Pig farmers are being encouraged to participate in research examining the effects of removing medicinal levels of zinc oxide from piglet diets.

Due to environmental concerns, regulatory authorisation for zinc oxide expires at the end of June. The Veterinary Medicines Agency granted a two-year transition period for the pig sector, starting in June 2022 and ending this month.

Researchers will study data from 24 commercial herds in the UK and responses from a broader producer questionnaire as part of a new study. The goal is to provide a ‘live barometer’ of piglet health across farms during and after the transition.

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To reach a broader audience and gain deeper insights, an anonymous online survey is available for all UK pig producers.

More than 1,500 pen faecal samples have been collected from the participating herds so far. Using advanced molecular methods, the research will assess the effects of zinc withdrawal on post-weaning diarrhoea, key pathogens, changes to the gut microbiome, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the samples.

A vet from the Roslin Institute, Dr. Deborah Hoyle, noted that the research would identify current pathogen strains causing disease in the studied herds, aiding vaccine development. She explained: “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.”

The research is conducted by a consortium including the University of Edinburgh, Queen’s University Belfast, APHA, Scotland’s Rural College, University of Surrey, Edinburgh Napier University, and feed company AB Neo.

*The online survey will close on June 28 and is available at https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/surrey/pig-study-survey