One in four antibiotics in Denmark is used on pigs, with 100t of antibiotics used in total every year.
Given the growing concern over antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across Europe, the Danish research organisation Seges carried out a number of studies to find out the best feeding supplement to give weaning pigs.
“Most of the antibiotics used in pig production are used for young pigs, 70% of which are used for the treatment of diarrhoea,” Danish vet Poul Baekbo of Seges told the Irish Farmers Journal.
Pigmeat
The production of pigmeat in Denmark is also a huge industry producing 28m pigs annually, 70% of which is exported to other EU countries.
Given the consumer focus on antibiotics and foreign substances in animal diets, the trial tried to find an alternative to zinc during weaning.
It included the following alternatives and compared them against the use of zinc:
2,500ppm zinc.1,500ppm zinc.0 zinc.Seaweed from Ocean Harvest in Ireland.MiyGold (probiotic) from Huvepharma.GaerPlus (yeast) from Danish Agro.The trial design was carried out on 60 pens including 4,500 piglets.
Ultimately, the trial found that there was no difference between the groups fed with 2,500ppm zinc compared with the group fed with 1,500ppm zinc.
Productivity
However, the productivity in groups fed with zinc was much higher than the alternative groups.
There was also still an issue with diarrhoea in groups using alternatives, though no significant issue was found in both groups using zinc.
As a result of the trial, Baeko said that the organisation was now looking exclusively at feedstuffs that contained at least 1,500ppm zinc, as it is a necessary element when weaning pigs.
Read more
Listen: 'half of vets’ income was removed' - Danish approach to antibiotics
Bayer to cut 12,000 jobs and exit animal health business
One in four antibiotics in Denmark is used on pigs, with 100t of antibiotics used in total every year.
Given the growing concern over antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across Europe, the Danish research organisation Seges carried out a number of studies to find out the best feeding supplement to give weaning pigs.
“Most of the antibiotics used in pig production are used for young pigs, 70% of which are used for the treatment of diarrhoea,” Danish vet Poul Baekbo of Seges told the Irish Farmers Journal.
Pigmeat
The production of pigmeat in Denmark is also a huge industry producing 28m pigs annually, 70% of which is exported to other EU countries.
Given the consumer focus on antibiotics and foreign substances in animal diets, the trial tried to find an alternative to zinc during weaning.
It included the following alternatives and compared them against the use of zinc:
2,500ppm zinc.1,500ppm zinc.0 zinc.Seaweed from Ocean Harvest in Ireland.MiyGold (probiotic) from Huvepharma.GaerPlus (yeast) from Danish Agro.The trial design was carried out on 60 pens including 4,500 piglets.
Ultimately, the trial found that there was no difference between the groups fed with 2,500ppm zinc compared with the group fed with 1,500ppm zinc.
Productivity
However, the productivity in groups fed with zinc was much higher than the alternative groups.
There was also still an issue with diarrhoea in groups using alternatives, though no significant issue was found in both groups using zinc.
As a result of the trial, Baeko said that the organisation was now looking exclusively at feedstuffs that contained at least 1,500ppm zinc, as it is a necessary element when weaning pigs.
Read more
Listen: 'half of vets’ income was removed' - Danish approach to antibiotics
Bayer to cut 12,000 jobs and exit animal health business
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