Foot rot is defined as a contagious disease in cloven-hoofed mammals that causes inflammation of the foot and subsequent lameness (Blood and Radositis, 1989). Lameness in all sectors of the beef industry can lead to decreased performance. It is estimated that approximately 20% of lameness in all cattle — dairy and beef — is attributed to foot rot (Step, et al., 2016). However, in the beef industry alone, it is estimated that closer to 75% of all diagnosed lameness in cattle is attributed to foot rot (Currin et al., 2009). Cattle in the feedlot have been reported to have close to half a pound lower average daily gains while they are combating foot rot (Brazzle, 1993). Therefore, foot rot represents a significant economic loss to the industry due to decreased performance.

What causes foot rot?

Bacteria are responsible for the cause of foot rot. The main foot rot-causing bacteria in cattle is Fusobacterium necrophorum, a ubiquitous bacterium found in the environment. Researchers have isolated it on the surface of healthy feet, in the rumen and in the feces of beef cattle. Other bacteria that are present on healthy feet can increase the virulence of F. necrophorum and, therefore, increase the incidence of foot rot (Currin et al., 2009). It is not until there is an injury to the foot — caused by walking on rough surfaces or standing in wet, damp and/or muddy conditions, resulting in a weakening of the foot tissues — that the bacteria sets in and wreaks havoc on the foot. Another common cause of foot rot is when cattle quickly go from wet conditions to dry conditions. This can cause the skin to become chapped and cracked, giving F. necrophorum a chance to enter the tissues of the hoof. Mineral deficiencies in zinc, selenium and copper are also known causes of foot rot (NRC, 2017). Because foot rot can be caused by a ubiquitous bacterium, it is not considered contagious.

Symptoms of foot rot

Clinical foot rot will present with the following symptoms:

1. Extreme pain, leading to the sudden onset of lameness
2. Elevated body temperature
3. Bilateral swelling of the interdigital tissues, around the hairline and coronary band of the hoof. The swelling may lead to greater-than-normal separation of the claws
4. Necrotic lesions in the interdigital space, with a foul odor
5. Decreased feed intake

These symptoms can be similar to the symptoms of other foot issues that are common in beef cattle. For example, digital dermatitis, commonly referred to as hairy heel wart, is often mistaken for foot rot when cattle become lame (Step et al., 2016). However, digital dermatitis only affects the skin in the heel bulb area and up to the area of the dew-claw. Digital dermatitis also does not produce a foul odor, is more centralized and is contagious.

How to treat foot rot

Once the proper diagnosis is made, foot rot can be treated. Treatment for foot rot is most successful when completed early, toward the beginning of its onset. The most common method of treatment is via tetracycline antibiotics (Currin et al., 2016). It is crucial to consult a local veterinarian for recommendations about antibiotics and the proper dosage levels. Other common treatments include rubbing a sterilized rope or twine between the animal’s toes to remove the necrotic tissue, followed by applying a topical antimicrobial and simply keeping the foot clean and dry while antibiotic treatment is given.

There are practices that can help reduce the risk of foot rot in a herd. For example, if caused by wet and muddy conditions, ensure proper drainage and the sloping of pastures or barns, such that moisture doesn’t collect in locations where cattle often congregate. Additionally, smoothing rough areas and ensuring that pastures and pens are kept clear of sharp debris that can cause abrasions or scratches to the hooves can help keep foot rot at bay. Simply ensuring that cattle are fed proper levels of minerals has shown to reduce the incidence of foot rot. Zinc is known to be critical for maintaining the integrity of the skin and hoof (NRC, 2016); thus, zinc should be fed at proper levels — and even elevated levels, if foot rot is known to be a common issue (Kellems and Church, 2010). Organic complexes of zinc are commonly included in beef diets at normal levels. However, with the increased bioavailibity of zinc in its organic form, it is wise to ensure the proper zinc status of the herd to reduce the incidence of foot rot. Although iodine is not known to be a mineral involved directly in foot integrity, dietary EDDI, a common source of iodine used in mineral supplements and premixes, has shown to be beneficial in the prevention of foot rot.

Foot rot is a significant cause of lameness in beef cattle and can result in a major economic and production loss in some herds. Although foot rot-causing bacteria can be found everywhere and are sometimes unavoidable, quick treatment early on and practicing proper pasture and pen maintenance can help to reduce the chances of clinical foot rot in beef cattle. Also, making sure the zinc and iodine levels are properly maintained during all stages of production in forms such as EDDI and organic complexes such as Alltech’s Bioplex Zinc can maximize protection against foot rot.

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Tests of varying scientific nature and credibility are widely alleged to have the ability to differentiate between good and bad organic trace minerals (OTMs). The basic parameters that can be analyzed include mineral percentage, nitrogen-to-mineral ratio, percent of bound mineral, molecular weight, bioavailability and stability. While some of these analyses can provide meaningful and valuable information about defined or individual products, understanding the limitations of these tests is critical if they are to be successfully applied in the assessment of OTMs.

Mineral percentage

Accurate quantification of the total mineral content of OTMs is routinely used by all manufacturers, and cost comparisons between OTMs will consider this when calculating their relative value. Total mineral content, however, gives no information regarding OTM bioavailability and, as such, is limited in terms of calculating the true relative value of a product.

Nitrogen-to-metal ratio

Calculating the molar ratio of nitrogen to metal can be a useful way to assess glycine-based chelates. When assessing more complex products, such as proteinates, the nitrogen-to-mineral ratio will not give an accurate reflection of the true potential for mineral bonding. More complex amino acids can bind metal atoms through their side chains via sulfur and oxygen atoms. As there is no involvement of nitrogen in this side chain bonding, it is possible to underestimate the potential for binding by only considering the nitrogen-to mineral ratio. The nitrogen content of various products can also be artificially inflated, giving the false impression of a product with high nitrogen-to-mineral ratio.

Solubility

It is often asserted that an OTM must be soluble to be bioavailable, but many peer-reviewed publications have shown that insoluble OTMs have the potential to be more bioavailable than their soluble counterparts. An evaluation of OTM solubility will be of little benefit unless one considers the effects of the digestive processes and the changing pH environment within the GI tract.

Molecular weight

Numerous claims have been made about comparing OTMs based on size, and these claims erroneously indicate that a smaller-sized bonding group creates a more stable and more bioavailable OTM. Correlating the molecular weight of an OTM with its stability constant indicates quite clearly that, rather than size being of critical importance in generating a stable OTM, the type of bonding group is of far greater significance.  

Bioavailability

In vitro lab-based assays, which attempt to assess bioavailability, have been developed, making use of cell culture-based assay systems that can determine the transfer and uptake of minerals across cellular membranes. These techniques, however, can’t accurately reflect the influence of digestion on the OTM. As such, their value when comparing different products is limited.

Stability

When we talk about the stability of OTMs, we are referring to the bond strength that exists between the bonding group and the mineral; the greater the bond strength, the more stable the product. Polarography can be used to assess the bond strength of OTMs — but polarography is only suitable to test materials in solution and can only assess the soluble fraction of organic mineral products. OTMs are increasingly solubilised as a result of the in vivo conditions of the GI tract, so the results of the polarographic tests alone should be interpreted with caution.

Percent of bound mineral

Historically, determining the percent of bound mineral required utilizing filtration through a low-molecular-weight membrane. The mineral retained behind the filter was assumed to be bound, while the mineral in the filtrate (solution) was assumed to be unbound. Such methods, however, are subject to manipulation, as changing the pH of the buffer can cause precipitation and lead to false estimates of the true bound mineral percentage.

The only validated assays that fully quantitate the bound mineral level of an OTM utilize techniques known as ATR-FTIR (attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared) and PXRD (power X-ray diffraction) and were developed by researchers at Alltech’s European Bioscience Centre.

The first assay uses a form of infrared (IR) spectroscopy to measure the bound mineral percentage, whereas the second assay uses a form of crystallography to measure the unbound mineral level. These two assays are complementary to each other, and both are peer-reviewed and published. In the case of the IR assay, this was independently validated and verified by the Central Reference Laboratory (CRL), which reports directly to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Conclusion

While simple tests based on mineral percentage, nitrogen-to-mineral ratio, molecular weight, bioavailability and stability are used by different manufacturers, these tests only provide limited information about individual products and are not suitable for comparing different classes of product. If products will continue to be compared through these tests, understanding their limitations is critical.

The only validated assays to assess mineral chelation are based on the use of techniques known as ATR-FTIR and PXRD and were developed and validated by researchers at Alltech’s European Bioscience Centre. 

Click here for more information on Alltech's Mineral Management program. 

References:

Byrne, L. A., Hynes, M.J., Connolly, C.D. and Murphy, R.A. (2011) 

Analytical determination of apparent stability constants using a copper ion selective electrode. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 105(12):1656-1661.

Byrne, L.A. (2010) Analytical assessment of peptide-metal interactions and subsequent stability. Ph.D. Thesis. Dept. of Biology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland.

Cantwell C, Byrne L, Connolly C, Hynes MJ, McArdle P, Murphy RA. (2017)

Quantitative assessment of copper proteinates used as animal feed additives using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2017 Aug;34(8):1344-1352.

Murphy R.A. (2018) Organic Trace Minerals: Optimised Stability Enhances Bioavailability International Animal Health Journal Vol 5 (2) 28-32

Murphy, R.A. (2018) Minerals, Meals and Molecular Malnutrition: How Mineral Form Can Impact Feed Quality and Cellular Health. International Animal Health Journal Vol 5 (1) 42-46

Murphy R.A. (2015) OTM bond strength, relative stability

Feedstuffs July

Murphy, R.A. (2010) Drilling into mineral analysis – structure and stability explained. All about feed Vol 1 (4) 21-23

Murphy, R., (2009).  Chelates: Clarity in the confusion. Feed international January/February 22-24.

There are several opportunities to increase both feed efficiency and weight gain with creep feeds. Just as cattle genetics and management practices have advanced over the last several generations, nutritional knowledge and practices have evolved. This has allowed calves to continually improve, meeting the increasing demands of cattle producers and consumers alike.

Previously, protein and energy were the primary nutrients that nutritionists balanced in nursing calf diets. Now we can add feed additives (specifically yeast and yeast byproducts) and provide bioavailable trace minerals (organically sourced) to further advance the benefits of supplementing young cattle.

Leading the way in yeast technology

Alltech has more than 35 years of experience and is a leader in providing yeast technology based on research from both laboratory and animal production settings. Alltech’s Yea-Sacc® Extra contains a yeast culture specifically selected for their influence on animal performance. Yea-Sacc^® Extra provides the nutritional platform needed to enhance fiber digestion and stabilize ruminal function and pH.

Sel-Plex^® is Alltech’s proprietary form of selenium-enriched yeast and is the first European Union-approved and U.S. Food and Drug Administration-reviewed form of selenium-enriched yeast. Supported by more than 19 years of research, Sel-Plex is also the most proven form of selenium-enriched yeast. Alltech is currently the world's largest producer of natural selenium.

Providing a competitive advantage

Yeast culture and yeast cell wall components are effective products that have been fed to cattle for years and have been shown to exhibit a variety of beneficial properties that positively impact animal performance and health. Production applications of yeast cultures and yeast cell wall components include use in the diets of both low- and high-stress cattle, inclusion in creep feeds and inclusion in feeds for conventional, natural and organic production systems. Their components have proven beneficial in improving rumen health, stimulating the immune system, protecting against harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, and promoting growth without the use of antibiotics.

More specifically, yeast culture stimulates digestive microflora, which in turn positively affects dry matter intake, rumen pH and nutrient digestibility. Yeast culture complements and stimulates the growth of ruminal cellulolytic or fiber-digesting bacteria. This leads to an increase in the rate and efficiency of ruminal fermentation. These microbial populations actively break down feedstuffs and help make more nutrients available to the calf for its growth and immune system. An increase in microbial protein can also be realized due to the stimulation of rumen fermentation and is readily available to calves as an excellent source of dietary protein. Because the animal’s appetite is stimulated, stress is reduced and a more consistent dry matter intake is maintained.

Proven results

Research reveals that daily gain and feed efficiency was improved in 21 out of 23 cattle feeding trials (91 percent response). Approximately 2,500 head of cattle were involved in the trials, and the levels of response were such that the net economic return was approximately 10 cents per head per day on feed.

In pasture situations, by including yeast culture in a free-choice creep feed, it has been shown that increased digestibility results in better forage intake and forage utilization by the animal. A three-year trial at The Ohio State University confirmed that providing yeast culture to grazing beef cattle can produce heavier calves at weaning. Their results indicated that including yeast in cattle diets produced calves that averaged 16.2 pounds heavier weaning weight. Another research facility has reported that there may also be benefits related to feeding yeast culture in rations containing ethanol co-products. The studies indicate yeast culture contains nutritional metabolites that co-products lose during the ethanol process.

Benefits of including yeast in nursing calf diets:

• Promotes digestion and utilization of nutrients
• Reduces fluctuation in pH and keeps rumen microbes steadily active, which speeds feed digestion and rumen turnover, allowing greater intake
• Promotes the growth of fiber-digesting bacteria in the rumen, thereby supporting the rate and extent of forage breakdown
• Stimulates activity of the bacteria that convert lactic acid to propionic acid
• Promotes rumen stability, avoiding the wide variations in rumen pH that interfere with fiber digestion and feed intake
• Provides consistent and highly cost-effective returns through greater performance
• Optimizes animal performance
• Supports mineral retention 

Yeast culture inclusion in creep feeds make them more nutritionally complete. If you would like to learn more about yeast, yeast cultures and Sel-Plex, take a look at these videos on alltech.com.

References

Alsaied Alnaimy Mostafa Habeeb. Importance of Yeast in Ruminants Feeding on Production and Reproduction. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Vol. 2, No. 4, 2017, pp. 49-58. doi: 10.11648/j.eeb.20170204.11.

Alltech. https://www.alltech.com/animal-nutrition/beef-cattle. 2018.

Craig R. Belknap and Grant Crawford. Consider Yeast Culture as a Feed Additive for Growing and Finishing Beef Cattle. Copyright 2008 © Regents of the University of Minnesota.

Paul R. Broadway, Jeffery A. Carroll and Nicole C. Burdick Sanchez. Review Live Yeast and Yeast Cell Wall Supplements Enhance Immune Function and Performance in Food-Producing Microorganisms. ISSN 2076-2607 www.mdpi.com/journal/microorganisms.

D. G. Grieve. Feed intake and growth of cattle fed liquid brewer's yeast. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 59: 89-94.

Kindra Gordon. The Benefits of Yeast Culture and Yeast Cell Wall Components in Beef Cattle. January 25, 2016. Beef Magazine.

Kindra Gordon. Supplemental feed ingredients like flax, seaweed, and yeast culture can help boost cattle health, performance and carcass quality. Sept 17, 2007. Beef Magazine.

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Article reposted with permission from CRYSTALYX^®.

For many, fall calving lies in the near future. Have you considered whether your cowherd’s summer mineral program is up to par? Implementing a proper mineral program is essential, as it can help determine the best way to maintain optimal reproduction with early conception rates while also boosting calf health and growth. We only get one calf per cow per year, so if there are any missteps in meeting our cow reproduction and calf growth goals, it will be a long time before corrections or improvements can be made.

During the late summer and into the early fall, forage quality is declining as the cow’s requirements are increasing for fall calving. Delivering minerals during this time is crucial in order to produce a healthy calf and ensure that the cow has what she needs to combat any stressors and to rebreed in time. For spring-calving herds, the period when calves are getting pulled and weaned is when the cow’s nutrient requirements are lowest; however, a proper mineral program is still necessary to provide for both the cow and her developing calf throughout the year.

Summer mineral programs

When considering a mineral program, bags and mineral feeders likely spring to mind, as these options have historically been used often and to good results. You may want to consider, however, thinking a little more deeply about some other summer mineral options that could help you stay on top of your herd’s nutrition program without the fuss and potential losses associated with dry granular mineral delivery. For instance, compared to bagged minerals, there are many inherent benefits provided by low-moisture blocks like CRYSTALYX low-moisture block mineral supplements.

Two of the biggest advantages of CRYSTALYX mineral supplements are their palatability and the uniformity of intake they ensure across all cattle within a pasture. Our research has demonstrated that more than 90% of cattle will frequent a CRYSTALYX mineral supplement, versus the roughly 60% of cattle that frequent an area where bagged minerals are available.

It is an undisputable fact that if your cows don’t eat the vitamin/mineral supplement you provide, they will not be able to capitalize on the additional nutritional benefits offered by that supplement. Reaching 30% more cattle within a herd helps ensure that nearly all of your cattle are receiving the added nutrients that encourage optimal performance. This is, without a doubt, the main reason that producers look to CRYSTALYX to help efficiently deliver their summer minerals.

That is certainly not the end of the list of benefits CRYSTALYX supplements can provide. There are a great deal of manufacturing processes and ingredients involved in creating a weatherized, bagged mineral that won’t blow away in the wind, wash down the creek in the rain or simply turn to stone after a downpour. What better weatherproof mineral could you offer than what already comes with CRYSTALYX?

CRYSTALYX low-moisture blocks are unaffected by wind or rain; cattle will simply slurp down any moisture that accumulates on the surface. And what could be more appealing to cows than a good-old consumption-regulated, low-moisture molasses block? There are a host of different intake limiters, encouragers and regulators associated with bagged vitamin/mineral products — but when cows actually want to consume your vitamin/mineral supplement presented in block form, they become unnecessary, as the nutrition is encased in a highly palatable, uniformly blended, dehydrated molasses block that keeps intake in check.

Let’s not forget how the minerals and vitamins are encased in a dehydrated molasses matrix, which is hugely beneficial, as it separates — and virtually eliminates — the reactivity that often exists between minerals and vitamins. Our observations have consistently revealed almost zero vitamin degradation with CRYSTALYX products when measured for up to and even beyond one year. This is certainly not the case with bagged minerals; harmful oxidative reactions begin to take place once the ingredients are mixed together, eventually destroying the vitamin potency.

One thing to remember when managing intake with CRYSTALYX mineral formulations is that the head count per container must be scaled up compared to the protein formulations. Follow the label recommendations, but generally, more cows per container — such as 40 to 60 head per barrel — should be considered to arrive at a 4-ounce intake. Compare this to our typical recommendation of 20 to 30 head for protein products, which are typically consumed in the 0.5- to 1-pound daily intake range.

Mineral feeders: Who needs them?

Upfront equipment costs are one thing, but continued maintenance expenses are seemingly never-ending. Bulls are always looking for some sort of recreational equipment to rough up, and feeders are common targets. There are plenty of creative feeding methods for providing loose minerals. Some producers make it sort of a puzzle that cows must figure out in order to access the mineral — which can really make you wonder just how many cows are actually courageous or creative enough to put their heads into these feeding stations. CRYSTALYX supplements come with their own container — and if you request that they be provided in the degradable BioBarrel^®, you don’t even have to go out and pick them up; they just degrade away into the environment. It doesn’t get much easier or more environmentally responsible than that.

A CRYSTALYX mineral program to fit your needs

If you’re not yet convinced to take a fresh look at how you provide vitamin and mineral supplementation to your cow herd, stop by your nearest CRYSTALYX dealer to get the full scoop on how our mineral products can add value to both your cow herd and calf crop, thereby increasing your operational returns. When technology arrives that can take us light-years ahead, we should adopt it and make it the norm. Providing proper vitamin and mineral delivery on-pasture is as easy as finding the right CRYSTALYX product to meets your cows’ needs.

I want to learn more about improving nutrition for my cattle.

Article reposted with permission from CRYSTALYX^®.

Fetal programming, also known as “developmental programming,” has been a hot topic for a number of years now. When we consider fetal programming from a nutritional perspective, we think of the lasting impacts gestational maternal nutrition can have on calves. I have often heard farmers and ranchers say, “If you take care of your cows, they will take care of you,” and this certainly rings true in this instance.

We often think about fetal programming during late gestation. Naturally, we begin thinking about the upcoming calving season after last year’s calves are weaned. We know that nearly 70% of fetal growth occurs during the last trimester — but for a calf to be able to grow at an exponential rate during that time and remain healthy during its postnatal life (which will correlate to increased performance and profitability), giving it a prenatal head start during early gestation will be most beneficial.

Unfortunately, however, maintaining a focus on nutrition often gets put on the back burner during early pregnancy. After all, there’s a lot to keep up with in the summer! Cows and bulls are turned out on grass, we’re busy with breeding, and we get caught up baling forages to feed cows with in the winter. You may think that the cows are doing just fine nutritionally, but they — and their developing calves — might be missing out on more than you realize.

Get with the (fetal) program

Although fetal nutrient requirements are minimal during early and mid-gestation (making up less than 12 percent of the cow’s total requirements), from a production standpoint, gestation begins exactly when the cow’s nutrient requirements are greatest, due to the increased demands of lactation.

The placenta and many vital fetal organs develop during early gestation, which continues up to approximately day 90 in cattle. The placenta is responsible for conveying all of the nutrients and oxygen to the growing and developing calf; it also removes waste products. The placental formation in early gestation is crucial for optimizing vascularity and nutrient transfer to maximize blood flow, which is important for the calf’s overall growth. Research measuring the placenta and studying its effects on gestation has shown that nutrient restriction during early gestation can continue to negatively impact the animal throughout the entirety of gestation, even if the cow is provided with their nutritional requirements during late gestation. The impact of restricting nutrients early on includes smaller placenta sizes and decreased blood flow to the calf (Vonnahme et al., 2007, 2013).

Along with the placenta, the calf’s organs also develop during early pregnancy. Cells are dividing at this time, and this early formation of the organ system is crucial for the calf once it is born. These developing organs — such as the lungs and the gastrointestinal tract — are necessary not only for survival, but also for reproduction and the growth of muscle cells. Studies show that nutrient restriction to the cow during this phase can negatively impact organ development and productivity later in the calf’s life; in other words, restricting the cow also restricts the calf’s genetic potential. Genetic selection happens when the producer is making mating decisions, but you can program the calf during gestation to help increase the profitability of your genetics by providing ideal growing conditions. You have worked too hard with too many generations of your herd to take a step back in calf performance potential by not providing the necessary nutrients during gestation.

In order for these vital organs to develop properly — and to maximize your calves’ genetic potential — make sure your gestating cows don’t run short of critical nutrients, like macro and trace minerals, vitamins and protein. These nutrients generally must be delivered to the cow in forms that go beyond simple pasture forages. An easy way to ensure that these nutrients are provided is through a self-fed supplement, such as CRYSTALYX^® Brand Supplements, which are formulated with Alltech’s organic Bioplex^®  trace minerals.

A simple way to provide supplementation

As we wrap up the breeding season and get closer to the fall season, pasture conditions and forage quality often begin to decline. We should keep in mind that this can be a stressful time of year not only for us, but also for our animals. Consider what your cows are consuming and think about whether they might benefit from supplementation, beginning now and continuing through early gestation and beyond. CRYSTALYX Brand Supplements are a simple solution to make sure that your cows are consuming the nutrients that both they and the calves by their side and in utero need. 

Let’s face it: the summer months are a busy time for us all. Whether you are getting things done around the farm or ranch, catching up with friends and family, or just trying to stay cool, your cows out on pasture may not be getting as much attention as they need. After all, they can’t take any time off during the critical period of early gestation. Fortunately, you can minimize time and labor — and give yourself peace of mind — by putting out a self-fed CRYSTALYX barrel, which will be available to your cows around the clock. Your cows will essentially be taking care of themselves, and by raising better-performing, more profitable calves, ultimately, they will also be taking care of you.

_{Fowden, A. L., D. A. Giussani, and A. J. Forhead. 2006. Intrauterine programming of physiological systems: causes and consequences. Physiology (Bethesda) 21: 29-37.}

_{Vonnahme, K. A., M. J. Zhu, P. P. Borowicz, T. W. Geary, B. W. Hess, L. P. Reynolds, J. S. Caton, J. W. Means, and S. P. Ford. 2007. Effect of early gestational undernutrition on angiogenic factor expression and vascularity in the bovine placentome. J. Anim. Sci. 85: 2464-2472.}

_{Vonnahme, K., C. Lemley, P. Shukla, and S. O’Rourke. 2013. 2011 and 2012. Early Careers Achievement Awards: Placental programming: How the maternal environment can impact placental function. J. Anim. Sci. 91: 2467-2480.}

I want to learn more about nutrition for my beef cattle.

Traditionally, meat has been considered a commodity — that is, a mass-produced good with a low level of differentiation. One of the most important characteristics of commodities is the high volatility of their price because, by their nature, they are very sensitive to changes in production and demand. In the search for better prices for meat, some brands are trying to differentiate and add value to their products.

Globally, consumers are increasingly more aware that better nutrition represents one of the main pillars of good health — which has led to a trend of new lifestyle choices in recent years. This new way of understanding what we choose for our tables brings with it greater expectations regarding the food supply.

Therefore, the challenge for producers — and the food industry in general — is to have tools on hand to help them cope with and anticipate the new eating habits of consumers seeking a better quality of life.

Inspired by this new global trend, the Wong supermarket chain in Peru — owned by the multinational business consortium Cencosud — saw the opportunity to serve a segment of the Peruvian market that seeks a healthy, balanced and natural diet. In addition, they understood that it was necessary to find and become allies with a national producer who raised top-quality cattle that would meet the needs of this new market.

The Finca Nueva Farm, located south of Lima, is a family business, established almost half a century ago. Since its founding, its vision has been to produce high-quality cattle to satisfy a demanding market. For Ricardo Heredia, son of the founder of the business, being passionate about livestock is essential in order to innovate and grow. Heredia knows that animal welfare is key, since it is reflected in the quality of the meat. Therefore, he does not neglect the important aspects of livestock care, such as offering comfort to animals — by providing good feeders, drinking troughs with clean and fresh water and adequate shade areas for the animals' rest, as well as a well-balanced diet.

Heredia is aware that consumers are passionate about nutrition, sustainability and traceability, so he continually seeks to adapt and develop new products, while meeting the international certification standards. When he and his farm decided to focus on producing premium-quality meat, to achieve certification of good livestock practices, they looked for hormone-free solutions that would leave no residues of antibiotics in the meat, and they were also interested in implementing a good traceability system.

The Wong supermarkets and the Finca Nueva Farm were also interested in feeding an organic form of selenium. Including selenium in an animal’s diet can be beneficial in that it contributes to:

• Maintenance of animal health by supporting the animal’s natural defenses
• Superior meat quality, with differentiated parameters such as better color, texture and juiciness
• Perhaps most importantly, the meat on carcasses supplemented with organic selenium will contain that antioxidant. Thus, the consumer who buys, cooks and consumes this meat will benefit not only from the nutrients of the meat, but also from the benefits of selenium.

Functional food

In the field of nutrition, functional foods are those foods or food products that, in addition to their inherent nutritive substances (i.e., proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins or minerals), also contain a specific substance added for health benefits. Thus, a processed food such as milk will become functional if it is enriched with some type of additional vitamin, such as Complex B. Besides having its traditional characteristics of proteins, calcium and more, the milk now also has the added benefits that come from Complex B, making it a functional food.

Selenium is an essential nutrient for both animals and humans as it plays an important role in metabolism, supports growth, helps improve reproductive functions, improves the body's defense mechanism against infections and neutralizes free radicals, given its antioxidant function.

Alliance in favor of the consumer Alltech Sel-Plex® is the only organic selenium in the form of selenium yeast that has been reviewed by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Wong, in alliance with the Finca Nueva Farm, decided to feed Sel-Plex® to their Fleckvieh cattle, a breed of European origin. Subsequently, they carried out tests in the slaughterhouse, where they made the cuts and packed the meat vacuum. These cuts, which matured for more than 10 days, showed results that helped differentiate this meat from the other meats on the supermarket shelf, thus allowing for decommoditization.

I would like to receive more information on beef nutrition.

The following is an edited transcript of Tom Martin's interview with Dr. Raj Kasula. Click below to hear the full audio:

Tom:            Raj Kasula is a poultry technical consultant at Ridley Feed Ingredients. A certified professional animal scientist for poultry via the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, he has more than 28 years of experience in multispecies animal nutrition with a focus on poultry. He is currently spearheading the development of a modern version of layer nutrition software called the Alltech Poultry Model. He is also the Alltech lead on projects such as the Alltech Egg Squad, poultry blocks, a natural de-wormer, extruded chicken starter feed and vitamin organic trace mineral premix. We thank you for joining us, Raj.

Raj:              Thank you. My pleasure.

Tom:            Are consumers becoming more critical of egg quality? What are they looking for in an egg?

Raj:              At the consumer level, they are probably not so critical about the eggshell quality. However, they are interested in egg quality in the sense that they walk into the superstore, then they're looking for a selection of eggs, from a regular commercial egg to a pasture-raised or organic to enriched eggs, in terms of pigment or omega-3 or selenium or vitamin E. So, yeah, they're definitely looking for quality and value from the egg as compared to just the traditional belief of “an egg is an egg is an egg.”

Tom:            I'm curious, because I know most of us mainly check to see if the eggs are cracked, but what does somebody with your expertise look for when you go to the grocery store to buy eggs? Or do you have another source?

Raj:              Yeah, being in the industry and working so closely with the birds and eggs, my way of looking at eggs will be really different. Certainly, I do look for the total quality in terms of external parameters of the egg: the shape, the color, the strength (like any cracks on it), how clean it is and how glossy it is, because from each of those parameters, I can read what the hen is about, what is going on with the hen. So, definitely, yes, my look will be totally different.

Tom:            It would be interesting to take Raj Kasula along with us to the supermarket now and then! From a producer perspective, what are the characteristics of superior eggshell quality?

Raj:              From the producer's perspective, among the eggs that don't make [it] to market, about 90 percent of them are due to the poor shell quality. A producer is producing the eggs to make money, and he doesn't make money unless those eggs make it to the market. So, to see any returns, he has to get the egg into the market, and if the shell is not good — doesn't show good color, good shape; it’s not hard enough, the egg cracks, are dirty — they're not going to make [it] to market. That’s the problem in about 90-plus percent of the cases where the eggs don't make [it] to the market.

Tom:            I mentioned that, for the average consumer, we open up the carton and we look to see if they're cracked, and that's kind of how we make our decision, but how significant is an egg breakage? Are there ways, through nutrition, to strengthen the shell to prevent cracking?

Raj:              Eggshell breakage is actually a natural phenomenon, I should say. As the bird is growing older, the size of the egg increases. The shell gland’s capability of depositing calcium on an egg remains the same. It's able to deposit only the same amount of calcium on the egg. So, when the egg is growing bigger, it's tilling out on the egg. That’s how it becomes a bit soft and breaks; it can crack. There is a natural phenomenon, but then, there are ways — by nutrition and management — we can try to minimize that.

Tom:            And is there a certain point in the bird's life-cycle when the producer should start thinking about egg development and about eggshell quality?

Raj:              Typically, anywhere about 45-50 weeks of age. If the producer has been in the business and [is] seasoned enough, he would know that he has to take some additional precautions with his nutrition and management toward the eggshell quality, and it usually happens.

Tom:            Do you recommended a general nutritional strategy, or does it vary from farm to farm, types of birds to types of birds?

Raj:              It’s pretty general, although there are some minor differences depending on the type of farming, such as cage-free or organic or free-range, and the specialty eggs. There are some different strategies for those.

Tom:            So, what sorts of nutritional additives, such as vitamins and minerals, have proven effective in ensuring superior external and internal egg quality?

Raj:              Yeah, let me talk about the external quality first. For the external quality, especially the shell strength, calcium is the key. It is very important to make sure that you provide all the things required by the bird's physiology to absorb calcium from the gut — these levels of calcium, levels of phosphorous — because calcium and phosphorus work together. It is proven that phosphorus, at very high levels beyond the point of production, is not really good for the shell quality. There is another mineral called magnesium, which is also important, that gives the strength to the shell quality, helping the calcium minerals to get on the shell.

                    On top of that is vitamin D, which is important for absorption of calcium from the gut. Vitamin D actually enhances the cell — the interstitial cells — of pigs from the gut to digest the calcium. So that is very important.

                    And then, the trace minerals are very important, because although those are small in quantity — very tiny amounts are required in the ration — when you look at it on the ration, you feel like, “Oh, these are tiny amounts. Do they really make a difference?” And they really do. So, zinc is important and [is] an enzyme that actually helps in formation of calcium carbonate from calcium from the blood and bicarbonate from the blood.

                    We have manganese that helps in the formation of collagen, which is important for formation of the egg and the shell membrane. Then we have copper for some of the glycoproteins, and those, which are, again, components of eggshell and shell membrane. There is also selenium, which is very important for keeping the health of the interstitial cells so that they can absorb more nutrition rapidly. These are my recommendations for primary placement. These are very important.

Tom:            And you recommend organic, correct?

Raj:              I recommend organic because of the efficiency aspect. The trace minerals in the inorganic form and their application use and benefits have been tested and proven for several decades. But, the current trend is in organic minerals because they are a lot more efficient. If you look at research literature, it says the organic minerals are anywhere between three to six times better absorbed from the gut in comparison to inorganic minerals. This is a lot more efficient, because you're feeding the animal less while getting more, and you're not contaminating the environment — the soil — with minerals that are not absorbed.

                    The biggest disadvantage, I would say, with unabsorbed inorganic minerals is that you are feeding the “bugs” in the hindgut, which we don't want. We really want to keep them suppressed. The moment they get these kinds of nutrients, they are going to be more robust, and they're going to be more aggressive when they get a chance to take over. There is enough research to say that organic minerals perform much better than the inorganic minerals — even at lower levels — and on a sustainable basis.

Tom:            Is what's good for the shell also good internally? Are there different or additional additives, minerals, vitamins, that have to be considered for internal health? Do you also have to think about interactions between those?

Raj:              If you're talking about the internal quality of the egg, there are some minerals within the egg mass that are the same as the minerals needed for external shell quality. There are additional considerations for the quality of protein and some of the vitamins and if the producer is focusing on the color of their egg yolk —a darker pigment. If it is a specialty egg enriched with omega-3, omega-6, selenium or vitamin D, vitamin E, those are additional strategies and technologies that you would use to make sure you get them inside the egg yolk.

Tom:            And you've mentioned calcium. Is there something about the size of the calcium particle that's important to consider?

Raj:              Yes, there is. For calcium, the main source in the rations is limestone. There is research showing that limestone is available in many sizes of fine, medium and coarse. The research shows that, when limestone is used as larger particles — especially in the older laying birds — when the birds start laying, they require a sustained release of calcium. If the particle size is too fine, it gets dissolved and absorbed very quick, and it gets excreted also very quick, so there is not a continuous or sustained level of calcium. A larger particle dissolves slowly and gives a sustained level, so the bird is able to calcify the shell during the dark period of the night when she is not eating. That is very important.

                    The larger particles of limestone will also help us in grinding the ration, the nutrients, the feeding grain that it's consuming and liberating nutrients and preventing the digestion for further attack by the good acids and enzymes at subsequent stages.

Tom:            Okay, let's move on to looking at some of the more common problems being encountered by egg producers today. What would you say those are?

Raj:              The disease aspect is very complex and varies from market to market. But in general, as a producer and as a nutritionist, the most common one is the shell quality. There are also behavioral issues, such as pecking. The birds start pecking each other and they end up killing each other — cannibalism. These are some of the issues we commonly find. There are cases where you also find issues with worms; especially when birds that have access to the floor and outside, they end up picking up some of the worm eggs [which] develop inside, and those cause severe production losses.

Tom:            In very recent years, we've seen some spikes in mycotoxins in silage and barlage, in particular, in this country. Are egg producers concerned about mycotoxins?

Raj:              Sure, they are, because mycotoxins are something nobody would like to take a risk with. They are not easily seen; you cannot necessarily determine by sight if a particular ingredient — say, corn, or what have you — has mycotoxins or not. It isn’t visible to the naked eye. So, the best approach would be, like, we do insurance: always have a mycotoxin-binding or a mycotoxin-countering technology built into the ration. Typically, all nutritionists do that.  

Tom:            Tell us about the layer nutrition software that you're working on right now.

Raj:              Okay, the layer nutrition software I'm working on is called the Alltech Poultry Model. This is a software modeled to a particular breed — any breed — based on its life cycle, the way the breed would behave, the modes of ration, and what levels of nutrients are required based on its production and body maintenance. It also takes into consideration the environmental parameters, such as the highest temperature and lowest temperature and the amount of feed the bird is consuming.

                    This software gives a very good idea of the levels of nutrients the bird needs for whatever she's doing at that particular point of time we are evaluating it. So, when we're entering these parameters and the ingredients available, the software will tell you, “Okay, this is what this bird needs, and this is how the ration should be.” It’s then left to the nutritionist to take a look and approve it or make any tweaks needed.

Tom:            Are there any emerging trends, any new technologies in poultry, that have captured your attention and your interest?

Raj:              Yes, lately, in the U.S. at least, I would say the trend is with the cage-free, organic and free-range. Also, the specialty eggs enriched with pigments, omegas, vitamin D, vitamin E. These are all the trends coming up and people are moving toward. I would say they are adding to their range a niche segment, a niche set of products, eggs with these kinds of specialized enrichments. That is something I have seen. Especially, the organic production is picking up much faster than what we usually thought. So, these are the trends, I would say.

Tom:            Raj Kasula is a poultry technical consultant at Ridley Feed Ingredients. We thank you so much for spending time with us, Raj.

Raj:              Thank you, Tom. My pleasure.

I want to learn more about supporting health and profitability in my poultry production. 

The following is an edited transcript of Tom Martin's interview with Dr. Richard Murphy and Dr. Roger Scaletti. Click below to hear the complete audio:

Tom:            Why are we still using inorganic minerals? Why do nutritionists continue to overfeed nutrients and waste money? How can a mineral management program improve the health of the herd? Here to discuss these questions, among others, about the role of minerals in animal nutrition are Dr. Richard Murphy, research director at the Alltech European Bioscience Center in Dunboyne, Ireland, and Dr. Roger Scaletti, who focuses on the technical sales and support of the Alltech® Mineral Management program. Thank you both for being with us.

                    There may be some confusion and contention around the issue of organic versus inorganic minerals and the effectiveness of one over the other. First, Dr. Murphy, a brief primer, if you would, on the difference between organic versus inorganic?

Richard:        That's a great way to start this conversation. I guess it's going to be a fun conversation over the next while! Effectively, when we talk about organic minerals, all we've done is taken the mineral source, we've reacted it with an amino acid or a peptide or some other organic bonding group, and we basically make that mineral protected. Rather than thinking about an inorganic mineral as just being straight mineral, with the organic mineral, we've protected the mineral, and that protection offers us a lot of benefits. Particularly in the intestinal tract, it offers us stability — changing the pH that we would see in the gastrointestinal tract.

                    For instance, at the start of the intestinal tract, the pH is neutral. When it gets into the gastric environment — or the stomach — it becomes very acidic. Those changes in pH can impact amino acid. With the organic mineral, what we're doing is we're bonding it to either an amino acid or a peptide or some other organic molecule, and that protects us as it moves through the GI tract and makes it much more stable.

Tom:            Dr. Scaletti, just to be clear, is the use of organic versus inorganic specific to the production method? In other words, are organic minerals only for organic farms?

Roger:          Another great question. No, organic minerals would be beneficial for any farm. In a typical presentation, I would start off by saying when I mention organic minerals — I'm not talking about not using pesticides or herbicides — I'm talking about the chemistry of carbon, just like Dr. Murphy mentioned. Remember, there is no real requirement for inorganic trace minerals.  Animals need zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, etc. every day, but the source of that trace mineral is not dictated, so organic minerals are suitable for all different production systems.

Tom:            Okay, for either of you, has research proven that an organic mineral is more bioavailable and usable by the animal?

Richard:        Absolutely. I think Roger would agree. We've got an absolute wealth of information that we've built up over the last 20 years or so showing that the organic minerals are a far superior source of mineral to use in all diets.

Roger:          Yes, like Dr. Murphy mentioned, the bioavailability part, I think, is what gets people's attention initially. But then, at the end of the day, the farmer, no matter what species, is looking for a production response. So, we also have research covering production responses that you would see as you change your mineral supplementation from inorganic to organic.

Tom:            What is it about organic minerals that makes them more beneficial?

Richard:        For me — my background is in biochemistry — it's trying to understand how minerals interact, not just in terms of how the animal responds to it, but how those minerals would interact with feed and materials, for instance. Certainly, with the organic minerals, you have benefits beyond just health and just performance in that we change the way in which we can impact or influence the nutrients in the diet.

                    With the organic minerals, we know it will have less of an impact on vitamin stability, less of an impact on antioxidant function. Even with some of the enzymes that are part of the gastrointestinal and digestion process — they won't be as impacted by organic minerals as they would by inorganics.

Roger:          Then, to follow a little bit with Dr. Murphy's comment, some of the, for example, enzyme interaction work that we've done in vitro has been done in dairy cows as well, showing that, when you're only supplementing with organic minerals — in our case, Bioplex® and Sel-Plex® — you have a more effective rumen fermentation. So, you're producing more total volatile fatty acids and more butyrate, which is kind of the business of the rumen: to produce those volatile fatty acids. Whether it's a case of the organic minerals enhancing that or leading to accelerated rumen organism replication, it's one possible pathway, but I think another possible pathway would be that you're removing rumen microorganism inhabitation when you take out the inorganic minerals.

Tom:            Which trace minerals are key to improving livestock performance? Is there a shortlist?

Roger:          The shortlist would be zinc, manganese, copper, cobalt and selenium. Depending on where you are in the world, or even within a given country, one of those may be more important than another one. In North America, our most important mineral for supplementation and consideration would be selenium, just based on the background selenium in soil, which is going to dictate the selenium in forages and grains. Those five would be the main ones. On the monogastric animal, we would add iron to that. We have six minerals we'd be talking about.

Tom:            We may have touched on this a little bit before, but what is known about the utilization of the minerals by the animal — or animals, I should say?

Richard:        Well, minerals themselves are used in many different ways. Predominantly, when you look at their role in cellular systems, they're essential co-factors for many different enzymes, for instance. You won't get cellular processes working optimally or working efficiently if you don't have the necessary mineral required for the enzyme to carry out its function, or for the enzyme that's necessary for those biological functions.

                    They're wide-ranging. If you look at copper, for instance, it's involved in many different enzymes that are involved in the antioxidant response. Selenium is a particularly important one in terms of its ability to modulate, not just in antioxidant response, but in many other enzymes that are involved in many other processes as well. So, really, they're essential and critical for the most basic of cellular functions.

Tom:            Are there differences in animal chemistry species to species, or even within species, that cause mineral forms to perform differently?

Roger:          My answer — and this would be more in Richard’s wheelhouse — but just in a ruminant, we have to deal with the rumen, the rumen environment, the rumen microorganisms. In other species, you wouldn't have the rumen part. In equine or in horses, they would have a hindgut fermentation. There’s a difference in terms of how each animal is set up, but for the most part, you're seeing the similar benefits from organic minerals across the species.

Richard:        There is one common factor across all species — we touched on this at the start — which is that change in pH along the length of the GI tract. That's one of the most critical parameters that is involved in defining how good or how poor a mineral source is. If that mineral source is enabled to withstand those constant changes in pH, you won't get it to the sites of absorption in the intestine. You really need to look at having a stable mineral molecule. Obviously, organic minerals are the most stable of those. But even within the different types of organic mineral products that are out there, you'll see distinct differences in terms of the stabilities of individual products, and that will have an impact on how individual products will function in the animal.

Tom:            Why do organic trace minerals mean less inclusion, less waste and better meat quality?

Roger:          Well, to me the starting point would be that you don't need as much mineral to get the job done. Corollary to that, you're getting a more effective job done with organic minerals. I think, over the years, in the industry side of things, it's kind of been a race to the top. One company was using however many PPM [parts per million] — or milligrams — of a mineral, and the next company would add a little more to it, operating under the old adage of more is better.

                    Well, that's really not the case. We found, and have the research to show, that you're getting a more effective response with less mineral use, probably through a lot of the pathways Dr. Murphy mentioned, but it's not always an apples-to- apples comparison. Zinc oxide, at a given parts-per-million, is not going to perform the same as a zinc proteinate, or Bioplex zinc, at a much lower concentration inclusion in the diet.

Richard:        It's actually of interest on the regulatory side — and I think Dr. Scaletti would probably agree with this as well — when you look at changes in legislation over the last number of years, in particular in the EU, there have been changes in the maximum permissible limits that are allowed in feed. I think the zinc — this is just back to Roger's mention of zinc oxide there — I think the zinc area is one in which we can demonstrate that quite nicely. There's a lot of talk in the EU about how they're going to ban zinc oxide use as a prophylactic and prevent scouring in piglets and calves, for instance.

                    One of the reasons for that that they've quoted is that the regulators are concerned about the impact that zinc oxide can have on co-selection for antimicrobial resistance. But when you look at the permissible limits that they have of zinc in feed, they make reference to the use of phytase, for instance, as being a way to perhaps enhance the effectiveness of the zinc source that's added to the diet or enhance the background level of zinc that's in the feed.

                    All in all, I think there's a move by the regulators. Now, the regulators, if they want to change those limits again, will have to come back and revisit the delineation between inorganic and organic minerals and the differences in terms of the bioavailabilities of those. I think, in the future, we may even see regulators like the EU body — which would be the EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) — would say, “Okay, we'll need to examine this in more detail.”

                    Certainly, the Brazilian authorities have already done that. They've made a clear delineation between the availability of inorganic and organic mineral sources. The more recent documents that have been published by authorities in Brazil basically delineate clearly between what levels of inorganic you should feed in a diet and what levels of organic you should feed in the diet, and they're distinctly different.

Tom:            As you have observed improvements in performance, are there any lessons? Any takeaways from that experience that have informed what you do going forward?

Roger:          I would say: more isn't better. I think a lot of people are accustomed to looking at a tag or a ration report, and they're looking for a certain number or level of mineral supplementation. That's only so useful if you, then, don't read the ingredient list and see, is it coming from oxide, sulfate, organic proteinate — whatever the case may be. I think the source of mineral is more important than the amount. So again, it's about making sure it's an apples-to-apples comparison, and less doesn't mean less performance. I think a lot of times, at least in the United States, our industry would be looking for high levels of supplementation, and they equate high level with being good or what is essential, and that's not really the case.

Richard:        Just to add to that as well, Dr. Scaletti, I think it's important that the industry really looks at organic minerals and says they're not all the same. There is a misconception, I think, within the industry. You have all these different brand names and different types of organic mineral products. I guess the natural inclination is to say, “Well, it's an organic mineral. One product must be the same as the other.” There are very distinct differences between them.

                    Again, this is back to that concept of how that mineral source interacts or how stable it is as it moves through the GI tract. Certainly, in some of the work that we've seen from the team at our European Biocenter in Ireland, we've basically shown there are very distinct differences in terms of the stabilities of different organic trace mineral products, and that can have distinct impacts, not just on the bioavailability, but also in which [of] those different products would interact with different premix and different feed components.

Tom:            There are some misperceptions out there about minerals. What beliefs are most prominent and how do you address them?

Richard:        I think the biggest misconception is with regard to size. That's probably the biggest industry misconception that's there, and that's a historical one. Originally, when organic minerals first became available, they were simply complexes between amino acids, like methionine or lysine, with copper and with zinc. Certainly, people thought, “Well, if you have a small bonding group, then absorption of it is much better or delivery of it is much easier.” That's not the case. What we've seen is that it's the type of bonding group that's used — so, the type of amino acid. But, particularly when you get into peptide-based technologies like we see in Bioplex, it's the actual amino acid sequence in those peptides. So, it's even more fundamental than we would have thought in the past. The configuration and the type of amino acids present in the peptide would very significantly influence the stability.

                    I think the biggest misconception in the industry about organic trace minerals is that size is important. I can absolutely say with certainty size is not an issue. It's the type of bonding group that's used. And more importantly, when you look at peptides, it's the configuration and the sequence of amino acids that are in the peptide that are of more importance.

Roger:          I would just maybe follow up with that in regard to organic selenium. The battle is typically, “What is the content of selenomethionine in a selenium yeast product?” Dr. Murphy would have research showing it's not only an effect of how much selenomethionine you have present; it's how much of that can be digested and released. So, again, just coming back to that concept of “more isn't always better,” especially if what you're supplementing isn't released — or isn't available — to the animal.

Richard:        Yeah, that's actually a great point, Dr. Scaletti, just on the organic selenium side. Certainly, in the EU, we've seen newer forms of, again, so-called organic selenium sources being produced and available for sale, and these are actually chemically synthesized selenomethionine and selenomethionine derivatives that are distinctly different and have a distinctly different offering than you would see with selenium yeast products, such as Sel-Plex, for instance.

                    Again, it's back to the concept of stability. Free selenomethionine molecule is not necessarily the most stable one when you look at again the influences of those processes in the GI tract. So, certainly, even within organic selenium sources, [it’s a] much, much different proposition now with the availability of these newer chemically synthesized molecules.

Tom:            Livestock in many parts of the world have been overfed inorganic forms of trace minerals, such as copper, manganese and zinc, to offset their inefficient digestibility. The excess ends up in manure, and levels of these trace minerals have gotten so high that it's actually illegal to spread that manure out in the fields to support growth forages or grain. So, what happens to all of that excess manure? We're stuck with it?

Richard:        Well, I guess if we can't spread it, we've got to do something with it, and it looks like we could be. I know from some of the newer technologies that are coming out — some great startup companies that are basically looking at detoxifying heavy metal in soils using microbial-based solutions. So, perhaps, this is one way in which we can look at remediating those heavily contaminated lagoons, if you like.

                    Other options may be stripping-based technologies. These are basically looking at removing minerals, and this will be costly, Tom, I would have to say, removing mineral with EDTA-based chelation. But, certainly, something has to be done, and I think organic minerals are, without a doubt, one of the solutions to the problem. You can look at adding less mineral, having less runoff and then, obviously, less contamination in those lagoons. Certainly, the drive toward reducing environmental contamination will definitely be driven and solved, without a doubt, by the increased use of organic minerals over the next couple of years.

Tom:            In some places, regulation is beginning to force the issue. A number of countries around the world have already passed legislation restricting the use of trace minerals because this overfortification has led to pollution. Do you see this type of legal action as a continuing trend?

Richard:        I guess it goes back to the comment I made earlier about the regulations around zinc and zinc usage in feed, but also, then, the impending ban in the EU on zinc oxide as a prophylactic. I think the regulators will take a greater look at the issue, and I think they will certainly have to start making decisions on whether they promote organic minerals as a way in which we can reduce this or not. It's not the job of a regulator to promote a brand of products, but certainly, I think, when you look at the proposition that organic minerals give in terms of being a solution to the problem, they'll have to start promoting the use of organic minerals as a way in which you can add less, not impacting performance, and have much less of an environmental impact.

Roger:          I would just say that I think the path forward is just going to depend [on] where you are in the world. I don't know that the United States is looking at any of these zinc, manganese or copper regulations any time soon. Our only regulations in terms of trace minerals would be selenium and the mineral we haven't talked about today: iodine. If you're using iodine in the EDDI (ethylenediamine dihydroiodide) form, there are limits on how much you're allowed to feed. Other than that, selenium would be our only regulated mineral, and today, we could go out and supplement as much zinc as we want in any animal in the United States without a problem.

Tom:            Are you seeing growth in the organic minerals market?

Roger:          We're seeing tremendous growth, both globally and regionally. In North America, I think, as people realize, again, that it's not an apples-to-apples comparison or you're not just looking at a level of mineral — that you need to pay attention to the form — that people are realizing that organic minerals have an important role. I also think we're getting a little bit closer on the cost difference; inorganic minerals are still cheaper, but their price keeps going up. I don't know that cost is as prohibitive as it used to be, from a practical farm level.

                    That's probably the only reason people aren't using organic minerals as their only source. It's a cost thing. Now, when you start looking at the response and, then, the return over investment opportunity, well, it's not a cost: it's a profit-maker. So, I think it's just a slow change.

                    When you look at trace minerals, for 60-70 years, we used inorganic minerals; for the past 20, we've used organic. So, it's still pretty new in terms of what's going on in the general supplementation industry. When you look at some of the different documents out there — for example, National Research Council or NRC Guidelines — they really don't get into a discussion on form. As Dr. Murphy mentioned, the Brazilian government recognizes that there are form differences, and some other countries around the world are starting to do so as well. I still think it’s left to feed companies, nutritionists and, ultimately, the farmer or end user to make a decision of, “Do I want to make an investment? If so, how much?” That's kind of where the decision is today.

Tom:            As you continue working toward better performance in animals, are you exploring new ideas for delivering nutrition more efficiently? Is that just an ongoing process?

Richard:        Yeah, it's an ongoing evolution. I think we've moved, over the last number of years, more toward, rather than thinking about nutrition as just being an individual component, we've really focused on the benefits of multicomponent packs. Certainly, there are a lot of different synergies you can get from different products present in a pack and the many ways you can get, I guess, good synergism between those components. Certainly, with some of the Blueprint® products that we have in Alltech, we've seen tremendous increases in health or performance and, again, these are multicomponent impacts. Rather than thinking about nutrition as being individual components added together, we tend to think about the synergism that we can get from multiple components out of them. That's something that we'll focus on more and more over the next couple of years.

Tom:            This has been really enjoyable. I have one final question: what new developments in minerals or mineral feeding strategies do you think we might see within the next five years or so?

Roger:          I don't know if I see a new development as much as just people embracing organic minerals more than they currently do. I'd say, currently, most of the industry would be at some sort of a partial supplementation, where the bulk of the mineral that's being supplemented is inorganic sulfate or oxide, and then they try to come up with how much organic to put in. They want to get all the benefits of organic, but they don't want all the price.

                    I see more of the bigger advancement being, as people just progress through that decision in their head, from partial replacement to more of the full replacement or total replacement, and realizing that organic minerals are what's doing the heavy lifting – that there really isn't a big need for those inorganic minerals that, for maybe just historical purposes, they just can't seem to kick out of the ration.

Tom:            Do you see something in the near future, Dr. Murphy?

Richard:        I'd agree with Dr. Scaletti in that. We’re going to see increased awareness in the benefits of organic minerals and how you can use less of those organic minerals and not have a negative impact on health and performance. That, obviously, is going to feed into an environmental benefit. I think we'll also see changes, perhaps, in the way in which we apply these minerals. I think people are looking more and more toward technology as a driver of agriculture.

                    I think we'll see differences in the next few years in the way in which feed delivery is made, in the way in which you can actually begin to look at delivering feed on farms. I do think we'll see more and more digital-based technologies that will influence feeding strategies, and then, it will obviously influence how we formally feed.

Tom:            Dr. Richard Murphy, research director at the Alltech European Bioscience Center in Dunboyne, Ireland, and Dr. Roger Scaletti, who focuses on the technical sales and support of the Alltech Mineral Management program. Thank you both for joining us.

Richard:        Thank you very much.

Roger:          Thank you.  

Drs. Scaletti and Murphy presented their insights during ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE18). Don't miss the chance to hear the latest in animal health and nutrition at ONE19. Click here to learn more. 

The following is an excerpt from an article by Solutions Deployment Team Manager Dr. Jules Taylor-Pickard on Pig Progress.

Times are long gone when supplying minerals to pigs was one-size-fits-all. Sows have different demands depending on their parity, size and litter size. Supplying the correct amounts will enhance sow performance — and will provide benefits for her piglets, too.

Minerals are important for maintaining the body and ensuring animal performance. In breeding sows, certain minerals are needed for successful conception and parturition. Chromium influences follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones and is also needed to produce insulin, which affects progesterone production. Both hormones are required for regulating ovulation and have a direct impact on fertility and litter numbers. Manganese is required for progesterone production, while iron and chromium are required for further hormone activity, which influences embryo survival during pregnancy. Uterine capacity, which dictates the number of piglets born, requires appropriate feeding levels of selenium, iron and chromium.

Breeding animals have higher mineral requirements, since they must produce ova that are robust enough to achieve conception, supply developing fetuses with minerals for correct development and, in the case of mammals, produce milk to suckle their young. As such, breeding sows can often be deficient in mineral intake, especially when tissue reserves are depleted.

Dr. Pickard further delves into the different roles minerals play in supporting optimum sow performance and the difference the right mineral can make to your sows and her piglets. To find out more, read the rest of Dr. Pickard’s article.

I want to learn more about nutrition for my pig herd.

Dietary trace minerals like copper, zinc and manganese are nutrients critical to animal health, performance and welfare. Immunity, reproduction, growth and even meat and milk quality hinge on optimal trace mineral nutrition.

Everything we know about trace mineral nutrition, from inclusion levels to effects on performance, has come from studies using inorganic trace mineral salts. Trace mineral salts are made from a trace mineral loosely bound to a charged ion and have been the basis of trace mineral supplementation and research since the 1930s. Recent studies, however, are using a different form of trace mineral, and the results of those studies are challenging ideas once considered fundamental to livestock nutrition.

In the early 1990s, organic trace minerals were first developed to reflect the way trace minerals naturally occur in plants. These supplements have a protein-like or carbohydrate ring structure that attaches to the trace mineral at multiple sites. The protein or carbohydrate component serves as a protective, stable delivery system, increasing the likelihood of mineral absorption.

The last 20 years of research confirm that the difference between a mineral salt and a trace mineral bound to a stable organic ring are substantial. The evidence points to organics as a superior source of trace minerals, but beyond that, we see unprecedented effects in the animal when they receive optimally formulated minerals. Organic trace minerals are changing the way we look at livestock nutrition overall.

Below are seven major changes to nutritional dogma instigated by studies looking at organic trace minerals. While many nutritionists still cling to the low-priced, traditional inorganics, organic trace minerals are fostering a revolution in animal feeding.   

1. Not all trace mineral forms are created equal

Historically, inorganic trace minerals have been the primary form of mineral supplementation. Their inexpensive synthesis, however, produces a supplement that quickly dissociates and reacts within the feed and digestive tract.

Dr. Richard Murphy is a biochemist and research director in Dunboyne, Ireland, who has focused much of his work on characterizing, comparing and optimizing trace mineral supplements.

"When comparing mineral products — both inorganic and organic — the key differentiation point is to understand their stability through the GI tract," said Murphy. "Stability at the acidic pH found in the gastric environment is critical to ensuring maximal delivery of mineral to sites of mineral absorption in the intestine."

Dr. Murphy's work has repeatedly shown that organic trace minerals are far superior to traditional inorganic trace minerals in both stability and overall bioavailability. They are, in fact, so much more efficient that countless animal trials have shown that organic trace minerals can be fed at significantly lower levels than their inorganic counterpart without disrupting health and performance. 

Surprisingly, Dr. Murphy's research has also found that not all organic trace minerals are created equal.

"Ultimately, the type and position of the amino acids used in organic trace minerals are critical for stability," said Dr. Murphy.

Different brands of organic trace minerals use different amino acid and peptide strands, some with far weaker associations and lower stability than others.

Dr. Murphy and his research associates have developed a peptide-trace mineral configuration for use in organic trace minerals that provides optimal stability. It is, in fact, his work in differentiating organic and inorganic trace minerals that has laid the foundation for the six other breakthroughs in mineral nutrition.

2. Inorganics: Not required

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) publishes livestock requirements for all essential nutrients, among which it lists inorganic trace minerals. New research, however, proves that, while trace minerals are essential, there is no absolute requirement for inorganic trace minerals. In fact, eliminating inorganics altogether and replacing them with organic trace minerals appears to enhance performance. 

In beef cattle, a total replacement of inorganic trace minerals with lower levels (60 percent) of organic trace minerals improved health and performance and generated a $50/head advantage (Holder et al., 2016). Total replacement with organic trace minerals in pigs improved average daily gain, increased slaughter weight by 2 kg and improved slaughter efficiency to generate a savings of $1.80 per pig.

Inorganics may prevent deficiency, but there are far more effective supplement options. Even operations feeding a combination of inorganic and organic trace minerals stand to benefit from converting to 100 percent organic trace minerals. The total replacement of inorganics offers the best results in achieving animal genetic potential.

3. Organic trace mineral bioavailability: using less to do more

Studies routinely feed organic trace minerals at levels 30-50 percent lower than inorganics because the superior delivery system of organics allows them to be more efficiently absorbed. Poultry scientists at the University of Kentucky asked, "Just how much more efficiently?"

In their study, broilers were fed organic trace minerals at levels 75 percent lower than commercial levels for inorganics. These birds reached a desirable market weight in the standard six-week period and showed no signs of deficiency or disease, even though they were fed only one-quarter the mineral ration of their inorganic-fed counterparts (Ao et al., 2009). These relative concentrations are below those traditionally recognized as needed for meeting the birds’ requirements.

Organic trace minerals are more effectively absorbed and deposited in the intended tissues, so small amounts can have a greater impact. The inefficiency of inorganics requires producers to significantly overfeed them. Organic trace minerals offer a way for producers to maximize resources. This research also gives us a clearer picture of what an animal's true trace mineral requirements might be.

4. Organic trace minerals contribute to significant improvements in animal health

Trace minerals have a lock-and-key effect on certain antioxidant enzymes that are critical to immune function. A sufficient supply of trace minerals can be described as the sustaining fuel of the immune system. Recent feeding trials and nutrigenomic studies showcase organic minerals taking on some of agriculture’s most costly diseases.

In feedlot cattle, a total replacement of inorganic trace minerals with lower levels of organic trace minerals (60 percent of commercial levels for inorganics) was able to reduce mortality by 57 percent and mortality due to bovine respiratory disease (BRD) by 69 percent. Even in the cattle contracting BRD, the number of retreats was significantly reduced with organic trace minerals (Holder et al., 2016). Too good to be true? A separate study conducted on a different continent confirmed the effects: organic trace mineral groups showed a 7.7 percent decrease in even the incidence of BRD (Sgoifo Rossi et al., 2018).

"BRD costs the U.S. beef industry upwards of $800 million and is the greatest concern and cause of loss at the feed yard,” said Dr. Vaughn Holder, lead beef researcher at Alltech. “Organic trace minerals provide a new reinforcement to the animals’ first line of defense and add tremendously to the producer’s peace of mind."

In poultry, necrotic enteritis (NE) brings devastating costs, approaching $6 billion annually with mortality rates of 1 percent per day. Organic trace minerals eliminated bird death due to NE, reducing mortality by 12 percent compared to inorganics (He et al., 2017; Bortoluzzi et al., 2017). Birds on organic trace minerals also showed significant positive changes to the expression of genes related to improved disease resistance.

From gene expression to disease markers and mortality, there is mounting evidence that the bioavailability of organic minerals better equips animals to take on and survive disease challenges.

5. Organic trace minerals lead to extended shelf life and improved meat quality

The impact of organic trace minerals spans the entire food chain, all the way to our own refrigerators. Animal nutrition directly affects meat quality, as feeding organic trace minerals results in meat that lasts longer and tastes juicier.

"Trace minerals are essential to antioxidant enzymes in the meat," said Dr. Rebecca Delles, an Alltech meat scientist. "By providing a trace mineral source that is more bioavailable, those antioxidants have a better mineral supply to sustain their activity."

Proving her point, beef from steers that were fed organic trace minerals showed increased antioxidant activity, which led to extended shelf life (Sgoifo Rossi et al., 2018). That same meat also showed increased water retention, which improves profitability and texture. Dr. Delles found that organic trace minerals had the same effect in pork loin and chicken breast, beneficially improving both sensory experience and the producer’s bottom line (Delles et al., 2014; Delles et al., 2016).

"The average amount of time it takes a consumer to recover from a bad meat purchase is three months,” said Dr. Delles. “If the appearance, flavor or texture is perceived as being low quality, it will be another three months before the customer reconsiders purchasing that meat product. In fresh pork, if only 5 percent of U.S. consumers have a bad meat experience, that could still bring a projected loss of 3 percent — or $181,938,556.80 — over the course of 12 weeks due to what might seem like 'just color or texture.'"

6. More efficient organic trace minerals decrease the environmental impact of livestock

Bioavailable organic trace minerals are the exclusive method of sustaining animal performance while simultaneously lowering environmental impact.

The instability of inorganic minerals makes them difficult for the animal to absorb. This often leads to overfeeding of trace minerals and, therefore, excretion of large quantities of minerals back into the environment. These excreted minerals alter what is known as a “mineral footprint” and contribute to soil and water contamination.

The improved bioavailability allowing lower inclusion rates of organic trace minerals has been found to directly reduce the mineral footprint of livestock.

A series of trials conducted by agriculture institutions across China in 2017 found that in swine, poultry and ruminants, organic trace minerals could be fed at substantially lower quantities than inorganics and yield the same performance — but return much lower mineral excretion. The same was not true for inorganics: while low levels of inorganics also reduced mineral excretion, they were detrimental to animal health and reduced performance (Guo et al., 2017; Ma et al., 2018; Qui et al., 2018).

"This type of research changes the way we study animal nutrition,” said Dr. Karl Dawson, ruminant microbiologist and chief scientific officer at Alltech. “These are the solutions we need to sustainably feed our growing populations — benefitting all stakeholders while decreasing the environmental impact of intensive animal production systems."

7. Optimal organic trace mineral nutrition improves herd health, reproduction and performance for multiple generations

Trace minerals have a multigenerational effect. Like other nutrients, trace minerals change gene expression, effectively turning genes on or off, up or down. Those changes in gene expression are heritable — meaning the effects of a mother's nutrition, good or bad, are passed on to her offspring before they even take their first bite of feed. This phenomenon, known as epigenetics, gives producers and nutritionists the power to use nutrition to build their future herd. 

Dairy scientists at Pennsylvania State University studied a herd over three generations and found that heifer calves experienced 10 fewer days of sickness and came into estrus 26 days sooner when their dams were fed organic trace minerals (Gelsinger et al., 2016; Pino et al., 2018). This was true even for heifer calves who didn't consume organic trace minerals themselves, confirming that the effect was solely due to maternal nutrition. Fewer days of sickness are correlated to increased milk production later in life and reaching reproductive maturity almost one month sooner, which is worth approximately $100/head in management costs and a 2-3 percent decrease in carbon footprint.

In beef cattle, calves born to cows fed organic trace minerals showed improved body weight through weaning and again at 205 days, regardless of their own diet (Price et al., 2017). Weaning is one of the most critical stress points in the beef life cycle — but organic trace minerals in utero allowed weaning and young calves to thrive despite their circumstances. While trace minerals can have an incredible impact on a single animal, results like these show potential for strategized feeding for the future herd.

The advent of precision feeding

From feed to fork, trace mineral source makes all the difference. Organic trace minerals provide livestock with an essential nutrient in an optimized form, and the effects of such precision reverberate throughout the entire food chain. With effects on animal health and welfare, producer livelihood, consumer preference and environmental protection, no stakeholder is overlooked. This is the advent of a revolution in precision feeding. Well-timed, optimally designed nutrients can reveal to us an animal's real requirements and allow them to achieve their true genetic potential, so that we can build better herds and feed a growing population.

Click here to learn more about solutions through the Alltech Mineral Management program. 

Citations

Holder, V. B., Jennings, J. S., Covey, T. L. (2016). Effect of total replacement of trace minerals with Bioplex® proteinated minerals on the health and performance of lightweight, high-risk feedlot cattle, Journal of Animal Science, 94 (5), 120

Taylor-Pickard, J., Nollet, L., and Geers, R. (2013). Performance, carcass characteristics and economic benefits of total replacement of inorganic minerals by organic forms in growing pig diets, J. Appl. Anim. Nutr. 2 (e3): 1-3

T Ao, JL Pierce, AJ Pescatore, AC Cantor, KA Dawson & MJ Ford. (2009). Effects of feeding reduced levels of organic minerals (Bioplex) on the development of white layer pullets, Poult. Sci. 88 (Suppl. 1), 197

Sgoifo Rossi, C.A., Ripamonti, G., and Compiani, R. (2018, May). Not all mineral supplements for beef cattle bring same results. Feedstuffs, 90 (5).

He, B., King, W., Graugnard, D., Dawson, K.A., Bortoluzzi, C., Applegate, T. (2017). Zinc source influences the gene expression of zinc transporters in the jejunum and cecal tonsils of broilers challenged with coccidia and Clostridium perfringens., Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, USA, 17-23 July, 2017

Bortoluzzi, C., Lumpkins, B., Mathis, G., King, W.D., Graugnard, D., Dawson, K.A., Applegate, T. Comparative efficacy of dietary zinc sources for the mitigation of the impact of necrotic enteritis in coccidial challenged broiler chickens, Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, USA, 17-23 July, 2017

Delles, R.M., Xiong, Y.L., True, A.D., Ao, T., Dawson, K.A. (2014) Dietary antioxidant supplementation enhances lipid and protein oxidative stability of chicken broiler meat through promotion of antioxidant enzyme activity, Poult. Sci. 93:1561-1570

Delles, R.M.,  Naylor, A., Kocher, A., Dawson, K.A., Samuel, R.S. (2016). Diets with organic trace minerals (Bioplex®) and yeast protein (NuPro®) improved the water-holding capacity of pork loin meat, Midwest Animal Science Meetings, March; J. Animal Sci. 94 (Supple. 2): 65

Guo, Y., Liu, B., Xiong, P., He, J., Gang, L., Xue, Y.,Koontz, A.F., Yu, D. (2017). Effect of Cu Provided As Bioplex® Cu or TBCC for Weaned Pigs, Growth Performance, Tissue Mineral Retention, and Fecal Mineral Excretion, ASAS-CSAS Annual Meeting, 17-20 July, Baltimore, MD, USA, 2017

LX Ma, JN He, CC Hou, JL Qiu, XT Lu, B Liu, G Lin, Y Xue, AF Koontz, DY Yu. (2018). Effect of compound organic trace minerals on growth performance, serum indices and micromineral excretion in fattening pigs, ASAS-CSAS Annual Meeting, 5-8 July, Vancouver, Canada

JL Qui, XT Lu, LX Ma, CC Hou, JN He, B Liu, G Lin, T Ao, DY Yu (2018). Effect of low dose complex organic trace minerals on productive performance, egg quality and fecal mineral excretion of laying hens, Poult. Sci. 97 (e-Suppl. 1): 202

Price, D.M., Arellano, K.K., Irsik, M., Rae, D.O., Yelich, J.V., Mjoun, K., Hersom, M.J., (2017) Professional Animal Scientist 33: 194–204

Gelsinger et al., 2016 Maternal and early life nutrition and calf health

Pino et al., 2017 Maternal and early life nutrition and offspring first lactation