How Trace Element Improve Livestock Production

Trace elements are important structural and functional components of the animal body. Although their content is low, they play a very important role in animal growth and development, metabolism, disease prevention, and improvement of feed utilization.

This article contains the following:

• Why animals need trace elements?

• Main trace elements and functions needed by animals

• Synergy and Antagonism of Trace Elements

  
  

  
  

Why animals need trace elements?

Trace elements are important constituents of many enzyme systems in the animal body. Some vitamins and hormones also contain trace elements. Therefore, trace elements play an important role in the growth and metabolism of animals. Once lacking, it will cause disease. Excessive intake of trace elements can cause poisoning for livestock and poultry. Because the trace elements contained in water, soil, and plants are different from place to place, the deficiency of trace elements is often regional. For example, in many places in Northeast China, Northwest China, and North China, selenium deficiency regions and selenium deficiency in livestock and poultry There are many sexually transmitted diseases.

Main trace elements and functions needed by animals

Animals contain almost all trace elements in nature, but in production practice, the trace elements that have important nutritional effects and must be supplemented through feed are generally eight trace elements such as iron, copper, and zinc.

Trace elements play multiple roles in the body. Some trace elements are structural components themselves, such as iron is a component of hemoglobin and myoglobin. In addition, most trace elements are prosthetic groups or structural components of important enzymes in the body and are involved in catalyzing various metabolic processes in the body. Lack of these trace elements can affect normal metabolism, which can lead to disease and death in animals.

Deficiency of these trace elements can cause deficiency. For example, iron deficiency anemia is more common in suckling piglets. A suckling piglet needs about 7 mg of iron per day, but milk can only provide about 1 mg of iron, which cannot meet the needs of piglets. Copper deficiency in animals can lead to anemia and stunted growth. The typical symptom of zinc deficiency in pigs is incomplete keratosis, and zinc deficiency in chickens is manifested as growth retardation and poor feathering.

Synergy and Antagonism of Trace Elements

Some trace elements can cause synergy and antagonism when they are mixed together. Therefore, pay attention to the balance between trace elements, trace elements and other nutrients when configuring the trace element premix. We cannot blindly pursue the nutritional and biological functions of individual trace elements, and ignore the synergistic and antagonistic relationship between them, resulting in unnecessary or irreparable losses. For example, in order to pursue growth rate, high copper is added to the feed of finishing pigs, which results in symptoms such as anemia, softening of body fat, and incomplete keratinization of the skin. Copper can promote the use of iron, and lack of copper will cause obstacles to the absorption and utilization of iron. There is an antagonistic relationship between iron and zinc. In formula design and production, the coordination and antagonism of each element should be handled well, and the amount of elements to be added should be appropriately determined according to different applicable objects.

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