| Two experiments were conducted to assess the efficacy of feeding organic trace minerals to female swine on the following traits: reproductive efficiency, mineral retention, growth performance, lateral toe growth, claw size and shape, incidence and severity of claw lesions and lameness, and longevity. In experiment 1, sows and gilts were placed on test at breeding and remained on study through three consecutive farrowing cycles or removal from the herd. In experiment 2, gilts were placed on test at approximately 10 wk of age and remained on test for 5 consecutive farrowing cycles or removal from the herd. The two dietary treatments were a control diet containing an inorganic trace mineral premix (125 mg/kg Zn as zinc sulfate, 50 mg/kg of Mn as manganese sulfate, and 35 mg/kg of Cu as copper sulfate) or the control diet premix formulated with organic trace minerals (40 mg/kg of Zn from Availa RTMZn, 25 mg/kg of Cu from AvailaRTMCu, and 20 mg/kg of Mn from AvailaRTMMn replacing equal amounts of inorganic of Zn, Cu, and Mn, plus 0.40 mg/kg of Cr from MiCroPlexRTM chromium-L-methionine; Zinpro Corporation, Eden Prairie, MN). In experiment 1, there were no dietary treatment effects for reproductive or longevity traits, but copper liver concentrations were greater (P < 0.01) in organic fed sows versus inorganic fed sows. In experiment 2, there were no dietary treatment effects for growth performance or lateral toe growth measured during the gilt development period. During experiment 2, sows fed organic trace minerals ate more (P = 0.01) total feed and had a greater (P = 0.02) average daily feed intake, and weaned a heavier pig (P = 0.04) on average during lactation, than sows fed only solely the inorganic trace minerals. In experiment 1, dietary treatment did not affect claw size or shape. In experiment 1 and 2 96.5% and 81.4%, respectively, of sows exhibited a claw lesion at some point during the two studies and dietary treatment had little influence on lesions or lameness. In conclusion, further investigation of dietary organic trace mineral supplementation is needed to understand its impact reproducing swine. |
