Novus Global Swine Nutrition Roundtable Forges Future for Swine

ST. LOUIS, April 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Novus International, Inc. released a list of key challenges and opportunities for the swine industry developed at the Novus Global Swine Nutrition Roundtable in February. These issues will help inform several aspects of Novus's offerings from technical services to the research and development of new and existing products. At the heart of the findings are the opportunities for chelated trace minerals and epigenetics to address obstacles to piglet development and sow retention.

"The higher goal of our research efforts is to create solutions for swine producers around the world," said Dr. Mercedes Vázquez-Añón, Senior Director of Animal Nutrition Research and Facilities at Novus. "There is great potential to develop solutions for these issues that could significantly impact producers' profitability for years to come."

Over three days, 12 select swine consultants, nutritionists, academics and researchers in animal nutrition presented on various topics in early piglet development and sow nutrition at Novus's St. Charles, Missouri, USA headquarters. The attendees brought a truly global perspective to the detailed discussions of each topic presented with participants representing almost every continent from South America to Australia.

Many of the thoughts and ideas discussed during the meeting have already materialized into new research avenues and trials. Dr. Vázquez-Añón's team plans to continue working to fully understand the underlying biological mechanism that explains the benefits of MINTREX® chelated trace minerals observed in the field. During the roundtable discussions, sow nutrition with new genetic lines was identified as an important factor in the development and productivity of the progeny. Novus has committed to bring science to the understanding of the role of trace minerals in sow nutrition and the epigenetics involved in the development of the piglet. A new study has already been approved to begin in North America for 2017 focusing on these areas.

Novus identified four main challenges and three opportunities in the swine industry for trace mineral and epigenetics potential solutions going forward.

Challenges:

• The health and diet of sows affects replacement rates, but it can also affect the early development of piglets.
• A high variation of progeny birthweight can increase the occurrences of pre-weaning mortality and deeply affect those piglets' future performance capacities.
• There is a need for more piglets per litter and less time between parities to meet increasing global swine production demands.
• The higher prolific sows of today's market experience higher nutrient demands to maintain health and productivity.

Opportunities:

• Epigenetics can be utilized to further understand the offspring benefits observed from feeding MINTREX® trace minerals to sows.
• A cluttered feed market means producers are seeking scientific and technical partners to supply solutions with proven results.
• Data has indicated that the use of MINTREX trace minerals can support the development of fetuses which can help support piglet development beyond other sources of trace minerals.

More information about Novus's MINTREX chelated trace minerals and latest research in swine nutrition can be found at www.novusint.com.

About Novus International, Inc.

Novus International, Inc. is headquartered in metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. and serves customers in over 100 countries around the world. A global leader in developing animal health and nutrition solutions, Novus International's products include ALIMET® and MHA® feed supplements, ACTIVATE® nutritional feed acid, ACIDOMIX® preservative premixture, CIBENZA® enzyme feed additive, MINTREX® chelated trace minerals, SANTOQUIN® feed preservative, AGRADO® feed antioxidant and many other specialty ingredients. Stratum Nutrition, a division of Novus Nutrition Brands, LLC, focuses on human nutrition through specialty and functional ingredients for manufacturers of foods, beverages and dietary supplements (www.stratumnutrition.com).

Novus is privately owned by Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc. and Nippon Soda Co., Ltd. For more information, visit www.novusint.com. ©2016 Novus International, Inc. All rights reserved.

Contact:  Candace Rosen
+1 636-794-2421
[email protected]

SOURCE Novus International, Inc.

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