Orego-Stim® Helps to Support the Sow and her Progeny in the Absence of Zinc Oxide
SUMMARY
- This trial showed that Orego-Stim® is able to support sow lactation performance and piglet weaning weights on a commercial farm in the absence of zinc oxide.
- No impact of removing therapeutic zinc levels from piglet diets was seen in growth, medication use or mortality.
- The suckling period is a critical time in the piglet’s life for the acquisition of a healthy gut microbiota, necessary for the development of digestive function, gut barrier protection and immune development.
- This work is part of the Anpario’s 4R’s approach (Review, Reduce and Replace antimicrobials Responsibly) which helps manage gut health and support healthier livestock through the use of natural products.
Background
- This work is part of the Anpario’s 4R’s approach (Review, Reduce and Replace antimicrobials Orego-Stim® is a high quality, eubiotic containing 100% natural oregano oil.
- Zinc is routinely used at high levels to control post-weaning scours but has been linked to environmental pollution and antibiotic resistance in some bacteria, such as MRSA. (Yazdankhah et al., 2014).
- The European commission has banned the use of pharmacological levels of zinc (>150ppm) in piglet diets from June 2022.
Trial Design
Anpario conducted a randomised blinded trial managed by a feed integrator on an Irish commercial herd. Eighty multiparous sows across two batches were randomly allocated to either the control group or Orego-Stim® (OS) supplemented group, with OS top dressed to diets daily at an equivalent rate of 1kg/t, from 3 days prior to farrowing until weaning. All piglets were weighed at birth and any cross-fostering was carried out within treatment groups to fill to teat number within 48 hrs. Piglets were provided creep feed from day 10 and weaned ~27 days, diets either included zinc oxide (Control) at 3.1 kg/t, or OS at 1 kg/t. See Annex 1 for trial design.
Results
- Piglets from the OS group performed similarly to those from the control group with average piglet weaning weights of ~7kg per piglet (Fig. 1), the numerical benefit seen with OS remained at the end of the nursery period with OS fed piglets being numerically heavier (~0.5kg) than the control group.
- Pre-weaning mortality was the same for both groups (9%) but interestingly piglets from OS litters had a reduced incidence of starvation or scour (Fig. 2).
- Sows receiving OS maintained a similar body condition score (BCS) to the control sows but lost ~10kg less body weight over the lactation period.
- Medication use was not significantly affected by the removal of therapeutic zinc in piglets and post weaning mortality was also consistent between groups.
- Orego-Stim® has been shown to support sow and piglet performance in the absence of zinc oxide.
Annex 1 - Trial Design
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