Page 17 - Australian Pork Newspaper

Demedication in pig production
☛ from P16
However, we have shown that S. boulardii and YANG are compat- ible with antibiotics and zinc oxide.
For example, an inde- pendent trial conducted by the team of Prof G. Savoini from University of Milan that was pre- sented at the 68th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science in 2017 showed S. cerevisiae boulardii CNCM I-1079 is compat- ible with in-feed antibiot- ics and ZnO, proving its efficacy either to enhance post-weaning perform- ance when used on top of antibiotics and zinc ox- ide or to help reduce feed medication.
When it comes to YANG, we have also seen it is quite effective when used together with ZnO in a pre-starter feed, in pre- paring the piglet’s gut for a starter ZnO-free feed.
This is actually very im- portant because one of the drawbacks of ZnO appli- cation is while it is quite efficient in reducing the risk of diarrhoea, it also creates a dysbiosis in the gut.
In the field, it is typical to detect enteric trouble once we pass the piglets from a ZnO feed to a ZnO-free feed.
In this context of ZnO reduction, YANG (when used together with other nutritional strategies) is shown as a valuable feed solution to either shorten the duration of use of ZnO, reduce its concentration in feed or totally phase it out from the feed.”
[Feedinfo] When should producers start thinking about introducing a de- medicated regime? For example, are these solu- tions mainly for fattening pigs? Weaning piglets? Must they be introduced in pre-starter feed? What about the diet for the breeding sows; does that also play a part?
[David] “Usually the most critical period on a swine farm, when it comes to the removal of antibiot- ics, is the period immedi- ately post-weaning.
In order to overcome this period, it is very impor- tant to offer a pre-starter diet with a healthier com- position for the intestine, taking into account as- pects including microbial populations, gut barrier integrity, efficacy of the immune system and so on.
But apart from that, a very important part of the success can be the quality of the piglets at weaning, and we can influence it by working through the sow diet.
It is amazing how a sow’s nutrition can impact the development of the piglets even after wean- ing.”
[Feedinfo] Is it fair to say that demedication is only relevant to farmers who are able to maintain the highest levels of bio- security, and is ineffective in conditions that are less than optimal?
[David] “Everything is linked in swine produc- tion.
When a swine farm wants to go through a de- medication process, there are several steps involved in trying to prevent the risk of pathogenic mi- crobes spreading around.
Those steps include
management, biosecurity, prevention and so on.
By taking these precau- tions, we are also reduc- ing the need for an antibi- otic treatment.”
[Feedinfo] Well, that seems like a pretty tra- ditional view of bio- security. Are there any ways in which demedica- tion is transforming bio- security?
[David] “Biosecurity at farm level is a set of meas- ures and actions to mini- mise the entry and spread of pests and disease.
And for champions of demedication, animal en- vironment is an important area for progress.
In this context, we be- lieve the next revolution in this area will be to convince producers disin- fection is not enough.
A virtuous approach is to occupy the emptied space with positive mi- croflora.
For example, we have recently developed a posi- tive biofilm solution.
It is a mix of selected and concentrated bacilli and lactic acid bacteria applied to help secure building surfaces through the implementation of a positive and protective biofilm after chemical disinfection.
Trials in piglet produc- tion units indicated a preventive action on the development and speed of growth of undesirable microflora in animal sur- roundings such as strepto- cocci or coliforms.
The establishment of a safer microbial environ- ment before the entry of the animals contributes to improved hygiene condi- tions and can help to reach demedication objectives.”
[Feedinfo] Is the demed- ication concept mainly fo- cused on EU countries? What kind of interest have you seen in this concept in other markets?
[David] “There is a glob- al trend to reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock to address public health concerns, especially in the context of antimicrobial resistance and the World Health Organization ‘One Health’ approach, and to meet consumers’ de- mands.
While we have already been hearing about it for more than 20 years, it looks like today this is a hot topic in most swine markets.
It is amazing how China is taking big steps to re- move colistin and other antibiotics from feed.
Japan and Vietnam also have new regulations on the topic, restricting the use of antibiotics.
Other countries includ- ing South Korea are quite advanced because the ap- plication of a pharmaco- logical dose of ZnO has not been allowed for sev- eral years.”
[Feedinfo] Are you working on solutions for the demedication of feed in other species, such as poultry or ruminants?
[David] “Of course, an- timicrobial reduction is a global trend that concerns all livestock species and this is the core of our expertise and approach in all animal species: rumi- nants, poultry and aqua- culture.
For example, in young ruminants, weaning also represents important chal- lenges.
Reducing in-feed medi- cation is one thing, but this should not lead to increased treatment costs.
In calves, for example, the cost of medication can reach up to 20€/calf post- weaning due to morbid- ity, largely from diarrhoea (according to an internal European field survey from Lallemand).
There too, nutritional solutions such as our multi-strain yeast frac- tion product propose interesting approaches to alleviate the stress of weaning and associated morbidity.
We have had much posi- tive feedback on kid goats, lambs and calves at farm level.
Trials in practical field conditions demonstrate significant reduction in morbidity rates, leading to a reduction of antibiotic treatments and diarrhoea treatments.”
www.lallemand.com.au
Pig Farm Perspective
by Bruce the brainy pig
WHEN we think of products we are pro- ducing from pigs, we think bacon, roasts and ham, however there is another whole world out there of pig by- products.
When we think by- products today, we think pigs’ ears as dogs treats, biogas as a fuel source and compost for gardens, however the process of producing meat has a staggering number of ad- ditional by-products that I haven’t really compre- hended before.
Starting with some ob- vious ones this month, I propose a brief trip through additional uses for by-products of pigs.
Food-based products are the obvious starting point, and not surpris-
ingly household cook- ing gelatin is made up of rendered skins and bones, while sausage casings were tradition- ally made from the in- testines.
However, past these blatantly obvious ones the uses start to get a bit more interesting.
From an artistic per- spective, pigs contribute to paint brushes, the majority of which are made from pig hair, and crayons from carcass fat, which is used as a prod- uct setter.
Tambourines were tra- ditionally made from the dried bladder of a pig and violin strings were made from dried offal.
Bone ash is used to make fine bone china (and now the name
makes sense). Medically, there are
also important aspects from essentially the of- fal of pigs, including heparin, which is har- vested from the mucosal lining of the intestines and is used as a human blood thinner.
Insulin from the pan- creas of the pig is the closest chemically to hu- man insulin that we can obtain and is used to manage human diabetes.
Dissolvable sutures also traditionally had some of their main com- ponents derived from pig intestines.
Interestingly, haemo- globin can also be har- vested from blood and used as a component for cigarette filters.
In the household, most
soaps, some candles, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioners are all made from rendered bone and fat.
The purified rendered product gives the pearly appearance (I will nev- er look at shampoo the same again).
And the most surprising one of all and perhaps the most ironic given the smell and mess that pigs make, is that fabric sof- tener is also made from purified rendered fat and bones.
So next time you are loading pigs destined for the abattoir, maybe don’t think roasts, pork belly and pork chops.
I know I will never look at another crayon or bottle of fabric softener the same again.
Contact AGCO
Australia team TODAY for your next project
www.porknews.com.au
Australian Pork Newspaper, May 2018 – Page 17