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For pigs and poultry, mineral form matters

March 29, 2018
For pigs and poultry, mineral form matters

In the last few years, new research has revealed the positive impacts chelated trace minerals can have on animal performance and environmental impact. 

Today, there are many different types of mineral complexes available in the market, such as metal amino acid complexes, metal amino acid chelates, metal polysaccharide complexes and metal proteinates. Yet, all of these products tend to be generically labeled as “organic trace minerals,” and the lack of consistent definition has created confusion in the animal feed industry. 

In the recent webinar “Form Matters: Three reasons your mineral program might not be up to par,” Dr. Richard Murphy, research director at the Alltech European Bioscience Centre in Dunboyne, Ireland, examined the differences between the types of trace minerals that are available in terms of structure and how these minerals are likely to interact with other premix and feed components.

Key takeaways from the webinar include:

1. Not all organic minerals are the same; what the mineral is bound to will determine its form.

2. The key defining characteristic of an organic trace mineral is the ability to maximize its pH-dependent stability and optimize delivery to the intestine.

3. Weakly bounded organic trace minerals can result in enzyme inhibition, vitamin destruction and increased oxidation.  

 

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