Researchers are calling on UK pig producers to take part in extensive scientific research into the impact of the removal of zinc oxide at medicinal levels from piglet diets.
The shelf life for any remaining zinc oxide stores expires at the end of June, following the two-year transition period granted by the Veterinary Medicines Agency in June 2022.
The multi-faceted study will use findings from 24 participating commercial herds from around the UK plus data from a wider producer questionnaire, to provide a ‘live barometer’ of piglet health across UK farms during and beyond the transitional withdrawal period.
To contribute
To reach the wider industry and gain a deeper understanding of the situation, an online anonymous survey is open to all UK pig producers.
- You can participate here: https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/surrey/pig-study-survey
- The survey closes on June 28.
The study
Running from 2022 to 2027, the research is being carried out by a consortium from University of Edinburgh, Queen’s University Belfast, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), University of Surrey, Edinburgh Napier University and feed company AB Neo.
So far, more than 1,500 pen faecal samples have been collected from the participating herds. Using state of the art molecular methods, the research will identify the effects of zinc withdrawal on post-weaning diarrhoea, key pathogens, changes to the gut microbiome and AMR on the samples.
Dr Deborah Hoyle, a vet and microbial epidemiologist based at the Roslin Institute, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, explained that the research will identify the current pathogen strains causing disease in the herds studied, which will be of benefit to vaccine preventative strategies.
“The project seeks to enhance our knowledge of changes in the gut microbiome when exposed to zinc, with the goal of promoting improved outcomes during and after piglet weaning. For example, through dietary management or development of pre and pro-biotic supplements that might achieve the same beneficial microbiome balance, in the absence of zinc,” she said.
“We are also looking at AMR prevalence because heavy metals such as zinc are known to aid carriage of multiple drug-resistant bacteria. A key part is therefore to track the levels and types of AMR observed in the herds, before and after zinc withdrawal, and across different age groups, to see if and how these might change over the transitional period.
“Importantly, we are looking at the effects of zinc withdrawal in the longer term, beyond the weaner pig, across grower to finisher stages, to understand impacts across the whole lifecycle.”
Changes in perception
To better understand their views on the impact caused by ZnO removal, all 24 farms in the study have been invited to opt-in to an integrated social-science component, involving one-to one interviews to share their perspective on challenges that practice-change can raise.
Dr Sam Beechener, a social scientist from SRUC highlighted one of the survey insights so far: “While weaning is a stage that every pig must pass through and some describe as ‘the most critical stage’ we are hearing that what works in one unit may not work in another, with some units appearing to have more difficulties than others in finding a zinc-free strategy,” he said.
“For some it is not just about production – participants are also telling us about having to adjust their own perceptions of what a well-weaned pig means.
This research is being made possible through a BBSRC funding award of £1.3m, highlighted at a pioneering BBSRC Endemic Livestock Disease Initiative event facilitated by Kingshay, part of the VetPartners group.
Vet Gemma Thwaites from Garth Pig Practice, part of the VetPartners group, said: “Gastro-intestinal disease is currently producing a significant challenge to the sustainability of pig systems and impacts a significant number of pigs. It not only affects them acutely but also influences their lifetime performance, so this change impacts both economical and environmental sustainability.
“Therefore, it is positive to hear that evidence-based information is going to be made available to the industry.”