Effect of nano zinc oxide or chelated zinc as alternatives to medical zinc oxide on growth performance, faecal scores, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles and faecal Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus concentrations in weaned piglets

• Published in: Italian journal of animal science 2022-12, Vol.21 (1), p.708-716
• Main Authors: Oh, Han Jin, Kim, Myung Hoo, Yun, Won, Lee, Ji Hwan, An, Ji Seon, Kim, Yong Ju, Kim, Min Ji, Kim, Hyeun bum, Cho, Jin Ho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Diet; Digestibility; faecal score; growth performance; Hogs; Lactobacillus; Nanoparticles; non-ruminants nutrition and feeding; Physical growth; weaned piglet; Weaning; zinc excretion; Zinc oxide; Zinc oxides
• ISSN: 1828-051X; 1594-4077; 1828-051X
• DOI: 10.1080/1828051X.2022.2057875

A total of 144 weaned piglets (6.80 ± 0.46 kg, [Landrace × Yorkshire] × Duroc) were used in a 4-week feeding trial to determine the effect of nano zinc oxide or chelated zinc as alternatives to medical zinc oxide (ZnO) in weaned piglets. The pigs were randomly distributed to one of 6 treatment groups (4 pigs in a pen, 6 replicate pens per treatment). The dietary treatments were negative control (NC), no additional zinc oxide in the diet; positive control (PC), NC + 2500 mg/kg ZnO; 100 mg Chelate (NC + 100 zinc chelate); 200 mg Chelate (NC + 200 mg/kg of zinc chelate); 100 mg Nano (NC + 100 mg/kg ZnO nanoparticles), and 200 mg Nano (NC + 200 mg/kg nanoparticles). The growth performance of pigs fed the PC and Nano diets were significantly higher than that of pigs in the Chelate treatment groups (p