Feed Additives for the New Millennium

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Have you heard the news? In the future, adding fat to a hog ration could actually reduce fat in the carcass - as long as you have the right type of fat! Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is an anti-cancer compound which was identified at the University of Wisconsin, almost by accident, in the search for carcinogenic substances in grilled beef. CLA is a fatty acid found primarily in meat and dairy products which has some remarkable properties.

You might ask yourself how a product known for its potential use in bodybuilding and cancer treatment could be applied to hog production. As you will quickly find out, it is a logical progression. CLA has been cautiously referred to as a fat burner, a muscle builder and an immune enhancer. The testing of CLA in mice and humans has been a topic of research for some time. CLA is touted to enhance muscle size and strength gains in bodybuilders. It has also shown the ability to significantly increase production of cells involved in the immune system.

Did you know that you can even order CLA from health food stores on the Internet? A little surfing will also tell you that CLA is reported to reduce voluntary feed intake, resulting in less body fat. According to research findings, CLA not only reduces the amount of fat which is deposited in fat stores, it appears to increase the rate at which fat is broken down and burned in muscle cells. Put this all together and CLA looks like a valuable weapon in the battle of the bulge.

Recently, research into CLA for swine has really taken off. Typically, older pigs have been limited to 1-2% fat in the diet because of negative impacts on carcass fat. The world's first swine experiment with CLA, in Wisconsin, showed that CLA had the ability to reduce carcass fat, increase muscle, improve feed efficiency and increase gain in pigs. Subsequent research at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Lacombe Research Centre has also reported positive results. Finishing pigs fed 2% CLA tended to consume less feed ( 2.92 vs. 3.08 kg/day), have better feed conversion (2.89 vs. 3.07), and significantly more lean (618 vs. 604 g) and less fat (206 vs. 221 g) in the carcass.

Research in pigs to date has been very positive, but it is still too early to make concrete recommendations. Research continues at universities in Alberta, Iowa and Wisconsin in the race to discover the secret behind this fatty acid's mode of action. Other priorities include determining the optimum inclusion rate, impact(s) on the carcass, and potential for value-added anticarcinogenic properties. Another important question that has yet to be addressed is whether or not feeding CLA will be cost effective. Until more information is available, these and other questions will go unanswered. Stay tuned for more on this exciting area of research, whether you walk on two or four legs!

Phytase + Acid = A One-Two Punch

It is well known that 60-80% of the phosphorus (P) in grains and oilseed meals is present in the form of phytate, a compound that pigs are unable to use well. In order to make phytate P available for use by pigs, it must be hydrolyzed by phytase into inorganic P. Research has shown that supplementing phytase increases the digestibility of P in feed, therefore decreasing P excretion by 20 - 30%.

Organic acids have been successfully used as feed preservatives and acidifiers in pig diets for many years. Recent research at Cornell University and BASF has shown that the combined effect of adding phytase and organic acids, such as citric and formic acid, to grower pig diets outshines their individual effects. For example, in one trial, a 25% P digestibility in control pigs improved to 30% and 42%, respectively, when formic acid and phytase were added individually. However the combination of the two additives achieved a 51% P digestibility.

An additional benefit of adding organic acids is the effect on E. coli bacteria, since increasing levels of acid result in a reduction in the incidence of diarrhea. However, on the down side, the corrosive nature of formic acid can make working with it a headache unless the feed mill is properly equipped. The transition may be expensive, requiring installation of stainless steel pumps, pipes and nozzles to handle organic acids. According to BASF, several plants in Europe have already been refitted to accommodate such acids in light of recent research results.