The following is an edited transcript of Tom Martin's interview with Tom Lorenzen, on-farm dairy specialist with Alltech. Click below to hear the full interview:

Tom:                          The heat and humidity of summer can take a substantial toll on herd health and productivity. Understanding heat stress is critical for producers managing herds in warm, humid climates. Alltech’s Tom Lorenzen is an on-farm dairy specialist with a focus on dairy audits and education through milking technician schools and presentations on milk quality. He's with us to talk about nutritional approaches to the prevention of heat stress during the summer months. Thanks for being with us, Tom.

Tom L:                        Thank you.

Tom:                          First, for reference, can you define the characteristics of a heat wave?

Tom L:                        Well, that's a great question. The people in Wisconsin had almost 20 to 30 inches of snow this past weekend, so they’re probably not going to talk about a heat wave! But we're talking about heat stress with the dairy cow. That's when the environmental conditions are out of the optimal range for the cow, which is between 25 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tom:                          What factors determine when it’s severe? How do you know when it's really bad?

Tom L:                        Air temperature, relative humidity and air movement, solar radiation —they all affect heat stress. Under mild heat stress, we see cows breathing rapidly. As the temperature increases or the stress increases, we see the breathing rates increase in cows, too. I always say to stop, look and listen to your cows. When I watch the cows and I see that their mouths are wide open and they’re panting rapidly, you can be assured that they’re under heat stress. Cows can reduce their heat stress a little bit by sweating, but they sweat about 1 percent compared to humans.

Tom:                          What are the effects? What happens to the cow when they come under stress like this?

Tom L:                        We see cows panting and increased drooling. This reduces the amount of saliva going into the rumen, which will have a negative effect on the buffering of the rumen. This can lead to acidosis. We will see reduced feed intakes, reduced rumination and the bottom line: reduced milk yield.

Tom:                          Are there regions that tend to suffer more periods of heat stress than other areas?

Tom L:                        Yes. That’s a great question. In the United States, we're going see more heat stress with higher temperatures and humidity if you’re looking at the southeast parts of United States, including Florida, Alabama and Georgia.

Tom:                          What can happen to levels of milk production when this happens, especially during prolonged periods of heat stress?

Tom L:                        When cows suffer from heat stress, the first thing we’ll notice is reduced feed intake. They just don't go to the bunk. When we see that happen, we see reduced milk yield, as much as 8 pounds of milk per day.

Tom:                          Do you see effects on reproduction?

Tom L:                        Definitely. It affects fertility and reproduction. It leads to longer lactations or more open days. We see a compound effect where there are other health issues in regard to heat stress.

Tom:                          There are some obvious mechanical means of reducing heat stress: fans, sprinklers, those sorts of things. What about nutritional strategies?

Tom L:                        The first one I’m going to talk about is water. Water is very, very important. Water makes up about 85 percent of the content of milk. So, as the temperature goes up, so does the cow’s water requirement. Cows can drink up to 50 percent more water when the temperature and humidity index rises. Intake can go from 20 gallons to about 32 gallons of water per day when the temperature gets above 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

                                    One of the big things I notice when I’m working with dairy is making sure the water troughs are clean and scrubbed daily in order to provide adequate water for consumption. If we can’t drink it, how can we expect the cows to drink it? We need to make sure that we provide adequate water space — 3 feet of available water for at least 10 to 15 cows is important.

Tom:                          Another factor in nutritional strategies would be energy. Why is it essential to increase the energy density of the diet during heat waves?

Tom L:                        As the temperature increases, the cows decrease their feed intake. This decrease in feed intake can result in less nutrient absorption. So, by increasing energy density of the diet, we can help maintain energy requirements. A good feed source for energy is bypass fat in the diet.  

Tom:                          Let's move on to protein. How is protein intake influenced by heat stress?

Tom L:                        Like everything else, when we increase heat stress, we see less dry matter intake, which means lower protein levels during this period. This will give us a negative nitrogen balance. This leads to a dramatic decrease in milk yield, immune responses and reproduction. One way to help mitigate the decline in protein ingestion is to increase protein density in the ration as well as to make sure we provide a ruminal-digestible protein source.

Tom:                          I understand that during these periods of high heat, it’s really important to maintain fiber levels in the diet. It’s crucial, but there is this catch: the digestion of forages creates more heat. How should that conflict be mitigated?

Tom L:                        During heat stress conditions, there’s a greater risk for rumen acidosis due to slug feeding and decreased intake. To reduce this risk, maintaining fiber levels in the diet is crucial. However, forages have a higher heat increment, so the quality and degradability of the forage should be monitored. Good-quality forages that will be quickly digested in the rumen will contribute to the health of the rumen and will also help maintain milk production with a minimum impact of increased caloric diets.

Tom:                          And, finally, minerals. What are the roles of minerals in helping cows combat heat stress?

Tom L:                        As I mentioned, heat stress causes increased salivation. Saliva is one of the most important buffers that the cow creates on her own. To provide another buffer, we look at increasing sodium, potassium or magnesium to help reduce the stress during this period.

Tom:                          What management tips can you offer producers as they prepare for the hot summer months?

Tom L:                        We need to provide ample clean water at all times. Another important part is providing fans and sprinklers to help cool the cows. We also need to provide shade. One of the biggest challenges that I run into on a dairy is overcrowding. If we’re overcrowded, the cows are not going to have ample room to eat and lay down. These are all important things. Lastly, and very importantly, we want to provide some of our checks that we do during the week such as pregnancy checks, or if we’re going to move cows, or breed cows, we want to do that early in the morning to reduce cow stress.

Tom:                          Thank you, Tom. We appreciate your time.

Tom L:                        Have a great day.

Tom:  Tom Lorenzen is an on-farm dairy specialist for Alltech

Click here to download a free dairy heat stress poster.

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The following is an edited transcript of Tom Martin's interview with Dr. Kayla Price, poultry technical manager for Alltech Canada. Click below to hear the full interview:

After you read or hear this interview, you may never look at an egg quite the same way again. Dr. Kayla Price is poultry technical manager for Alltech Canada. Price joined Tom Martin from Ontario, Canada, to talk about eggshell quality and why it matters.

Tom:                          For this discussion, we're focusing on the outside of the egg. Let's first go to the basic question: What is eggshell quality? What does that mean?

Kayla:                         I think eggshell quality means different things to different people. And when we focus on the outside of the egg specifically, we’re looking at things like eggshell thickness, what is the eggshell strength, how difficult or how easy is it to actually break that egg. And then, what does that egg look like in terms of dirty spots on it, or anything else to that effect. The external quality is very different than the internal quality. But, for this podcast, we're just focusing on the outside of the egg.

Tom:                          And do the uses of eggs vary according to how they are graded?

Kayla:                         Absolutely. If you look at the grading system — and it's only a little bit different where I'm from in the Canadian grading system versus in the U.S. or even globally — there are some basic commonalities. We’re looking at eggs of different sizes, which can go from small to large, extra-large or jumbo. Most of what you see that comes to the table is going to be that larger size, whereas the other sizes may be beneficial in terms of eggs that come in cartons, so they're already cracked, versus the eggs that would be table eggs. You also have lower-graded eggs that may have a small crack on them or a small dirt spot, but the inside is still usable.

Tom:                          Are there specific strategies for developing quality shells of different sizes?

Kayla:                         In general, the hen is always going to be laying the same part of the egg, whether that egg is small, large or extra-large. So, when we talk about eggshell quality, we’re really talking about it in general. We really want that hen to be getting the nutrients and the management that she needs in order to build the shell of that egg.

                                    That being said, with the hen, she's laying the same amount of shell components whether she's young and laying a small egg or whether she's older and laying a larger egg. So, in that bird that is older or toward the extra-large, that same amount of shell component is going to cover a different amount of space versus that same amount of shell component on a small egg. But again, we can use the same management techniques regardless of the size of that egg, because you're trying to avoid those under-grade eggs, which are your dirty eggs or your cracked eggs, regardless of the size.

Tom:                          Okay. Now, if I’m going after a premium quality egg, what are the essentials that I need to take into consideration?

Kayla:                         When I start thinking of the word “premium,” I'm really looking for an egg that is going to have a good, hard shell to it, so it will not break easily. It won't break when it’s at the farm, when it’s moving to the processing plant and, ultimately, it won’t break when it's in the carton before we break that egg to put in the skillet. We’re looking for that outside eggshell quality just as much as that internal quality, like making sure that the yolk looks good and the egg white looks good.

                                    In terms of the essentials, there are a couple of things to consider. You can start looking at the nutrition of the bird — what goes into making that eggshell just as much as the internal component — and you also have to start thinking about management: the health of that bird, how old is that bird and what needs to be changed depending on the age, the environment and, to a small extent, the genetics. The things that we can change would certainly be nutrition management, health and environment.

Tom:                          At what point in bird's life cycle should producers start thinking about egg development and eggshell quality?

Kayla:                         I think that's a really interesting question because when people start thinking about eggshell quality, the first thing that comes to mind is when the hen actually starts laying that egg, which is about halfway through her full lifespan. If you only start looking at eggshell quality halfway through, then you’re really only capturing half the potential. I think it's really important to start having that conversation when that poulet or hen starts to be placed in her housing system and continue all the way through the growing phase, before she reaches the age of maturity to be producing an egg and then also continuing it through. The idea being that you're setting up the bird for proper body confirmation and skeletal development, which are going to have an impact on the eggshell quality — shell thickness, —  just as much as they impact the size of the egg and how well the bird can lay that egg. So, again, I think it's important to start thinking about things from the very start, as opposed to when that hen starts laying that egg.

Tom:                          Why should calcium receive particular attention?

Kayla:                         Calcium is something that people always go to when they start thinking about eggshells because many people know the eggshell has a good amount of calcium within it. So, this is the first thing that people start thinking about. It is incredibly important because the eggshell itself is about 95 percent calcium carbonate. One of the main components of calcium carbonate is calcium. So, this is something that certainly needs particular attention.

Tom:                          Is the size of the calcium particle important?

Kayla:                         Yes, it is. This is something that people in the industry are taking more notice of. It’s important to talk about the different sizes. So, you can go from a fine calcium particle size to a medium calcium particle size to a coarse calcium particle size.

                                    What’s important is, you have to think of the fine calcium size as giving that quick shot of calcium. The bird can absorb it quite quickly because they don't need to break it down at all. But, if you start moving toward the coarse calcium, this one is good because it takes more time for that bird to break down the calcium and a longer amount of time for that bird to absorb the calcium. This is important as the bird goes into nighttime and starts really putting that calcium onto the shell or laying down that shell, because when it’s nighttime, she’s not eating. This slow release or slow breakdown of coarse calcium really helps out during this time.

                                    It’s not that you only need one or only the other — you need a good combination of both. This changes as the bird gets older. As the bird gets older, you’re tending toward going more and more coarse but still having a certain amount of fine particle size in there. It’s really about knowing your ratios, and that's where the nutritionist can help in terms of how to deal with the fine-to-coarse calcium ratio.

Tom:                          What other nutrition elements such as minerals can impact eggshell quality, and how?

Kayla:                         In terms of other nutrition elements, I think it's important to start thinking about what they are. As I said before, when people think of eggs, they often think of calcium in terms of the actual eggshell, but there are other components to it.

                                    In the eggshell itself, you have an inner as well as an outer shell membrane. That outer shell membrane is the calcium carbonate, and the inner shell membrane is made of many other components. You want to make sure that you're building strength, not just in your outer shell membrane, but also in that inner shell membrane. This is really where other nutritional elements come into play — like minerals, which have a very important role in building that eggshell, somewhat in terms of the outer, but also somewhat in terms of the inner shell membrane.

                                    For example, minerals like copper, which helps a little bit in collagen formation in terms of that eggshell membrane. Similarly, minerals like manganese and zinc, each sort of playing their own different role. Then you can look to minerals like selenium, which supports the reproductive tract itself.

                                    So, these elements, and components like that carbonate component of calcium carbonate, or all other elements that are important for the actual eggshell quality, have very different roles to play within the whole system itself.

Tom:                          How is eggshell quality impacted by gut health? Is there a direct relationship?

Kayla:                         It's more of an indirect relationship. I always say that the bird is ultimately a gut with lots of things attached to it. That can be applied to any bird that we want to talk about because, ultimately, what we're putting into the bird and having that bird eat, we want it to be able to translate into the performance factors as well as health factors.

                                    In this case, with the laying hen, a hen that is going to provide us our table eggs, we want our feed ultimately to translate into table eggs, or more table eggs, at the end of the day. So, if we have a gut that is healthy and that is acting the way we want it to, it means this gut is able to absorb nutrients and translate those nutrients as well as absorb things like calcium, like minerals and, ultimately, translate that so it can be used within that reproductive tract or other places within the body. So, direct, perhaps not, but certainly indirect, and there is a role between them.

Tom:                          What are some of the more common problems being encountered today by egg producers that they're trying to work around or work through?

Kayla:                         There are always many different kinds of problems, and new problems evolve as we keep raising these birds. But I think the one specifically related to the egg itself at the moment would be — that isn’t related to viral issues, which are certainly happening in the industry and are very important and I wouldn't want to ignore — but relating specifically to the egg, would be looking at things like deep cracks in the eggs, especially as people start either thinking or moving toward, or are already using, these alternative housing systems. You want to make sure you have a nice strong egg that is not going to be easily cracked by other things happening within the system just as much as you want to make sure you have a good internal eggshell quality, and you want to make sure that you are able to maintain that food safety aspect so that you're able to provide safe food or safe eggs, ultimately, for the public that is consuming those eggs. So, those would be common problems encountered by egg producers. And, again, the biggest one being those downgraded eggs, which would be your cracks, which would be your dirty eggs.

Tom:                          What does it mean to support the good guys in relation to eggshell quality?

Kayla:                         I think it's a very interesting phrase, “supporting the good guys.” It relates back to this indirect relationship between gut health and eggshell quality. So, ultimately, with gut health, we want to make sure we're maintaining a healthy and well-balanced gut, meaning that in the gut, there can be good microbes or good bacteria. There can be bad bacteria or bad microbes, or those that are potentially bad. Those that are potentially bad are opportunistic. Given the right environment, they will become bad or they will become a problem.

                                    When we relate back to gut health, we want to make sure we have this balance between our good guys, our potentially bad guys and our bad guys. In order to help with gut health and, ultimately, help with how that gut is able to digest and absorb nutrients and then translate this within the body to help with the egg and the eggshell, we want to make sure that we're supporting those beneficial bacteria — or supporting the good guys. The end goal is to maintain good gut health.

Tom:                          How do you manage and sustain that balance?

Kayla:                         There are a couple different factors. It's never just one thing that's going to solve the problem. Everyone always looks for that silver bullet, but when it comes to animals and to biology, a silver bullet is almost an impossible goal. You want to make sure that there is a good combination of management practices. We want to make sure that we're using the best practices in managing the birds, just as much as biosecurity on the farm — which is incredibly important as we start thinking about other viral or bacterial problems that can potentially impact these birds — and the type of nutrition that these birds are receiving.

                                    We want to make sure that they are receiving the best nutrition possible with the best ingredients possible. We want to make sure that those ingredients are free from contaminants like mycotoxins and use minerals in their best possible form that are most available and well-absorbed by the bird. This would be things like organic trace minerals versus what is very commonly used as inorganic trace minerals.

                                 And then also making sure when we talk about management, we want to make sure that there's proper water quality. At the end of the day, we just want to make sure we have a good combination program within the diet and the nutrition, a good feed additive program, to help with that just as much as a good management program and good biosecurity.

Tom:                          Dr. Price, when we began the conversation, I said we were going to focus on the outside of the egg, but I'm wondering, does the internal quality of an egg in some way impact the quality of its shell?

Kayla:                         That’s an interesting question because we're still talking about the egg itself. But when we talk about the internal quality of the egg, we're really talking about aspects like the yolk color, what the yolk looks like or how high that yolk is, just as much as what the egg white looks like and how that egg white spreads. So, in terms of if the internal eggshell quality is going to have a direct effect on how easily or if the shell cracks, possibly not. I think this is more of an indirect relationship where if you're focusing on a good quality internally and externally, ultimately, you're going to have a good-quality egg overall. That’s really the target: making sure we have a good-quality egg that is safe for consumers.

Tom:                          Are there some programs for enhancing eggshell quality that you recommend?

Kayla:                         I think this goes back to that combination program. Again, it's important to look at not only management, biosecurity and nutrition, but also the feed additive program.

                                 We touched a little bit on organic trace minerals and making sure that you're using organic trace minerals that are bioavailable to the bird, supporting good absorption and using other additive components that can help in terms of supporting those good guys or supporting the beneficial bacteria within the gut.

                                    This can mean using components like mannan-enriched fractions, which help selectively remove bad bacteria and allow room for good bacteria to thrive. There are plenty of other feed additive components that can be built into a program to make sure that you have a comprehensive program on the feed additive side. That can be combined with a full program on the nutrition side and with management and biosecurity.

Tom:                          Are there any emerging trends in poultry out there that you're watching that have captured your interest and attention?

Kayla:                         Yes. There are always some new and interesting things. Unfortunately, sometimes it relates to viruses. I think something to watch in the layer world — people have been talking about this virus — is false layer syndrome. We are certainly watching how this can be handled. This is one of many emerging things, along with making sure that we have the right biosecurity to avoid any other possible avian influenza outbreaks, which we haven't seen at all lately. Hopefully, we will not see any in the future. And, of course, making sure that we do what we can to achieve fewer cracks and dirty eggs.

                                 So, there are a couple of different things to watch out for. Another one is the constant concern about food safety and making sure that we're producing safe food for our consumers and being transparent in showing that we’re producing safe food for our consumers. 

                                    Those are a couple of different things that really grab my attention and I will continue to follow.

Tom:                          Dr. Kayla Price is poultry technical manager for Alltech Canada.  And thank you so much for joining us.

A good start for fish larvae is not only crucial to health and development — it also impacts producer profitability.

Weaning on dry feeds with an unbalanced diet can result in deformities and high mortality rates. High-quality starter diets are therefore essential. Providing nutritional solutions for the specific needs of larvae in their most critical life stage benefits the fish during their entire lifecycle. Supporting the healthy development of all organs, including the skeleton, for an ideal start begins with optimal nutrition.

Extensive studies at the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre have revealed the essentials for a weaning diet, which will significantly minimize deformations in sensitive fish species. This allows us to wean fish larvae with confidence knowing that the vast majority will fully develop into healthy fry without any abnormalities.

Three things producers look for in starter feeds:

• High survival rate and minimal deformities

• Optimal skeleton development as a foundation for future growth

• High digestibility for optimal performance and water quality

Benefits for hatcheries and farms

By delivering nutrients in a way that can be handled easily by the maturing digestive tract of fresh water larvae, we can offer hatcheries more security when weaning freshwater larvae from Artemiaonto a dry diet. Deformities can be scaled back to a minimum with a more even growth rate, thereby resulting in less frequent grading. The end results are healthy larvae and fry, more revenue, more efficiency and less work.

A new generation of starter diets

Alltech and Coppens International are working closely together to bring a new generation of fish feed to the marketplace. Coppens’ Essence, designed with Alltech’s Total Replacement Technology™ and gut health technologies containing Bioplex® and Bio-Mos®, reflects this approach.

Through highly bioavailable, organically bound trace elements, we can ensure optimal skeleton development with a special larval diet that can largely replace live Artemia. Essence also promotes optimal tissue development which reduces factors associated with deformity and low fry survival rates, making this feed truly unique. Due to its high digestibility and excellent performance, this starter diet is ideal for recirculation aquaculture system farming conditions.

Essence is tailored to the specific needs of the early life stage of many freshwater fish, such as cyprinids, pikeperch, catfish, tilapia and koi, which are characterized by many as living jewels.

For more information, please contact aquasolutions@Alltech.com or info@coppens.com.  

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When you hear the word “nutrigenomics,” your first reaction may be “What in the world is that?” Nutrigenomics is an up-and-coming research field that aims to understand how nutrition can influence an animal’s genome and what that means for animal health and production. It isn’t genetic engineering or modification, but rather a way of measuring changes in the activity of genes that result from changes in an animal’s diet. This field of research opens many doors that were previously closed in classic animal nutrition and allows us to better understand how “you are what you eat,” or rather, your chickens are what you feed them.

What is nutrigenomics?

Before we can talk about nutrigenomics, let’s do a quick review of molecular biology. Each animal has what’s called a genome that contains all of the genetic material, or DNA, of an animal and provides the basic blueprint for life. These carefully drawn out plans provide the blueprint for that animal’s life. However, outside influences, such as nutrition, can have a strong impact on the expression of this genetic information, or essentially how that blueprint is read.

Over the last decade, genomes have begun to be sequenced. This means that we know the approximate makeup of an animal’s entire genome. Identifying the genome sequences opened the door for cutting-edge research approaches to understand the molecular mechanisms behind everyday life. Even more importantly, we can now use genomic technologies to understand how each of the genes in that genomic sequence responds to outside influences and how this relates to the health and disease of an animal. The genomic sequence is very stable, so changes in function and activity come from up-regulating (“turning on”) or down-regulating (“turning off”) individual genes to produce (or decrease) products called transcripts in response to a stimulus like nutrition.  These transcripts code for the proteins that make up structures and functions in the cells, so the result is that changes occur in physiological processes like energy production or immune response.

Nutrigenomics is the field of research we use to study these changes in gene activities that occur because of changes in the animal’s diet. This information can help us better understand how nutrition influences animal health and production by giving us insights into what is going on within the cell in response to changes in the diet. We can measure the response in animal tissue using a technology called DNA microarrays. These tools are the basis of nutrigenomics studies and allow researchers to profile the activity of all the genes on a genome at once. The information gathered from nutrigenomics studies can provide us with a better understanding of nutrition by giving us clues to how nutrients work, why different forms of nutrients have different effects and how such nutrients can be optimized for health and production.

How can we use nutrigenomics to further poultry nutrition?

Current research can paint us a picture of how nutrigenomics is being applied to poultry nutrition. For example, recent work at Alltech has helped decipher why different forms of nutrients in the diet, such as Bioplex® organic minerals versus inorganic forms of minerals, can have very different effects on animal health. Before nutrigenomics, analyses like animal growth and tissue nutrient content gave us only part of the picture. But now, we can understand why changes occur.

Mineral matters

We know that Bioplex minerals support increased tissue levels. Through nutrigenomics, we identified changes in important transport proteins in the intestine that lead to increased mineral uptake into tissues when Bioplex zinc is used in poultry diets. In a similar fashion, we used nutrigenomics to understand why Sel-Plex® has a greater effect on reproduction than inorganic selenium. Traditional poultry nutrition studies were only able to reach the conclusion that it was due to selenium’s role in antioxidant defenses. However, nutrigenomics data confirmed this and, more importantly, indicated that selenium in the form of Sel-Plex could alter genes involved in energy production and reproductive signaling in the oviduct. In males, it made a clear impact on genes involved in tissue structure and function.

Early birds

Another area in which nutrigenomics is leading to a new understanding of the importance of nutrition is nutritional programming. This concept is the idea that nutrition, especially early in life, can have lasting imprints on an animal’s entire life. By understanding the gene expression patterns that are targeted by early life nutrition, we can begin to determine how this programming occurs and use it to our advantage in poultry production. For example, nutrigenomics studies have shown that changing the trace mineral content in the post-hatch diet can have long-term effects on genes in the gastrointestinal tract that are important for nutrient transport and for intestinal tissue structure. These genes remain changed in the adult bird weeks after the post-hatch period.

In the future, the information that nutrigenomics provides us could change the way we feed birds and make poultry nutrition a more precise field. Molecular findings can add to our understanding of how nutrition influences animal production and health and how we can use nutrition to get the best out of our animals. Nutrigenomics provides a way to know preciously what nutrients, timing of nutrients or combinations of nutrients are optimal. Through this information, we can not only streamline nutrition, but improve performance, efficiency and health.

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Trace minerals are essential to maintaining health and productivity in livestock animals. Traditionally, trace minerals were fed based on the minimum level required to overcome a deficiency symptom and not necessarily to promote productivity. Feeding adequate amounts and sources of trace minerals is essential to optimize production, health and feed costs and to minimize effects on the environment.

The growing uncertainties associated with trace mineral requirements and supply puts nutritionists in the dilemma of balancing the costs of either underfeeding or overfeeding trace minerals. A deficiency will impair health in dairy cows, leading to problems such as retained placenta and mastitis, and can decrease reproduction and lactation performance. On the other hand, excess supply will inflate feed costs and increase the risk of environmental pollution and toxicity, and it may also result in unwanted antagonistic interactions among minerals, leading to poor absorption.

Dietary trace minerals are supplied from feedstuffs and mineral supplements. The National Research Council (NRC) requirements are based on both sources of trace minerals, accounting for their absorption coefficients. Feed trace minerals usually have lower absorption coefficients compared with supplements. Furthermore, mineral supplements differ in their bioavailability. The NRC (2001) requirements appear to be adequate for most minerals, except for manganese and cobalt, for which new data suggests higher concentrations.

Inorganic minerals generally have lower bioavailability compared with organic minerals. Inorganic minerals become free in the rumen and can interact with other feed components. They can also bind to other minerals and pass through the gastrointestinal tract unabsorbed. Inorganic minerals may also include a source of contaminants, such as the heavy metals cadmium and lead. The presence of inorganic trace minerals in premix feeds can negatively affect the stability of enzymes and vitamins. To circumvent these bioavailability and absorption uncertainties, inorganic minerals are often supplemented at multiples of NRC requirements, which may further reduce their absorption and may reduce animal health and performance.

The Total Replacement Technology™ (TRT) mineral program at Alltech offers trace minerals (Bioplex®, Sel-Plex®) to provide highly available and traceable sources of minerals that support the animal’s requirements.

Most lactation diets will supply adequate to excessive amounts of iron, while other trace minerals will be supplied at amounts below NRC requirements, ranging from 40 percent to 85 percent. The TRT program should accommodate most situations but may need to be adjusted for specific situations in which extreme dietary concentrations are found. Regular assessment of trace mineral levels in forages is critical to building a more efficient mineral nutrition program.

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The brooding period is a critical time of development for many systems within a bird, and it occurs from the time of placement — even beforehand as the farm prepares for the new flock — to around two weeks of life for the young chicken (chick) or turkey (poult).

Getting the flock off to the right start during brooding can help to positively impact health and performance throughout the flock’s life. There are five areas that must be monitored carefully during the brooding period:

1. Regulation of body temperature

Chicks and poults are unable to regulate their internal body temperature during the first four to six days post-hatch (poults: 39.4–40°C or 103–104°F; chicks: 40–41°C or 104–106°F).

While environmental temperature control is important for the entire flock, it is particularly critical during brooding, as it is important to not overheat nor overcool birds, which can greatly impact performance. Management guidelines for the breed will include the appropriate temperatures for the flock, and these temperatures may differ depending on whether the flock is from younger or older breeder hens. The producer must also consider the temperature of the floor and litter so that the entire environment, and not just the air, is at the correct temperature. 

2. Skeletal and muscle system

During their first week of life, poults and chicks gain around four times their original body weight. This significant increase in weight suggests rapid growth of the bird. A large part of this growth is aided by the first feeding phases given to the bird, which focus on nutrients to help with growth, as opposed to the end of the flock, when nutrients are focused on body maintenance. Nutrients such as protein, calcium, phosphorus and various minerals are required to help with this growth. Using minerals that are more bioavailable to the bird (e.g., Bioplex^® and Sel-Plex^®) and highly digestible proteins (e.g., NuPro^®) can optimize growth during this time and the life of the flock.  

3. Immune system

Some breeder hen antibodies are passed on to the offspring through the yolk. These maternal antibodies help to protect the chick/poult during their first two to three weeks of age. However, these maternal antibodies do not complete the immune system of the young bird. Immune organs and immune tissue start developing in the embryo and the hatched bird. Additionally, active immunity is developing in the young bird from in ovo to the field through vaccinations and exposure to pathogens. If there is any stress on the bird, the immune system can be suppressed, negatively impacting health and performance. Depending on the situation, supporting the immune system during this period with various feed additives, such as Actigen^®, Natustat^®, Bioplex and Sel-Plex, can be beneficial to encourage the building of natural defenses.

4. Gastrointestinal system

The gastrointestinal tract has many purposes, including barrier and immune function for disease protection, as well as the breakdown, digestion and absorption of feed and water that can be translated into production parameters. The small intestine is the main area where most of the feed is digested and absorbed. To efficiently absorb feed, there must be a large surface area in the intestinal tract. Increased villi numbers and villi height help to increase the surface area for absorption. The small intestine has rapid development from 17 days of incubation to about 10 days post-placement. During this critical time, the bird’s ability to efficiently digest and absorb nutrients, in addition to mounting strong disease defenses, is developed.

5. Microbiome

Different areas of the bird have different microbiomes, such as the skin and intestinal tract. The intestinal tract microbiome is a part of the barrier function of the intestine. The stability of the microbiome involves a balancing act between the beneficial and opportunistic microbes, the latter of which are disease-causing under stress. Within a few hours of hatching, the small intestine is colonized by different bacterial groups. As the bird ages, the intestinal microflora population changes from immature to mature, reaching a stable balance within two to three weeks in the small intestine and up to six weeks in the ceca. Supporting the early establishment of a beneficial microflora community will allow villi to flourish, absorption to be maximized and the presence of pathogenic bacteria to be minimized. The diet of the bird, including nutrients and feed additives (such as Actigen, All-Lac^® XCL and Acid-Pak 4-Way^® 2X), as well as the water the bird drinks, can have an impact on the intestinal microflora. The poultry barn, especially the litter, has its own microflora that is highly influenced by the gut microflora, and vice versa. It may take several flock cycles to positively change the populations and profile of the poultry barn microflora.

When the birds are first placed in the barn, it is critical that they gain immediate access to feed and water. Supplemental feed and water are generally used to allow for easy transition to the permanent feeding and water system.

Many factors must be taken into consideration to help the birds get off to the right start during brooding, including best management practices, with particular attention to biosecurity, nutrition and health status.  

Have a question or comment?

2017 was a hard year for many producers, with many difficulties that could not have been prevented. However, the new year is an opportunity for a fresh start. Here are three simple things you can do to bounce back and make 2018 your best year yet:

STOP problems before they start — give your cattle the minerals they need.

When we see sick cattle in the field during the spring, we follow the trail of breadcrumbs back to January. Most of the time, we find that these cattle were not given the right minerals to prepare them for the winter and early spring challenges of calving and wet conditions. Alltech’s Bioplex®organic trace minerals, when combined with Sel-Plex® organic selenium, provide mineral nutrition in a form as close to nature as possible and are scientifically proven to be more bioavailable than inorganic mineral sources.

LOOK: Keep an eye out for mycotoxins.

2017’s hurricanes have left the ground wet in the southern U.S., and this can be a harbinger of mycotoxins, but don’t let this stop you from having a good year.

If you’d like to know what you are dealing with, take the Alltech 37+® mycotoxin analysis. This test checks for more than 40 different kinds of mycotoxins, detecting them before you put your cattle at risk.

SAVE time tidying your farm — leave these barrels in the pasture!

Eliminate labor and costs associated with collecting and returning steel barrels or disposing of plastic containers. The CRYSTALYX® BioBarrel® is designed with Single-Trip Container (STC^®) technology, which biodegrades naturally in the field. The end result is environmentally friendly and labor-friendly, with virtually no cleanup or disposal issues.

Because the barrel disappears, it's easy to see how much is left as you check pastures.

“The BioBarrel pays for itself,” said Felix Serna from Kingsville, Texas. “You don’t create any extra labor to go pick them up, and it’s not an eyesore because it disappears as the cattle eat the product!”

Find out where you can get BioBarrels and save time on your farm next year.

Have a question or comment?

In the U.S., pet food safety is overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). These organizations each have different roles but are closely linked. The FDA is charged by federal laws to ensure that pet food is safe and truthfully labeled.

Misbranded pet food labels are prohibited under state and federal law. According to the FDA, a truthfully labeled pet food product contains:

1. An ingredients list: everything used to make the pet food product must be listed as an ingredient and must be deemed by the FDA as safe for use.
2. Appropriate identification of the product: for example, puppy food must be formulated for the nutritional requirements of a puppy.  
3. Quantity: how much product is contained in the packaging.
4. The manufacturer’s or distributor’s name and address: to ensure traceability of the pet food product and its ingredients.

Safety and quality starts with ingredient sourcing

The pet food ingredient panel may list cereal grains such as corn, barley, rice and also seeds, legumes and fruits, ingredients that are susceptible to mold growth. If mold is present, the risk for mycotoxin presence increases significantly, and certain types of mycotoxins cause a health threat to pets through acute toxicity and chronic health issues.

Trace minerals are also listed in the ingredient panel, but the form of the trace mineral used is very important. Are they sulfates, oxides or proteinates? Inorganic trace minerals (sulfates and oxides) may be contaminated with heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium and lead, as well as environmental pollutants like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and dioxins, carcinogenic substances that pose a health risk to pets.

Peace of mind: When it comes to safety, a step forward is better

Ingredient contamination throughout the supply chain is always possible, and avoidance and minimization of risk is achieved by checks, verifications and validation processes. These processes are all part of a food safety system designed to ensure high standards of ingredients used and total transparency from suppliers to pet food manufacturers.

Manufacturers should ensure pet food safety by sourcing ingredients from approved suppliers — those who have passed rigorous quality and food safety audits and are able to demonstrate a thorough traceability system.

Know your supplier inside out

Quality assurance control programs such as the Alltech Q+™ (Quality Plus) program and the Alltech 37+^® mycotoxin analysis are examples of programs developed by Alltech.

Alltech 37+ is designed to reduce the risk of mycotoxin contamination and improve food safety. It tests for more than 40 types of mycotoxins in one sample.

Alltech Q+ is a quality control system unique to Alltech Bioplex^® and Sel-Plex^® trace minerals. It guarantees that all incoming raw material ingredients (and final products) are tested for heavy metals, dioxins and PCBs and are rejected if they do not comply with Alltech’s standards.

When it comes to our beloved pets’ food, traceably sourced ingredients matter.

Want to learn more?

Every producer knows that when a beef cow is healthy, her calf has a much better chance of being healthy, too. Trace mineral nutrition is key for maintaining healthy cattle at all life stages. Colostrum quality, calf weight and immune function are among the many benefits from supplementing organic trace minerals in cattle. A study done in 2017 at the University of Florida and published in The Professional Animal Scientist evaluated the response of 160 Angus (AN) and Brangus (BN) cows and their calves to inorganic (ING) or organic (ORG) trace mineral sources.

About the study

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the difference in performance and benefits provided by feeding organic trace minerals versus inorganic trace minerals to cattle on pasture. Beef cows supplemented with organic trace minerals received cobalt, copper, manganese and zinc in the form of Bioplex^® and selenium in the form of Sel-Plex^®. Beef cows supplemented with inorganic trace mineral products received them as sulfates and sodium selenite, respectively.

The level of mineral supplementation also varied between treatment groups:

• In the pelleted feed, the organic trace mineral treatment included 25% less copper, 13% less manganese and 29% less zinc compared to the inorganic trace mineral treatment.
• In the free-choice mineral, the organic trace mineral treatment included 45% less copper, 32% less manganese and 46% less zinc than the inorganic trace mineral treatment.

The best mineral strategy for cattle is one that fits within the producer’s operation, based on their animal requirements and budget and the benefits provided from that mineral product. Organic trace minerals, such as Bioplex and Sel-Plex, are more bioavailable and, as a result, can be added at much lower inclusion rates than the traditional inorganic sources, which not only benefits the environment but, ultimately, the health, well-being, reproductive performance and growth of the animals as well.

Effects of trace mineral source on colostrum

The University of Florida trial revealed that colostrum from lactating cows supplemented with organic trace mineral supplement sources contained 29% more immunoglobulin M (IgM mg/dL) antibodies compared to cows supplemented with inorganic trace minerals (P= 0.07). Cows supplemented with the organic trace mineral sources Bioplex and Sel-Plex also demonstrated significantly higher levels of selenium measured in colostrum —and Angus cows specifically had twice as much selenium compared to their inorganic counterparts (P ≤ 0.001).

The study results also showed that the somatic cell counts (SCC) of the colostrum from Angus cows fed organic trace minerals were 67% lower than the SCC of the colostrum from cows fed inorganic trace minerals. Additionally, Brangus cows fed organic trace minerals had 14.6% lower SCC compared to cows fed inorganic trace minerals.

Effects of maternal mineral nutrition on calf weight and antibody levels

As the study progressed, the researchers at the University of Florida observed that calves from cows fed the organic trace mineral sources (Bioplex and Sel-Plex) showed a statistically significant increase in their average daily gains, weaning weights and 205-day adjusted body weights compared to calves fed inorganic trace mineral sources (P ≤ 0.01).

Calves from cows who were supplemented with Bioplex- and Sel-Plex- had 205-day adjusted body weights that were, on average, 22 pounds heavier compared to the weights of calves from cows that were provided with inorganic sources (P ≤ 0.01). Specifically, Angus calves supplemented with Bioplex and Sel-Plex minerals were 33 pounds heavier (205-day adjusted weaning weights) compared to calves from Angus cows supplemented with inorganic trace mineral sources.

The researchers also measured immunoglobulin levels and found that the immunoglobulin A (IgA mg/dL) antibody measurements for calves from cows supplemented with organic trace minerals Bioplex and Sel-Plex demonstrated a statistically significant (40.5%) increase in calf serum 24 hours after colostrum consumption compared to calves from cows provided with inorganic trace mineral sources (P = 0.04).

Bioplex^® offers a range of trace minerals that provide mineral nutrition in a form as close to nature as possible. Bioplex minerals are trace minerals that are bound to amino acids and a range of peptides. They are easily absorbed and readily metabolized, optimizing animal performance. Bioplex trace minerals (including zinc, manganese, copper, iron and cobalt*) are co-factors in the enzymes that are critical for the animal’s defense system, growth and reproduction. Learn more about Bioplex here.

Sel-Plex^® is Alltech’s proprietary organic form of selenium yeast. It is an excellent dietary source of selenium and is manufactured to mimic the selenium found in nature. The selenium in Sel-Plex is safer and better able to meet the higher requirements of livestock raised for rapid growth, reproductive performance and health. Learn more about Sel-Plex here.

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

Are cattle producers ready for the impending U.S. Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD)?

More than 550 days ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its updated regulations for the VFD, and now, in just a few short days, the rules will go into effect. Some producers are now scrambling to get clarity on this critically important new directive.

Alltech has put together the latest information to separate fact from fiction and make sure everyone is ready to make the most of the upcoming changes. Let’s start from the beginning:

What’s the VFD, again?

The Veterinary Feed Directive, or VFD, will restrict the use of medically important antibiotics in animal feed. On Jan. 1, 2017, it will be illegal to use certain antibiotics without a veterinary prescription, and affected antibiotics will only be available to prevent, control or treat a specifically identified disease.

Functionally, it will work as follows:

• Feed companies and distributors must register with the FDA if distributing veterinary feed directive feeds.
• Veterinarians will be prescribing veterinary feed directive drugs and must have pre-existing veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR); more on that below.
• Veterinary feed directive prescriptions may be sent to distributors by veterinarians or by hard copy delivered by clients.
• Drug manufacturers will be allowed to assist veterinarians and feed companies with the processing.

Which drugs will be affected by the Veterinary Feed Directive?

A full list is available through the FDA website, but some of the most commonly affected drugs are listed below.

Remember, the list below shows the generic names and not brand names, so be sure to review the appropriate end products.

What worries have some producers expressed about the Veterinary Feed Directive?

The language around a “pre-existing veterinary-client-patient relationship” within the VFD can be confusing. To break that down, generally, this relationship for a producer requires:

• A veterinarian who is familiar with the producer’s operation.
• A veterinarian who will assume responsibility for making medical decisions on the animals involved.
• Medically timely visits to the premise.
• A producer who agrees to follow veterinary directions.
• A veterinarian who is available for follow-up as needed.

For additional insight, a complete list of VCPR criteria by state can be found here.

Dispelling Veterinary Feed Directive rumors: True and false facts

Information on the VFD can be found easily, but misinformation and incorrect rumors about what the VFD is can be just as common. As the start date approaches, what are the most common rumors that need to be dispelled?

Rumor: Feed-grade antibiotics are going away for good.

 That’s false. What is going away is the ability to use feed-grade antibiotics for growth promotion and other off-label uses.

Rumor: Injectable antibiotics will be banned.

That’s false. These will still be available over the counter as needed.

Rumor: The VFD will affect both small and large producers.

That’s true: Large or small, all producers who are found non-compliant will face a wide range of penalties ranging from fines to jail time.

Rumor: Water-soluble antibiotics are not affected.

That’s false. A prescription, not a VFD, will be necessary for medically important antibiotics used in drinking water.

What resources are available on the Veterinary Feed Directive?

Staying up-to-date on the latest information is key. Alltech highly recommends going straight to the source to get the most complete information. There are several comprehensive resources available online:

• The FDA website. Here you can find brochures outlining the requirements for producers, veterinarians and feed distributors, whether or not they manufacture feed.
• This FDA video gives an overview of the VFD.
• The Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University has created free modules on the VFD.
• In this webinar, Dr. Darrell Johnson from the University of Kentucky speaks in depth about the unique challenges faced by beef and dairy producers affected by the VFD.
• WATT and GlobalVetLink put together this great infographic.
• Your local agriculture extension office.

What comes next?

Alltech supports producers by promoting health and performance through nutritional feeding innovations. By bringing together over 35 years of research and practical application with state-of-the-art support tools, Alltech can provide technical expertise in the following management programs:

Preparing for the VFD might seem difficult, but with planning, producers can have a smooth transition and bring new value to their operation. To learn more, contact your local Alltech office.