Growth rate of piggles using iron and copper chelate complexes
Authors: Farionik T. V. , Yuzko Ya. A. 
Published: February 2025

The intensification of the pig industry requires the breeding of highly productive young animals capable of providing high growth energy under good conditions of its maintenance and full feeding. Full feeding of suckling piglets in most farms of Ukraine is provided by pre-starter compound feeds of imported production, which leads to an increase in the cost price of pork. In addition, the traditional sources of trace elements in these mixed feeds are mineral salts in the form of sulfate and chloride compounds, the bioavailability of which is 12–35 %, which leads to environmental pollution with heavy metals, and the crystallized water contained in sulfate molecules in the premixes destroys vitamins and other biologically active substances. The degree of assimilation of trace elements increases with the use of feed additives with trace elements of organic origin. Representatives of such feed additives are complexes of trace elements (chelates). Taking into account the fact that suckling piglets need Ferum supplements to mother's milk and a sufficient amount of Cuprum on the 4–5th day of life, since Cuprum catalyzes the incorporation of Ferum into the heme structure and is an indispensable activator of hemoglobin synthesis and a stimulator of erythrocyte maturation, the study of the effect of this element in the composition of chelated of the complex in the pre-starter compound feed is relevant. In addition, the study of the economic and economic significance of the use of the chelate complex of Cuprum in the feeding of suckling piglets, the establishment of optimal norms of this supplement taking into account the breed and parentage, has an important scientific and practical significance. The domestic and foreign experience of effective pig farming shows that the realization of the hereditary qualities of modern high-performance pig breeds and obtaining ecologically clean products is possible only under the condition of the development and implementation of perfect technologies for the production of pig farming products, which must be consistent with the biological needs of animals. The main chain connecting the animal body with nature is feed. Therefore, not only from the physiological, but also from the technological and economic points of view, special attention has always been given to the quality of feed and its completeness. Also, among the factors determining the degree of realization of the genetic potential of animal productivity, feeding plays a predominant role, which accounts for 50–60 % of the overall breeding progress of populations and herds. Obtaining and growing highly productive young animals capable of providing high growth energy is one of the most important components of the intensification of the pig industry. In order to obtain healthy and well-developed piglets, breeders and sows should be used rationally, as well as create appropriate feeding conditions, in particular, early feeding of feed and feed additives and provision of conditions for increasing the number of digestive enzymes capable of breaking down the nutrients of plant feed in the piglets' body should be provided.