Meeting requirements for trace minerals effectively and precisely can improve health, performance and cost-efficiency while reducing the environmental impact of poultry production.
“Feeding the optimal amount of trace mineral supports better performance,” said Amanda Mantovani from Trouw Nutrition GB. “Trace minerals are required for important functions, such as fertility and immunity, and are therefore essential nutrients to ensure optimal growth and performance.
“Providing the correct amount of trace mineral including zinc, copper and manganese in a bioavailable form will help enhance growth performance and breast yield in broilers and reduce the proportion of cracked eggs in layers.”
Low absorption in the gastrointestinal tract leads to increased levels of trace minerals in the excreta, resulting in the contamination of the environment and increased costs, she said.
The mineral requirements of the animal dictate trace mineral absorption. During times of increased mineral requirement absorption will be upregulated. This is why it is important to have minerals with a greater availability so they can deliver higher levels of mineral absorption into the animal, which maximises bird well-being and productivity.
Meaningful improvements in the overall health and performance of a poultry flocks while also reducing environmental impact of production can be achieved if innovative approaches to feeding minerals are adopted, paying particular attention to the mineral source.
The key to cost-effective mineral nutrition is meeting requirements precisely, by providing only what is necessary for the life stage and production status of the bird, following a responsible minerals approach.
“By so doing you avoid under-supplementation that can reduce performance, and over-supplementation which will push up costs and increase the environmental impact through greater waste,” said Mantovani.
“Precision feeding allows the amount of minerals provided to be adjusted based on the birds’ nutritional needs. This means each bird is receiving the optimal amount of minerals for its life stage and point of development. This, combined with more bioavailable sources can help reduce the environmental impact of the flock.
When supplementing diets with trace minerals the source can make a significant difference. Efficiency of supply is dependent on the bioavailability which refers to how effectively a mineral is absorbed and utilised. When minerals are poorly absorbed, they will be excreted in the faeces at higher levels, contributing to environmental pollution.
Inorganic minerals tend to react with other minerals in the upper digestive tract which reduces their availability and may cause irritation of the intestinal mucosa. They then complex with other minerals and ultimately are excreted.
“Intellibond hydroxy trace minerals provide a concentrated, bioavailable trace mineral source, and a way to entirely replace the use of inorganic mineral sources in a way that also benefits from reducing environmental impact through reducing excretion.
“Intellibond minerals are a unique, highly concentrated and non-reactive source which have been demonstrated to increase bird performance with superior daily gain and greater feed efficiency in broilers. In layers, they improve growth and development including bone and eggshell formation.
“Hydroxy sources do not have the limitations of inorganic trace minerals, possibly due to their structure which ensures slow release during digestion combined with superior absorption.”
Mantovani says new research shows a reduction in trace mineral excretion. Broilers were fed diets containing inorganic, organic or hydroxy sources of zinc, manganese and copper. At 35 days old, the birds fed hydroxy minerals were 55g heavier than birds fed the other sources. They had also excreted fewer trace minerals, demonstrating the effect of mineral source on bioavailability and performance.
“Innovative approaches to feeding minerals to poultry have the potential to significantly improve the health and performance of the birds, while also reducing the environmental impact of production. By using hydroxy trace minerals and considering the precision with which the flock is fed, businesses can ensure that the birds are receiving and absorbing the optimal amount of minerals, helping improve overall health and performance of the birds, reduce environmental pollution and improve overall feed efficiency,” she said. “Furthermore they can improve the sustainability of poultry production by cutting waste.”