased. This indicates that reduced performance was not only a matter of nutrient utilization but also of lower voluntary intake under high acid-binding conditions. Despite these differences in intake and growth, feed conversion ratio (FCR) remained statistically unaffected. Fecal indicators highlighted the impact of high-buffering diets on gut health. During Phase 2, higher ABC-4 values increased fecal looseness and diarrhea frequency, with piglets on 400 mEq HCl/kg diets showing the highest incidence of diarrhea. While fecal dry matter was not consistently affected, increasing ABC-4 led to a linear increase in fecal pH (Figure 4). Higher fecal pH suggests reduced fermentation activity in the hindgut and can be an indirect measure of volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration, where higher pH might indicate lower VFA production and inhibition of growth of pathogenic bacteria. By day 26, a linear tendency (P < 0.10) was observed for total enterobacteria counts, suggesting that higher ABC-4 levels may predispose to increased bacterial load. Although not statistically significant, this trend supports the observed increase in fecal pH and diarrhea frequency at 400 mEq HCl/kg, suggesting a potential destabilizing effect on gut microbiota at excessive buffering levels. In summary, these studies confirm that ABC-4 is an important yet forgotten factor in piglet nutrition. Diets with excessively high acid-binding capacity compromise growth performance and gastric acidity, increasing diarrhea risk and microbial imbalance. Conversely, maintaining ABC-4 between 200–300 mEq HCl/kg supports digestion, growth, and gut stability. Practical implementation requires careful management of acid-binding ingredients and the strategic inclusion of mineral in the piglet diets. Producers can reduce reliance on antibiotics and ZnO while keeping piglets growing steadily. The use of potentiated zinc oxide at EU-regulated levels allows diets to reach these optimal ABC-4 values while maintaining growth and minimizing diarrhea, offering a sustainable alternative in the post-ZnO era. Fecal Characteristics Fecal pH d12 Enterobacteria total count (log10 CFU/g) d26 400/400 mEq HCI/kg 253/280 mEq HCI/kg 327/340 mEq HCI/kg 180/220 mEq HCI/kg linear, p<0.05 7.5 7 6.5 6 5.5 5 4.5 4 linear, p<0.10 Figure 4. Fecal characteristics of piglets fed with increasing ABC-4 values (linear, P-value < 0.05; <0.10) High Concentration Flowability Safety standards Stability Bioavailability Performance POTENTIATED ZINC PURIFIED MANGANESE an international and independent supplier of Precision Minerals , www.animine.eu POTENTIATED ZINC BY PLAYING WITH UNIQUE MINERAL SOURCES! WIN THE GAME 75% MONOVALENT COPPER MONOVALENT COPPER PURIFIED MANGANESE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNjkxNQ==