To improve the growth performance of pigs, is it possible to feed calcium formate?

 Savvy pig farmers know that they must choose different feeding standards to prepare compound feeds according to different production purposes, breeds, ages, body weights, etc. Calcium is added to the daily diet in many different ways, not all of which are obvious. The effective ingredient of calcium in feed is often used as limestone as a filler or flow agent, but it is difficult to absorb. Is feeding calcium formate now good for pigs' growth performance?

The use of calcium formate is actually a great help in poultry health. When using calcium formate, it is more important to control its growth performance. Let's take a look at what impact it has.

1. Reduce the pH value in the piglet's gastrointestinal tract and reduce the incidence of diarrhea

Calcium formate can lower the pH value of the diet, increase the acidity of the gastrointestinal tract and the activity of digestive enzymes, promote the reproduction of lactic acid bacteria, and inhibit the growth of E. coli and Staphylococcus. The addition of 0.7% and 1% calcium formate to 42-day-old pig diets reduced the pH value of gastric contents from 4.5 to 4.2 and 3.5, respectively, and significantly reduced the number of gastric colon and rectal E. coli. At the same time, lactic acid bacteria and yeasts grow in large numbers, which can effectively prevent digestive disorders and diarrhea caused by bacterial infections.

2. Improve the palatability of diets and promote the growth of piglets

According to experiments, adding 1%-2% calcium formate in the diet can increase the feed intake of piglets by 5.2%-19.8%, increase the daily gain of piglets by 9%-38.67%, and increase the feed conversion rate by 11%-15%. And adding calcium formate is better than adding other organic acids. The main reason for adding calcium formate to promote growth is to make a good microflora in the digestive tract, which can reduce the destruction of nutrients in the gastrointestinal tract and the production of toxins, increase the synthesis of nutrients and protect the gastrointestinal tract.

3. Regulate the emptying speed of the stomach and promote the digestion and absorption of nutrients

After adding 5% calcium formate to the piglet's diet, the pH value in the stomach and jejunum will decrease. After the acidic chyme enters the small intestine, it can secrete enterostatin by chemically stimulating the wall of the small intestine, which slows down the gastric emptying rate. The moving speed of food in the intestine prolongs the residence time of food in the stomach, so that the food is fully mixed with the digestive juices such as saliva and gastric juice, which is conducive to the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the food. At the same time, calcium formate can form a chelate complex with the essential mineral elements Cu, Fe, P, Zn, Mg, etc., which are easy to be absorbed and utilized, and has a high biological potency to promote their absorption and retention. The main reason is that some mineral elements are easy to form insoluble and difficult to absorb salts in the alkaline gastrointestinal tract, and calcium formate can lower the pH value of the intestinal tract and promote the absorption and utilization of minerals in feed by fat.

4. Directly used as a dietary ingredient to promote the metabolism of piglets

The addition of calcium formate in the diet can reduce the loss of piglets due to gluconeogenesis and lipid hydrolysis. It can promote the electron transport system and the activity of isocitrate dehydrogenase when synthesizing ATP in the body, and has a positive effect on the formation of ATP and the total biological activity. The accumulation of weight plays an important role to promote the metabolism of piglets and enhance the utilization of energy and amino acids.

5. Prevent feed oxidation and reduce the stress of weaning piglets

Calcium formate is a synergist of feed antioxidants, and its mechanism of action is to block metal ions in the feed, making it unable to catalyze the oxidation reaction. At the same time, due to the low feed intake of early weaned piglets, the poor utilization of sugar and protein feeds, the higher the incidence and mortality of diarrhea. The calcium formate in the feed can promote the secretion of gastric juice and digestive enzymes, and effectively overcome the weaning stress of piglets.

It can be seen that the various raw materials in the compound feed to be fed to the pigs must be fully mixed and evenly mixed to ensure that the pigs take in the various nutrients required by the feed. Calcium formate improves the production performance of pigs, and acts as an acidifier in the body, so it has a higher feed intake and daily weight gain.