Effect of the organic minerals zinc, manganese, and copper on growth performance and the locomotor system of finishing pigs

Abstract

Supplementation with complexed minerals influences the growth performance and the integrity of the locomotor system of animals. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a complex supplementation of organic minerals (metal-amino acids) consisting of Zn (50 ppm), Mn (20 ppm), and Cu (10 ppm) (Availa® Sow FF Zinpro Corp.) on the growth performance and integrity of the locomotor system in pigs. One hundred and eighty 61-day-old animals, comprised of females (n=90) and castrated males (n=90), were used in a randomised block factorial design with ten replicates per treatment and sex. The experimental design consisted of two treatments: control (T1) animals without supplementation and treatment (T2) animals that were supplemented with organic minerals (0.75 g kg-1). At 112 days of housing (D112), the pigs were subjected to a hoof evaluation, at D115 they were weighed, and at D117, they were slaughtered (178 days of age). After boning, a blind analysis was performed on the medial and lateral condyles of the distal humerus. The supplemented animals (T2) had higher scores for the performance parameters of final weight (P=0.03), weight gain (WG) (P=0.02), and average daily weight gain (DWG) (P=0.021). For WG, T2 showed 3.10 kg more gain than the control; the increase in females was on average 4.07 kg and in males 2.45 kg. The prevalence of hoof lesions was 100% in both groups. The supplementation reduced the incidence of damage to the dew claws (P=0.02) and heel-sole cracks (P=0.02). The incidence of osteochondrosis was 19.13%, with no influence of supplementation. Supplementing pigs with the organic minerals Zn, Mn, and Cu during the finishing phase improved the WG, DWG, final weight, and hoof integrity.