Ways of growth stimulation of piglets with the help of biologically active drugs

Abstract

Providing the population of Ukraine with meat and meat products largely depends on the efficiency of the pig industry, one of the urgent problems of which is the increase in pork production. There are many problematic stages in pig farming, one of which is raising suckling piglets, the complexity of which is determined by a number of physiological features of the development of the body of newborn piglets. During the period of intrauterine development and in the first days of life, piglets receive nutrients exclusively from the sow. Therefore, improving the rations of farrowing and suckling sows in a certain way affects the fertility, growth, and survival of piglets. An important place in this belongs to mineral nutrition. One of the ways to eliminate mineral deficiency in feed is the use of mineral additives. Among the wide arsenal of biologically active substances used to regulate metabolic processes in the body, drugs of complex action are of particular importance. Today, there are relatively inexpensive fertilizers based on natural minerals, which include trace elements and amino acids. The balance of rations in terms of biologically active substances remains an important factor affecting animal productivity. In a number of studies, it has been proven that the use of chelated compounds of microelements as a feed additive ensures better assimilation of metals than when they are introduced into the diet in an inorganic form, which in turn helps to achieve higher productivity in animals, as well as reducing feed costs per unit of production. Therefore, the development of new biotechnological methods of stimulating growth, increasing the percentage of survival of suckling piglets, and improving the reproductive capacity of sows using biologically active substances is relevant. A necessary condition for the normal development of piglets and the recovery of sows in the postpartum period is their full feeding, in particular, balanced feed in terms of macro- and microelements. After all, mineral substances take an active part in metabolic processes, activate the functions of hormones, vitamins, and enzymes, contribute to increased digestibility and utilization of nutrients in diets, better provision of intrauterine development of offspring, the birth of physiologically mature piglets, more intensive growth and development after birth. The significant influence of trace elements on physiological processes is explained by the fact that they are part of the so-called accessory substances: vitamins, hormones, enzymes, and coen-zymes involved in the regulation of vital processes. In addition, they affect the formation of cellular immunity of newborn piglets. In this regard, in recent years much attention has been paid to the study of the influence of various vitamin and mineral supplements of organic origin on the productivity of animals.