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Abstract Digestive disorders and impaired performance are common problems among weanling piglets. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect on health and performance of feeding different levels of zinc (as zinc oxide) for one, two or three weeks after weaning to piglets weaned at 28 days of age. A supplement of 2500 ppm zinc for two weeks after weaning reduced the incidence and severity of non-specific post-weaning diarrhoea by up to 50%. The daily gain, but not feed intake and feed efficiency, was significantly influenced by the dietary zinc level. Piglets fed 2500 ppm zinc showed the best performance. The beneficial effect of a temporary supply of 2500 and 4000 ppm zinc on post-weaning diarrhoea was found to be coincident with an increased alkaline phosphatase activity and zinc concentration in serum. The frequency of post-weaning diarrhoea was shown to be affected by the dietary content of calcium and copper.
Hanne Damgaard Poulsen (Tue,) studied this question.