Trace minerals and vitamins are important co-factors in physiologic processes. Trace elements function as activators of antioxidant enzymes. Vitamins have numerous roles in biochemical functions.
Has an important role in the functioning of the antioxidant defense system and is indispensable for the free-radical neutralizing activities of antioxidants, preventing both cell and tissue damage.
Effective transport to the intestinal wall leads to a higher absorption. Organically bound minerals have a superior bioavailability than inorganic minerals.
Because of the stability even at low pH values, there is less release of free metal ions in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
In organically bound minerals the metals are protected against antagonistic effects like creating undesired bonds between other feed molecules.
Zinc is essential for healthy animals. Zinc is needed for immunity, reproduction, skin, hoof, and footpad integrity, muscle development, milk production, and eggshell quality. Moreover, the need for zinc increases during pregnancy and lactation and during stress such as extreme heat, feed changes, and relocation. Zinc is a critical component needed for cell membrane repair. As such, requirements are increased after tissue or skin damage and during wound healing.
Despite zinc’s importance, it is often supplemented as inorganic zinc such as zinc oxide or sulfate. However, inorganic zinc is easily separated in the gut allowing for the formation of insoluble complexes with other free metals or other dietary components. This results in unabsorbed zinc being excreted in the feces, potentially contaminating the environment.
Organically bound zinc is zinc bound to a single amino acid or a small peptide from hydrolyzed soy protein. Organic zinc has greater binding strength and is better protected from antagonistic effects in the gut. The result is zinc that is better absorbed and metabolized, with a direct impact on animal health and productivity.
E.C.O.Trace® Zinc is an organic form of zinc bound to the amino acid glycine, also commonly known as glycinate. This has numerous advantages over inorganic forms of zinc such as zinc sulfate. The zinc-glycine complex provides superior stability at the low pH found in the gastrointestinal tract. This results in fewer insoluble complexes between different dietary compounds in the gut and less antagonistic effects between mineral transport. In addition, effective transport to the intestinal wall and beneficial absorption rate leads to higher bioavailability.
Zinc is only a small part of the total feed—but it makes all the difference! Zinc can only provide nutritional value if it is absorbed. E.C.O.Trace® Zinc has been successfully used in high-performance animal feeds with proven superior absorption over inorganic zinc. E.C.O.Trace® Zinc glycine-chelates are an easy choice!
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