African swine fever (ASF) has an outsized prominence in global pig production - but if a vaccine from Vietnam has its way, the days of the disease may now be numbered.

 

In the latest development, the Philippines' Department of Agriculture confirmed higher levels of antibodies against ASF following the administration of the AVAC live vaccines to hogs in Lobo, Batangas. "Pigs showed higher antibodies after 30 days and we check (the) condition of the pigs reported to be (in) good condition," DA Assistant Secretary for Swine and Poultry Constante Palabrica told media.

 

The assurance would do little to allay the concerns of critics due to Vietnam's lack of transparency regarding trial data of its ASF vaccine (pages 4-5). However, there is no alternative on the horizon that could put an end to the spread of ASF.

 

On the other side of the planet, the ban on antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) in the European Union more than a decade ago led to increased use of zinc oxide (ZnO) at therapeutic dosage (2500mg/kg feed) in piglet diets to fight post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD). A high dose of ZnO was later discovered to have a potentially contaminating effect on the environment and could even exacerbate antibiotic resistance. In 2017, the European Commission prohibited the use of veterinary products with high doses of zinc oxide (3000mg/kg) from 2022 onwards, with ZnO in pig production capped at 150 ppm.

 

In this case, there is an alternative. "The holistic approach toward replacing a therapeutic dose of ZnO may include additives which target dietary NSPs (nonstarch polysaccharides) and promote fibre-degrading microbiome and fibre fermentation without being a substrate for microbiome growth," says AB Vista's Dr. Shah Hasan et. al. (pages 8-11). He suggests a range of interventions, specifically, superdosing phytase which can boost zinc absorption and reduce the "passage of undigested nutrients to intestines", and using stimbiotic that "promotes fibrolytic microbiome growth, thus aiding optimal gut health".

 

All these articulates the relationship between animal health and animal nutrition, that is often more nuanced than what the casual observer sees. But they also provide hope for what the innovation of nutritional interventions can bring, even when challenged by certain diseases.

 

The full article is published on the October 2024 issue of LIVESTOCK & FEED Business. To read the full report, please email to inquiry@efeedlink.com to request for a complimentary copy of the magazine, indicating your name, mailing address and title of the report.