Choosing the best test for organic trace minerals in poultry feed

摘要

Replacing inorganic trace mineral sources with lower levels of organic trace mineral forms in poultry feed can yield great results. However, using the right test with OTMs is critical. Over the last two decades, organic minerals have been used as a partial replacement of trace mineral supply to improve certain areas of poultry productivity; this includes fertility in breeders, shell strength, and carcass and meat quality. Current research has identified future opportunities by replacing inorganic trace mineral sources with lower levels of the more available organic trace mineral forms, thereby minimizing the amount excreted and also optimizing trace mineral-associated performance traits. Ensuring, via testing, that the organic trace mineral source used is presented in a form designed to optimize uptake and retention in the bird is essential to enable this new frontier of poultry mineral nutrition. Further, and perhaps more importantly, understanding the limitations of these tests is critical if oneis to apply them successfully in the assessment of OTMs.