Zinc is important for the proper function of many enzymes and is essential for normal skin development and maintenance and reproduction. Excess iron can be toxic, producing incoordination, nervousness, and convulsions. Signs of iron deficiency include pale mucous membranes and skin color in white-skinned pigs, enlarged heart, spasmodic breathing after exercise (thumps), low hemoglobin, and decreased resistance to certain bacterial infections. Additionally, for nursery pig diets, high dietary concentrations of copper and/or zinc are often included as growth promotants, which can interfere with iron absorption further emphasizing the need for iron supplementation in these rapidly growing pigs. However, the usefulness or bioavailability of this source of iron to pigs is very low. Inorganic phosphate supplements such as mono- or dicalcium phosphate and defluorinated rock phosphate that are added to pig diets as a Ca and P source are relatively high in iron. Ĭorn and grain sorghum are low in iron, therefore, iron needs to be supplemented to the diet of all classifications of swine. Ingestion of small quantities of fecal material by nursing pigs helps to meet their iron requirement, but will not avoid the need for iron supplementation/administration. Feeding extra iron to the sow will not raise the iron content of milk because passage of iron into the mammary gland is limited. Because the baby pig’s diet consists solely of dam’s milk, iron-deficiency anemia can be a problem in young pigs if an intramuscular injection of 100 to 200 mg of iron from iron dextran, for example, is not given between one to three days of age. However, with the low iron in sow’s milk and the rapid growth of the young pig, liver iron is not adequate to meet the requirement of the pig. The baby pig is born with a high concentration of iron in the liver. Iron is required for the synthesis of hemoglobin that transports oxygen in red blood cells, myoglobin in muscle tissue, and iron-containing enzymes. If water is restricted, as little as 2.0% dietary salt can produce toxicity (salt poisoning), characterized by nervousness, weakness, staggering, epileptic seizures, and death. High levels of salt can be tolerated if adequate drinking water is available. They are generally added as common salt, which is 40% sodium and 60% chloride. Grains and plant protein supplements are low in sodium and chloride, so these minerals must be added to the diet. A deficiency of sodium and chloride depresses appetite and impairs growth. Sodium is also involved in nerve function, and chloride is essential for hydrochloric acid production in the stomach. These two elements assist in maintaining the osmotic pressure of body fluids and acid/base balance. Sodium and chloride (salt) and trace minerals are discussed in this publication macro-minerals (calcium and phosphorus) are presented in PIG Factsheet #07-07-02 (Macro-Minerals for Swine Diets). The requirements for, and dietary concentrations of the macro-minerals are generally expressed as a percentage of the diet, whereas the micro or trace minerals are expressed as parts per million (ppm or mg/kg) or milligrams (mg) per pound of diet. These minerals can be divided into two groups, macro- and micro or trace-minerals, based on the amounts added to the diet. Ten mineral elements are regularly added to swine diets because the natural ingredients commonly used in swine diets (cereal grain, soybean meal, etc.) are deficient or the minerals are not available to the pig. Describe good handling and mixing practices for trace minerals and vitamins.List recommended amounts of trace minerals and vitamins to add to swine diets.Describe common sources of trace minerals and vitamins.Explain the trace minerals and vitamins pigs require.Good decisions must be made concerning the mineral and vitamin nutrition of pigs when formulating diets, because feeding excess can be costly and dangerous while not providing enough of these required nutrients can result in a deficiency and reduced productivity. Vitamins are generally required as co-factors in metabolic reactions. Vitamins are another class of nutrients required for normal metabolic functions in the body. Some minerals are found in relatively large amounts while others are found in minute or trace quantities. Minerals serve a variety of structural and metabolic functions in swine and are found in all body components, including bone, muscle, internal organs, blood, and other tissues and fluids of the body.
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