Novus Swine Research published in Journal of Animal Science

The study on maternal feeding is a collaboration with Novus and North Carolina State University

SAINT CHARLES, MO (October 14, 2020) – A new study from Novus International, Inc. on how bis-chelated organic trace minerals impact piglet growth and development through changes in gene expression recently appeared in the Journal of Animal Science.

The study titled “Effects of mineral methionine hydroxy analog chelate in sow diets on epigenetic modification and growth of progeny” is included in the Journal’s September issue (Volume 98, Issue 9) and helps to shed light on how feeding the sow a certain organic trace mineral source – MINTREX® Zn, Cu and Mn chelated trace minerals from Novus – can impact piglet gut health and muscle development by changing how particular genes are expressed in the progeny.

Regulation of progeny growth and development through maternal feeding by epigenetic modification has been a focus of Novus’s research team for several years, but primarily in poultry. Novus’s Drs. Juxing Chen and Ping Ren, who were study investigators, said their company’s previous work in breeder chickens inspired them and their colleagues to think more broadly across species to determine if the same positive outcomes could occur in swine, which they did.

“In our previous studies, we saw that pigsfrom sows fed MINTREX® Zn during gestation and lactation had optimized growth rates, loin eye area and survivability from wean to finish than pigs from sows fed inorganic trace minerals,” Ren said, “This new study really helped us to understand the mode of action behind these positive outcomes.”

The published study explains further these key findings and demonstrated the impact on piglets from sows that were fed MINTREX® Zn, Cu and Mn:

Promoted growth rate of suckling piglets
Supported histone acetylation in muscle in piglets at birth
Positive skeletal muscle growth
Optimized gut health as seen through less gut inflammation

Novus sponsored Dr. Sung Woo Kim in the Department of Animal Science at North Carolina State University (NCSU) to perform the study. The research team also included Novus’s Senior Director of Animal Nutrition Dr. Mercedes Vazquez-Anon, along with researchers from NCSU.

Chen, who is known as the maternal feeding expert at Novus, said epigenetics is one of the newest ways for producers to help prepare young animals for life outside the womb where they can face gut health challenges that can ruin performance.

“The swine industry is continuing to look for ways to improve growth rate and health status of pigs, thereby increasing profitability,” Chen said. “The findings from this study offer our industry an innovative solution for improving its bottom line.” Click here to read the study