Calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) are two essential macrominerals in swine production, and both require mandatory supplementation. Meat and bone meal is one option because it is cheap and adds protein and essential amino acids to the formulation, and it is also a sustainable ingredient.
However, it carries a high biosecurity risk, as it is the main source of pathogens such as Salmonella and Clostridium. In addition, meat and bone meal is widely used in pet food and aquaculture, which tends to drive its cost up. As a result, dicalcium phosphate is increasingly used as the main source of P in animal production.
Dicalcium phosphate is a finite, unsustainable ingredient in high demand from agriculture, with rising costs and a growing risk of scarcity.
Beyond calcium, reducing the use of P sources is a central topic in modern ESG management, which covers environmental, social and governance issues.
Two points must be considered in order to reduce the use of Ca and P sources. One concerns the nutritional requirements of each animal category for each element (Yixin, 2021). The other concerns the digestibility of each source, whether grains, animal-origin meals or mineral ingredients. It is worth noting that in animal trials, the study of one aspect is always closely tied to the other (Baker, 2010; She et al. 2017).
As for P and Ca requirements, ongoing genetic improvement in pigs poses a recurring challenge for nutritionists, who must keep up with the evolving productive capacity of each line and each cross.
In sows and piglets in particular, there is always a chance that the amount of phosphorus actually absorbed will limit production. Selection for higher prolificacy and maternal ability raises requirements proportionally. Nutritional demand is relatively low during gestation, but lactation demands far more than maintenance.
Limits on the amount of P available in these periods will directly affect piglet quality and development, not only during lactation and farrowing but also after weaning. These categories respond positively to greater nutrient availability, with better reproductive performance in sows and better growth performance in piglets. It is worth remembering that P takes part in energy transfer in practically every metabolic pathway in the body, in the form of ATP, GTP, etc. (Oster et al. 2016; Krieg et al. 2023; Heurtault et al. 2023).
Recently, some sow lines have shown a high incidence of rectal, vaginal or uterine prolapse, to the point that sow mortality significantly affects the economics of production. The cause of these prolapses is still not fully understood.
Studies have looked at the role of fiber and dietary energy in the incidence of prolapse, but they are inconclusive. Another likely cause is the hypocalcemia that affects sows around farrowing, as it does dairy cows. A lack of calcium compromises visceral muscle tone, which favors displacement and loss of anatomical position. Ensuring proper calcium and phosphorus availability in this period may help prevent it.
The study of how well pigs digest these minerals is a recent concern. Despite its importance, it is quite difficult to measure the digestibility of each mineral accurately.
Several factors act at the same time, such as the pH of each part of the digestive tract, the presence of other ions, the Ca to P ratio, vitamin D, hydration, particle size, etc. (She et al. 2017). If each of these factors is not carefully controlled in the experiments, discrepant results will be obtained, including negative digestibility. This happens because endogenous Ca and P are also excreted along the digestive tract, making it hard to measure how much of each mineral from an exogenous source was retained in the body (Yixin, 2021).
The efficacy of microbial phytases in releasing phytic P from plant-based raw materials such as grains and meals is widely known. The exact amount of P and Ca that animals will actually use, on the other hand, still leaves room for discussion, precisely because of the interference of several other factors.
This fact, combined with the variable digestibility of ingredients, allows us to conclude that there is room to improve Ca and P absorption and retention in pigs, improving production as well as reducing the environmental impact of their excretion.
With this goal in mind, GFS’s patented technology (Poligrow®) has been under study. It is a long-chain fatty acid with hydroxyl groups replacing hydrogen. It has strong emulsifying action but also acts as a carrier of Ca and P.
Once ionized by the low pH of the stomach and released from inositol by phytases, phosphate and Ca ions form complexes with this technology, either through ionic bonding between the phosphate and the hydroxyl group or through a saponification reaction with the terminal carboxyl group.
In this form of Ca soaps and phospholipids, the ions are absorbed through the lipid absorption pathway, in micelles containing bile salts, steroids, mono- and diglycerides and fat-soluble vitamins. Its emulsifying action even improves the formation of these micelles, increasing dietary lipid absorption and, with it, the metabolizable energy of the diet.
To evaluate the effect of Poligrow® on sow and piglet performance, a trial was carried out at the Bom Sucesso do Sul Experimental Unit (UEBSS), affiliated with the Federal University of Paraná, Palotina Campus.
A total of 52 sows were distributed among three treatments: T1 (Control), T2 (100 g of Poligrow® per ton of lactation feed) and T3 (200 g/ton of lactation feed). Parity and pre-farrowing body condition score (Caliper) were taken into account. After weaning, piglets were classified by weight, sex and treatment of the mother. In total, 540 piglets received one of two feeds, without the product or with 200 g of Poligrow® per ton of feed, in the Pre-Starter 1 (1 kg), Pre-Starter 2 (3 kg), Starter 1 (5 kg) and Starter 2 (14 kg) phases.
The piglets were thus distributed among six treatments, based on the 3 sow treatments versus the 2 piglet treatments. During lactation, although the differences were not significant, there was a clear trend toward better performance in sows and piglets treated with Poligrow®, with better results for sow feed intake, piglet feed intake, sow feed conversion, piglet feed conversion, average daily gain of the piglets and final litter weight.
In the periods after weaning, however, statistical differences were obtained. Treated piglets showed better daily weight gain and better feed conversion than untreated piglets. Among the untreated piglets, those whose mothers received Poligrow® performed better than the offspring of control sows. Overall, the best performance came from the treatment in which both sows and piglets received feeds containing 200 g of Poligrow® per ton of feed.
With this protocol, we achieved the best piglet start, with higher average daily gain and better feed conversion in both the sows and the piglets, and enormous potential for economic return. We conclude that the use of Poligrow® is effective in swine, as already seen in poultry, and has excellent potential to optimize production, with a high cost-benefit ratio, especially in the challenging scenario of hyperprolificacy.
Authors:
José Luciano Andriguetto, Veterinarian, Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition, Professor in the Department of Animal Science at UFPR
Luiz Romulo Alberton, Veterinarian, Doctor in Biotechnological Processes, Propig Soluções LTDA
Geraldo Camilo Alberton, Veterinarian, Doctor in Veterinary Medicine, Propig Soluções LTDA
Daiane Güllich Donin, Veterinarian, Doctor in Veterinary Medicine, Propig Soluções LTDA
