Organic Minerals in Pet Nutrition

Essential trace micro minerals are components of enzymes and are necessary for normal functions of tissues and processes involved in reproduction. In the last years there has been a renewed interest in the bio-availability of minerals sources and this has led to the development of organic minerals.
The chemical form of dietary trace minerals is as important as the quantity and chelated trace minerals have a greater potential for absorption than minerals in inorganic form. In chelated minerals the trace mineral is bound to an aminoacid to form a stable structure that is electrically neutral. Due to this, chelated minerals are considered by the body as amino acids rather than minerals for their absorption in the intestinal tract. So, these stable molecules are better absorbed across the gut wall and are hidden from other minerals that can interfere with their absorption.
Some studies have been carried out in dogs and have shown advantages in terms of availability, animal performance and reduction of mineral antagonist interactions. A common disease in dogs is related to back problems that involved degeneration and disc ruptures. Dr. Priester and colleagues found that this discs problems are generally related to inadequate nutrition to the disc material. They made comparisons between healthy and unhealthy discs and they found 61% less iron and 91% less manganese in unhealthy discs compared to normal discs. Collagen production is required for healthy discs and chelated iron and manganese showed to be involved in the production of collagen along with vitamin C. So, no disc material can be synthesised with an iron and manganese nutritional deficiency. Based on this the carried out a research where 54 completely and partially paralyzed dogs where fed with chelated minerals and vitamins with extra amounts of chelated manganese. Every dog receiving this supplemental nutrition regained complete use of its limbs and X-rays confirmed that new discs were built and backs returned to normal. In another study carried out by Kuhlman and Rompala, they found that dietary supplementation of chelated forms of Zn, Cu and Mn affected the reproductive performance of Beagle bitches, increasing litter size significantly by one puppy.. In this same study they found no significant difference in hair concentrations of Zn, Cu and Mn in bitches fed chelated minerals or fed inorganic minerals; but scanning electron microscopy revealed differences in hair follicle condition with the hair taken from the chelated mineral fed dogs appearing smother and less fragmented. Lowe et al. showed that chelated Zn fed to dogs it was better absorbed and longer retained than inorganic form of this mineral. In another trial Lowe et al. reported higher amount of Zn deposited in hair of the dogs fed with chelated form compared to dogs fed the inorganic form.
It is widely demonstrated that trace minerals play a very important role in reproduction and the dietary source of this trace minerals (Chelated vs. Inorganic) can affect reproductive performance.